Sidney Hook Quotes

Wisdom is a kind of knowledge. It is knowledge of the nature, career, and consequences of human values.

The powers of science are morally neutral — as easily used for bad purposes as good ones. In the excitement of discovery, we must never forget that mankind is defined not by intelligence alone, but by conscience. Even the most noble ends do not justify every means.

My only fear is doing something contrary to human nature - the wrong thing, the wrong way, or at the wrong time.

Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.

I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher for living well.

All serious conversations gravitate towards philosophy.

The ideas I stand for are not mine. I borrowed them from Socrates. I swiped them from Chesterfield. I stole them from Jesus. And I put them in a book. If you don't like their rules, whose would you use?

Knowledge which is divorced from justice, may be called cunning rather than wisdom.

There is no sin but ignorance.

When people are old enough to know better they are old enough to do worse.

The aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values.

Nothing has caused the human race so much trouble as intelligence.

Wisdom has its root in goodness, not goodness its root in wisdom.

Knowledge of what is does not open the door directly to what should be.

Without moral and intellectual independence, there is no anchor for national independence.

Without philosophy man cannot know what he makes; without religion he cannot know why.

When you betray somebody else, you also betray yourself.

Wisdom is the knowledge of good and evil, not the strength to choose between the two.

It is becoming clear that the old platitudes can no longer be maintained, and that if we wish to improve our morals we must first improve our knowledge.

When we value correct principles, we have truth - a knowledge of things as they are.

One impulse from a vernal wood May teach you more of man, Of moral evil and of good, Than all the sages can.

Intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.

It's not enough to have a skill. Not enough to have read all the books or know all the facts. Values are what really matter

In some countries the effort to debate and legislate the social and ethical implications of the new biological and genetic technologies often precedes their application. This observation confirms the realization by the public that biotechnological applications will interfere with all the basic and profound value systems considered by every human being

The government may be made up of clever, sensible people. But if they do not believe in basic human values, the more clever or shrewd they are the greater the tragedy they will create.