Nicolas Malebranche

I am not my own light unto myself.

Nicolas Malebranche (August 6, 1638 – October 13, 1715) was a rationalist French philosopher.

Quotes

  • I am not my own light unto myself.
    • Dialogues on Metaphysics (1688) Dialogue III
    • Variant translation: I am not a light unto myself.
  • I am unable, when I turn to myself, to recognize any of my faculties or my capacities. The inner sensation which I have of myself informs me that I am, that I think, that I will, that I have sensory awareness, that I suffer, and so on; but it provides me with no knowledge whatever of what I am — of the nature of my thought, my sensations, my passions, or my pain — or the mutual relations that obtain between all these things … I have no idea whatever of my soul.
    • Dialogues on Metaphysics (1688) Dialogue III
  • It is not within our power not to desire to be happy.
  • On the Search of the Truth.
  • Quoted in Elena Spagnol, Enciclopedia delle citazioni, Garzanti, Milano, 2009. ISBN 9788811504894 (in Italian).

Quotes About

  • As to bad faith, Malebranche might argue
    it rests with inattention. Stupidity
    is not admissible. However the status
    of apprehension remains an issue.
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