Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr Quotes

A collection of quotes by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841-1935) was an American jurist who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1902 to 1932. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he came from a prominent family and served as a Union soldier during the Civil War. Holmes played a significant role in shaping American law, particularly in the areas of free speech, criminal law, and constitutional interpretation. Known for his sharp intellect and wit, he authored numerous influential opinions, including his famous dissents that challenged prevailing legal doctrines. Holmes's jurisprudence and commitment to civil liberties left a lasting impact on American legal thought.

Our test of truth is a reference to either a present or an i

Our test of truth is a reference to either a present or an imagined future majority in favor of our view.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Truth Tests Favors Majority

We must think things not words, or at least we must constant

We must think things not words, or at least we must constantly translate our words into the facts for which they stand, if we are to keep to the real and the true.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Reality Truth Facts Words Thought Thinking Semantics

The life of the law has not been logic; it has been experien

The life of the law has not been logic; it has been experience... The law embodies the story of a nation's development through many centuries, and it cannot be dealt with as if it contained only the axioms and corollaries of a book of mathematics.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Experience Life Nations

I despise making the most of one's time. Half of the pleasur

I despise making the most of one's time. Half of the pleasures of life consist of the opportunities one has neglected.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Life Time Thetimes