Able Quote by William James
““Philosophy, beginning in wonder, as Plato and Aristotle said, is able to fancy everything different from what it is. It sees the familiar as if it were strange, and the strange as if it were familiar. It can take things up and lay them down again. It rouses us from our native dogmatic slumber and breaks up our caked prejudices.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Varieties of Religious Experience, William James, 1902
Philosophy starts with awe, seeing the familiar as strange and vice versa, challenging fixed beliefs and opening fresh perspectives.
In simple terms: Wonder makes us question assumptions.
Key Takeaway
Embrace curiosity to break mental habits.
Themes
wonder
critical thinking
perspective
growth
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- education
- art critique
- personal development
- cultural analysis
Key Concepts
epistemology
phenomenology
creativity
Questions to Reflect On
- What assumptions feel familiar yet strange?
- How can wonder reshape your daily view?
A Different Perspective
It may lead to paralysis by over‑questioning.
![“If they [Plato and Aristotle] wrote about politics it was as if to lay down rules for a madhouse. And if they pretended to treat it as something really important it was because they knew that the madmen they were talking to believed themselves to be kings and emperors. They humoured these beliefs…” quote by Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/eb5/blaise-pascal-167_belief_if-they-plato-and-aristotle-wrote-about_343108.jpg)
