Mortimer Adler Quotes

United States, Philosopher
December 28, 1902 – June, 28, 2001.

Mortimer Jerome Adler 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.

Also known as Educator, Author

I suspect that most of the individuals who have religious faith are content with blind faith. They feel no obligation to understand what they believe. They may even wish not to have their beliefs disturbed by thought.

Mortimer Adler
- Believe
- Individual
- Blind
All genuine learning is active, not passive. It involves the use of the mind, not just the memory. It is a process of discovery, in which the student is the main agent, not the teacher.

Mortimer Adler

More consequences for thought and action follow the affirmation or denial of God than from answering any other basic question.

Mortimer Adler
Television, radio, and all the sources of amusement and information that surround us in our daily lives are also artificial props. They can give us the impression that our minds are active, because we are required to react to stimuli from the outside. But the power of those external stimuli to keep us going is limited. They are like drugs. We grow used to them, and we continuously need more and more of them. Eventually, they have little or no effect. Then, if we lack resources within ourselves, we cease to grow intellectually, morally, and spiritually. And we we cease to grow, we begin to die.

Mortimer Adler
- Giving
- Needs
- Source
To agree without understanding is inane. To disagree without understanding is impudent.

Mortimer Adler
A good book can teach you about the world and about yourself. You learn more than how to read better; you also learn more about life. You become wiser.

Mortimer Adler
True freedom is impossible without a mind made free by discipline.

Mortimer Adler
Not to engage in this pursuit of ideas is to live like ants instead of like men.

Mortimer Adler
- Moving
- Ideas
- Forward

Is it too much to expect from the schools that they train their students not only to interpret but to criticize; that is, to discriminate what is sound from error and falsehood, to suspend judgement if they are not convinced, or to judge with reason if they agree or disagree?

Mortimer Adler
- Reason
- Judging
- Students
In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but how many can get through to you.

Mortimer Adler
- Education
- Reading
- Books