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Mortimer Adler Biography

Mortimer Jerome Adler (December 28, 1902 – June 28, 2001) was an American philosopher, educator, and popular author. As a philosopher he worked within the Aristotelian and Thomistic traditions. He lived for long stretches in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, and San Mateo, California. He worked for Columbia University, the University of Chicago, Encyclopædia Britannica, and Adler's own Institute for Philosophical Research.

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Mortimer Adler Quotes

The ability to retain a child's view of the world with at the same time a mature understanding of what it means to retain it, is extremely rare - and a person who has these qualities is likely to be able to contribute something really important to our thinking.

Children, Mean, Same, Thinking, Time, Understanding

Habits are formed by the repetition of particular acts. They are strengthened by an increase in the number of repeated acts. Habits are also weakened or broken, and contrary habits are formed by the repetition of contrary acts.

Acts, Broken, Formed, Habit, Numbers, Weakened

I find the selectivity of erotic love - the choice of this man or this woman - much more intelligible if liking the person is the origin of sexual interest, rather than the other way.

Men, Liking Someone, Choices, Sexual, Erotic, Love

The only standard we have for judging all of our social, economic, and political institutions and arrangements as just or unjust, as good or bad, as better or worse, derives from our conception of the good life for man on earth, and from our conviction that, given certain external conditions, it is possible for men to make good lives for themselves by their own efforts.

Arrangements, Derives, External, Judging, Life, Men

Political democracy cannot flourish under all economic conditions. Democracy requires an economic system which supports the political ideals of liberty and equality for all. Men cannot exercise freedom in the political sphere when they are deprived of it in the economic sphere.

Conditions, Exercise, Freedom, Liberty, Men, Political

The teacher's role in discussion is to keep it going along fruitful lines - be moderating, guiding, correcting and arguing like one more students.

Arguing, Fruitful, Learning, Role, Teacher, Teaching

If your friend wishes to read your 'Plutarch's Lives,' 'Shakespeare,' or 'The Federalist Papers,' tell him gently but firmly, to buy a copy. You will lend him your car or your coat - but your books are as much a part of you as your head or your heart.

Book, Car, Heart, Lives, Tell, Wishes

. . . The person who, at any stage of a conversation, disagrees, should at least hope to reach agreement in the end. He should be as much prepared to have his own mind changed as seek to change the mind of another. . . No one who looks upon disagreement as an occasion for teaching another should forget that it is also an occasion for being taught.

Agreement, Conversation, Mind, Taught, Teaching

To agree without understanding is inane. To disagree without understanding is impudent.

Agree, Disagree, Inane, Understanding

Aristotle uses a mother's love for her child as the prime example of love or friendship.

Mother, Children, Example, Child, Love, Friendship

A lecture has been well described as the process whereby the notes of the teacher become the notes of the student without passing through the mind of either.

Described, Lectures, Mind, Teacher, Whereby

The love which moves the world, according to common Christian belief, is God's love and the love of God.

Belief, Christian, Common, Moving, World

Wonder is the beginning of wisdom in learning from books as well as from nature.

Beginning, Book, Life, Wisdom, Wonder

Ultimately there can be no disagreement between history, science, philosophy, and theology. Where there is disagreement, there is either ignorance or error.

Ignorance, Philosophy, Science

We acknowledge but one motive - to follow the truth as we know it, whithersoever it may lead us; but in our heart of hearts we are well assured that the truth which has made us free, will in the end make us glad also.

Heart, Hearts, Know, May, Truth, Whithersoever

The person who says he knows what he thinks but cannot express it usually does not know what he thinks.

Know, Knows, Philosophy, Says, Thinking, Wisdom

Sometimes it feels like I'm thinking against the wind.

Like, Sometimes, Thinking, Wind

Ultimately, we wish the joy of perfect union with the person we love.

Joy, Love, Perfect, Person, Union, Wish

When we ask for love, we don't ask others to be fair to us-but rather to care for us, to be considerate of us. There is a world of difference here between demanding justice. . . and begging or pleading for love.

Careers, Considerate, Difference, Differences, Justice, Love

Sin is not only manifested in certain acts that are forbidden by divine command. Sin also appears in attitudes and dispositions and feelings. Lust and hate are sins as well as adultery and murder. And, in the traditional Christian view, despair and chronic boredom - unaccompanied by any vicious act - are serious sins. They are expressions of man's separation from God, as the ultimate good, meaning, and end of human existence.

Christian, Attitude, Hate, Existence, Ultimate, Act

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