Quotes for UPSC Essay

“Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-imposed immaturity” – Immanuel Kant Quote by Immanuel Kant 1. Meaning and significance: This quote by Immanuel Kant encapsulates a core principle of the Enlightenment era. Kant suggests that human beings are capable of reason and independent thought, but often fail to exercise these faculties due to self-imposed limitations. […]

“Look closely. The beautiful may be small” – Immanuel Kant Quote by Immanuel Kant 1. Meaning and significance: Kant’s quote “Look closely. The beautiful may be small.” emphasizes the importance of careful observation and attention to detail. It suggests that beauty is not always found in grand, obvious displays, but can often be discovered in

“Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made” – Immanuel Kant Quote by Immanuel Kant 1. Meaning and significance: Kant’s quote “Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made” is a profound observation about human nature and its imperfections. The metaphor of “crooked timber” suggests

“All our knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with reason. There is nothing higher than reason” – Immanuel Kant Quote by Immanuel Kant 1. Meaning and significance: This quote from Immanuel Kant outlines his epistemological framework, describing the process of how humans acquire and develop knowledge. Let’s break it

“Thoughts without content are empty, intuitions without concepts are blind” – Immanuel Kant Quote by Immanuel Kant 1. Meaning and significance: Kant’s quote “Thoughts without content are empty, intuitions without concepts are blind” encapsulates a core principle of his epistemology, highlighting the interdependence of sensory experience and conceptual understanding in human cognition. The first part,

“The busier we are, the more acutely we feel that we live, the more conscious we are of life” – Immanuel Kant Quote by Immanuel Kant 1. Meaning and significance: Kant’s quote suggests a connection between our level of activity and our perception of life’s intensity. He posits that increased busyness leads to a heightened

“Seek not the favor of the multitude; it is seldom got by honest and lawful means. But seek the testimony of few; and number not voices, but weigh them” – Immanuel Kant Quote by Immanuel Kant 1. Meaning and significance: Kant advises against pursuing the approval of the masses (“favor of the multitude”), suggesting that

“It is not God’s will merely that we should be happy, but that we should make ourselves happy” – Immanuel Kant Quote by Immanuel Kant 1. Meaning and significance: This quote by Immanuel Kant encapsulates a key aspect of his moral philosophy and his views on human agency. The statement suggests that happiness is not

“Happiness is not an ideal of reason, but of imagination” – Immanuel Kant Quote by Immanuel Kant 1. Meaning and significance: Kant’s quote “Happiness is not an ideal of reason, but of imagination” suggests that happiness is not a concept that can be fully grasped or achieved through logical reasoning alone. Instead, it is a

“Live your life as though your every act were to become a universal law” – Immanuel Kant Quote by Immanuel Kant 1. Meaning and significance: Immanuel Kant’s quote “Live your life as though your every act were to become a universal law” encapsulates a key principle of his moral philosophy, known as the categorical imperative.