“How is it they live in such harmony, the billions of stars, when most men can barely go a minute without declaring war in their minds?”

“It is necessary for the perfection of human society that there should be men who devote their lives to contemplation.”

“Most men seem to live according to sense rather than reason.”

“A song is the exultation of the mind dwelling on eternal things, bursting forth in the voice.”

“The human mind may perceive truth only through thinking, as is clear from Augustine.”

“[I]t is to be borne in mind, in regard to the philosophical sciences, that the inferior sciences neither prove their principles nor dispute with those who deny them, but leave this to a higher science; whereas the highest of them, viz. metaphysics, can dispute with one who denies its principles, if only the opponent will make some concession; but if he concede nothing, it can have no dispute with him, though it can answer his objections. Hence Sacred Scripture, since it has no science above itself, can dispute with one who denies its principles only if the opponent admits some at least of the truths obtained through divine revelation; thus we can argue with heretics from texts in Holy Writ, and against those who deny one article of faith, we can argue from another. If our opponent believes nothing of divine revelation, there is no longer any means of proving the articles of faith by reasoning, but only of answering his objections — if he has any — against faith. Since faith rests upon infallible truth, and since the contrary of a truth can never be demonstrated, it is clear that the arguments brought against faith cannot be demonstrations, but are difficulties that can be answered.”

“I would rather feel compassion than know the meaning of it. I would hope to act with compassion without thinking of personal gain.”