December 5

The longer mankind exists, the more liberated it becomes from prejudice and the more clearly it perceives the law of life.

Ours is the age of criticism. Religion and law try to escape from criticism, religion by saying that it is divine and law by showing that it is powerful. But some suspicions arise from this escape, because we can respect only those things which stand up in free and public trial.

— Immanuel Kant

Study everything, and put intellect first.

— Pythagoras

Do not be afraid of the way your intellect calls into question old stories and legends. The pure intellect cannot destroy anything without replacing it with the truth: this is one of its essential qualities. 

July 5

Solomon and Job knew and spoke wisely about the uselessness of human life. The first was the happiest, the second the unhappiest of all men. One knew the vanity of pleasure; the other, the reality of misfortune.

— Blaise Pascal

Follow the best way of life you possibly can, and habit will make this way suitable and pleasant for you.

This is the divine law of life: that only virtue stands firm. All the rest is nothing.

— Pythagoras

If you fear woes and misfortunes, then you are already unhappy. Those who fear misfortunes usually deserve them.

— Chinese Proverb

Happiness and calmness are neither inside us nor outside us. They are in God, who is both inside and outside us.

— Blaise Pascal

Everything is from God; therefore, everything is good. Evil is goodness which we did not understand because of our shortsightedness.

When one understands that kind of evil which is in his deeds, then all other misfortunes to which he can be subjected are nothing as compared with the pleasure and freedom he can then experience.

May 6

Compassion for animals is so natural to us that we can become insensitive to their suffering and death only through traditions or hypnosis.

Compassion for animals is as closely connected with kindness that you can truly say that a person cannot be kind if he is cruel to animals. Compassion for animals comes from the same source as compassion toward people.

— Arthur Schopenhauer

Fear God, do not torture animals. Let them serve you, and let them rest when they are tired; provide enough food and drink for those creatures which cannot speak.

— Mohammed

A person is not higher than other animals because he can mercilessly torture them, but because he can take pity on them.

— Buddhist Wisdom

Do not allow your children to kill insects; this is the first step along a road which can lead to the killing of people.

— Pythagoras