--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thinking is like loving and dying. Each…" description: "\"Thinking is like loving and dying. Each of us must do it for himself.\" — Josiah Royce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/josiah-royce-15505_death_thinking-is-like-loving-and-dying-each-o_2851794.png" --- # Thinking is like loving and dying. Each of us must do it… ![“Thinking is like loving and dying. Each of us must do it for himself.” quote by Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/josiah-royce-15505_death_thinking-is-like-loving-and-dying-each-o_2851794.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/josiah-royce-15505_death_thinking-is-like-loving-and-dying-each-o_2851794.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61d/josiah-royce-15505_death_thinking-is-like-loving-and-dying-each-o_2851794.png) > “Thinking is like loving and dying. Each of us must do it for himself.” [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thinking and love involve deep engagement and eventual loss, requiring personal commitment to both. **In simple terms:** Thinking and love demand personal commitment and loss. Key Takeaway Embrace deep thought and love fully. Themes philosophy existentialism love Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical existential When to use this quote - personal growth - relationships - creative work Key Concepts Self-awareness transience commitment Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance thought and emotion? - What does personal loss teach you? A Different Perspective Personal introspection can lead to isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Deep thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-thought/) [Idealist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idealist/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loving/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Positive thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-thinking/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Thinking is like loving or dying. Each of us must do it for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/thinking-is-like-loving-or-dying-each-of-us-must-do-it-for-ourselves/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [“There is a period between each night and day when one dies for a few hours, neither dreaming nor thinking nor tossing nor hating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-okada/there-is-a-period-between-each-night-and-day-when-one-dies-for-a-few/) John Okada > [I hate myself for seriously loving someone who's almost dying in loving somebody else..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannea/i-hate-myself-for-seriously-loving-someone-who-s-almost-dying-in/) [Shannea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannea/) > [“No one can genuinely love the world, which is too large to love entire. To love all the world at once is...dangerous self-delusion. Loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/no-one-can-genuinely-love-the-world-which-is-too-large-to-love-entire-2/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [If you feel like loving me, if you've got the notion, I second that emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smokey-robinson/if-you-feel-like-loving-me-if-you-ve-got-the-notion-i-second-that/) [Smokey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smokey-robinson/) > [Do you know what it feels like loving someone whos in a rush to throw you away?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-know-what-it-feels-like-loving-someone-whos-in-a-rush-to-throw/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But we are not separate from our children. Loving them is like loving ourselves. And getting better for them is a noble and sustaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-aman/but-we-are-not-separate-from-our-children-loving-them-is-like-loving/) [Jodi Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-aman/) > [I guess,we're supposed to be like this.i can feel it, you can feel it but can't come into reality.i know its just like this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ladyblue/i-guess-we-re-supposed-to-be-like-this-i-can-feel-it-you-can-feel-it/) Ladyblue > [“Wasn't loving him like loving the sun, so beautiful and warm, essential to light but deadly if you got too close?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-armintrout/wasn-t-loving-him-like-loving-the-sun-so-beautiful-and-warm-essential/) [Jennifer Armintrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-armintrout/) > [Singing, it's like it's like loving somebody, it's a supreme emotional and physical experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/singing-it-s-like-it-s-like-loving-somebody-it-s-a-supreme-emotional/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [“He’s going to get hurt. 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Yes I know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-styles/makes-me-feel-like-loving-you-and-i-know-it-keeps-on-getting-better/) [Darren Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-styles/) > [Loving your pet is like loving your kids you can never let them go, if they get sick you take care of them, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella/loving-your-pet-is-like-loving-your-kids-you-can-never-let-them-go-if/) [Isabella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella/) ## More by Josiah Royce > [Life involves passions, faiths, doubts, and courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/life-involves-passions-faiths-doubts-and-courage/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [Interfere with the reality of my world, and you therefore take the very life and heart out of my will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/interfere-with-the-reality-of-my-world-and-you-therefore-take-the/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [Religious faith, indeed, relates to that which is above us, but it must arise from that which is within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/religious-faith-indeed-relates-to-that-which-is-above-us-but-it-must/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [But you are alone. Yet I never tell what you are. And if your face lights up my world as no other can -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/but-you-are-alone-yet-i-never-tell-what-you-are-and-if-your-face/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [A crowd, whether it be a dangerous mob, or an amiably joyous gathering at a picnic is not a community. It has a mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/a-crowd-whether-it-be-a-dangerous-mob-or-an-amiably-joyous-gathering/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [Ideas any one can mould as he wishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/ideas-any-one-can-mould-as-he-wishes/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [As for you, my beloved friend, I loyally believe in your uniqueness; but whenever I try to tell to you wherein it consists, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/as-for-you-my-beloved-friend-i-loyally-believe-in-your-uniqueness-but/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [This preparatory sort of idealism is the one that, as I just suggested, Berkeley made prominent, and, after a fashion familiar. I must state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/this-preparatory-sort-of-idealism-is-the-one-that-as-i-just-suggested/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [The world, as transformed by this creative deed, is better than it would have been had all else remained the same, but had that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/the-world-as-transformed-by-this-creative-deed-is-better-than-it/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [Only the more uncompromising of the mystics still seek for knowledge in a silent land of absolute intuition, where the intellect finally lays down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/only-the-more-uncompromising-of-the-mystics-still-seek-for-knowledge/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [The other aspect of idealism is the one which gives us our notion of the absolute Self. To it the first is only preparatory.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/the-other-aspect-of-idealism-is-the-one-which-gives-us-our-notion-of/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [If I look to see what I ever did that, for all I now know, some other man might not have done, I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/if-i-look-to-see-what-i-ever-did-that-for-all-i-now-know-some-other/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [Men accept without questioning that this world is real and important and worthwhile. This is faith. Philosophy is the ongoing questioning of this faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/men-accept-without-questioning-that-this-world-is-real-and-important/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [So far as we live and strive at all, our lives are various, are needed for the whole, and are unique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/so-far-as-we-live-and-strive-at-all-our-lives-are-various-are-needed/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [And just because God attains and wins and finds this uniqueness all our lives win in our union with him the individuality which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/and-just-because-god-attains-and-wins-and-finds-this-uniqueness-all/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) [Explore all 43 Josiah Royce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. 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Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. 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