Necessity Quotes

It is a profound and necessary truth that the deep things in science are not found because they are useful; they were found because it was possible to find them.

One who becomes compassionate to the cruel will ultimately become cruel to the compassionate

A strict observance of the written laws is doubtless one of the highest duties of a good citizen, but it is not the highest. The laws of necessity, of self-preservation, of saving our country when in danger, are of a high obligation.... To lose our country by a scrupulous adherence to written law, would be to lose the law itself ... absurdly sacrificing the end to the means.

In no way can sport be considered a luxury object.

Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.

The prince must not mind incurring the scandal of those vices without which it would be difficult to save the state.

I believe in Spinoza's God, who reveals himself in the harmony of all that exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fate and the doings of mankind.

I have no duty to be anyone's Friend and no man in the world has a duty to be mine. No claims, no shadow of necessity. Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself (for God did not need to create). It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.

I have wrought great use out of evil tools.

The strong do what they have to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.

A starving man thinks first of satisfying his hunger before anything else. He will sell his liberty and all for the sake of getting a morsel of food.

Hunger makes a thief of any man.

Patriotism is not sentimental nonsense. Nor something dreamed up by demagogues. Patriotism is as necessary a part of man's evolutionary equipment as are his eyes, as useful to the race as eyes are to the individual.

The diplomat holds all acts honorable which bring him success, all things are righteous which serve his ends. If cheating is necessary, he will cheat; if lying is useful, he will lie; if bribery helps, he will bribe; if murder serves, he will order murder; if burglary, seduction, arson or forgery brings success nearer, all and each of these will be done.

All idealism is falsehood in the face of necessity.

Some people don't like change, but you need to embrace change if the alternative is disaster.

Government is a necessary evil

The wise are instructed by reason; ordinary minds by experience; the stupid, by necessity; and brutes by instinct.

I always studied because I knew I had to. I needed to survive and take care of my mother.

If God did not exist, he would have to be invented.

If two people agree on everything, one of them is unnecessary.

Freedom is the recognition of necessity

We do not live to think, but, on the contrary, we think in order that we may succeed in surviving.

Everything that happens, happens as it should.

If you don't want to work you have to work to earn enough money so that you won't have to work.