To judge a man means nothing other than to ask: What content does he give to the form of humanity? What concept should we have of humanity if he were its only representative?

Wilhelm Von Humboldt
About This Quote

The idea that a man should be judged only by the content of his character is a very practical way of looking at things. In judging a man, we can ask ourselves these questions: What would I want from a man in return for the trust I place in him? What content does this man give to the concept of humanity? What concept should we have of humanity if this man were its only representative? There is much to be gained by looking at life this way.

Source: Humanist Without Portfolio: An Anthology Of The Writings Of Wilhelm Von Humboldt

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More Quotes By Wilhelm Von Humboldt
  1. Faith can be interested in results only, for a truth once recognized as such puts an end to the believer's thinking.
  2. Happiness is so nonsynonymous with joy or pleasure that it is not infrequently sought and felt in grief and deprivation.
  3. All situations in which the interrelationships between extremes are involved are the most interesting and instructive.
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  5. All growth toward perfection is but a returning to original existence.
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