The life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster.

David Hume

More information about this quote

Topic

Man and animals Insignificance of man The universe

Author

David Hume

Source

Of Suicide Essays on Suicide and The Immortality of the Soul

Medium

Essay

Language

English

Time

1776 1770s 18th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

Occupation

Philosopher Writer

From

United Kingdom Europe

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Hume, David, [published anonymously]. "Of Suicide." Essays on Suicide and The Immortality of the Soul, Ascribed to the Late David Hume, Esq. Unknown Publisher, 1777.

Current Citation

Hume, David. "Of Suicide." Essays, Moral, Political, and Literary: Volumes 1 and 2, edited by Tom L. Beauchamp and Mark A Box. Oxford University Press, 2022, pt. 3, no. 9.

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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote from the 1770s

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Declaration of Independence

Read The Declaration of Independence at the National Archives website
More information about this quote
Topic
Declaration of Independence American politics
Source
Declaration of Independence
Genre
Political literature
Language
English
Time
1776 1770s 18th century
Era
American Revolutionary Period
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

United States Declaration of Independence. 1776.

Current Citation

The National Archives. The Declaration of Independence: A Transcript. 24 July 2020, www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript.

Another quote about Man and animals

There is no folly of the beasts of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men.

Herman Melville

Moby-Dick; or, The Whale

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Read Moby-Dick at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote
Topic
Man and animals

Author

Herman Melville
Source
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale
Medium
Novel
Language
English
Time
1851 1850s 19th century
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. London: Richard Bentley/New York: Harper & Brothers, 1851, ch. 87.

Current Citation

Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick or, The Whale. Penguin Classics, 2002, ch. 87.

Another quote from 1776

Every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it... he intends only his own security... and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention.

Adam Smith

The Wealth of Nations

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More information about this quote
Topic
Invisible hand Self-interest Unintended consequences

Author

Adam Smith
Source
The Wealth of Nations
Genre
Economic literature
Language
English
Time
1776 1770s 18th century
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations. Vol. 2, London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell 1776, bk. 4, ch. 2.

Current Citation

Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations, edited by Edwin Cannan. The Modern Library, 2000, bk. 4, ch. 2.

Another quote from Age of Enlightenment

Censorship is crucial for preserving morals but useless for restoring them.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

The Social Contract

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More information about this quote
Topic
Censorship Morality

Author

Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Source
The Social Contract
Genre
Political literature Philosophical literature
Language
French
Time
1762 1760s 18th century
Era
Age of Enlightenment
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Du contrat social ou Principes du droit politique [On the Social Contract or Principles of Political Law]. Amsterdam: Marc Michel Rey, 1762, bk. 4, ch. 7.

Current Citation

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. "Of the Social Contract." Of the Social Contract and Other Political Writings, translated by Quintin Hoare. Penguin Classics, 2012, bk. 4, ch. 7.