“The only certainty is that nothing is certain.” Essays, Book I Epitomizes his skeptical philosophy: embracing uncertainty as the foundation of wisdom.
“Life is a journey, not a destination.” Essays, Book III (paraphrased) Urges valuing the process of living over fixed goals, a cornerstone of his humanist ethos.
“The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.” Essays, Book I Champions self-possession and autonomy, inspired by his admiration for Socrates.
“To begin depriving death of its greatest advantage over us, let us deprive death of its strangeness. Let us frequent it, let us get used to it; let us have nothing more often in mind than death.” Essays, Book I Advocates confronting mortality to live more fully—a Stoic thread in his thought.
“Que sais-je?” (What do I know?) Essays, Book II His emblematic motto, questioning the limits of human knowledge and intellectual humility.
“Friendship is the shadow of the evening, which strengthens with the setting sun of life.” Essays, Book I Celebrates deep, enduring bonds over fleeting connections, inspired by his bond with Étienne de La Boétie.
“Every man bears the entire form of the human condition.” Essays, Book III Argues that individual experience reflects universal truths, elevating personal reflection to philosophical inquiry.
“There is no conversation more boring than the one where everybody agrees.” Essays, Book III Praises intellectual friction as the engine of growth and understanding.
“The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them.” Essays, Book I Rejects mere longevity, urging purposeful engagement with existence.
“It is folly to measure the truth or falsity of something by how useful or harmful it is to us.” Essays, Book II Warns against self-serving biases in judgment, advocating dispassionate inquiry.