Quote by William James

A little cooling down of animal excitability and instinct, a little loss of animal toughness, a little irritable weakness and descent of the pain-threshold, will bring the worm at the core of all our usual springs of delight into full view, and turn us into melancholy metaphysicians.

A little cooling down of animal excitability and instinct, a

Summary

This quote suggests that if we suppress our animalistic instincts and emotions, we will become more introspective and intellectual, leading to a melancholic perspective on life. By tempering our excitement and toughness, and becoming more sensitive to pain, we will be able to see the underlying essence of our sources of pleasure and transform into contemplative philosophers. This implies that embracing vulnerability and introspection can lead to a deeper, albeit somber, understanding of the world and our place in it.

Topics

Philosophy

By William James

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