Philosophers have argued about the strongest emotion known to man. Some say ‘love’, others ‘hate’, others ‘fear’. I am disposed to put ‘curiosity’ on a level, at least, with these august sensations, just mere simple inquisitiveness.

E.F. Benson
About This Quote

William James said, "Philosophers have argued about the strongest emotion known to man. Some say love; others hate; others fear. I am disposed to put curiosity on a level with these august sensations, just mere simple inquisitiveness." William James is a philosopher and psychologist who was born in Massachusetts in 1842 and died in 1910. He was a professor at Harvard and wrote many books and papers on psychology and philosophy.

He also was the editor of the journal Mind among other things. He has been called the father of American psychology and one of America's greatest thinkers.

Source: Night Terrors: The Ghost Stories Of E.f. Benson

Some Similar Quotes
  1. I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best. - Marilyn Monroe
  2. You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like it's heaven on earth. - William W. Purkey
  3. You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams. - Dr. Seuss
  4. A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you. - Elbert Hubbard
  5. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. - Unknown
More Quotes By E.F. Benson
  1. Philosophers have argued about the strongest emotion known to man. Some say ‘love’, others ‘hate’, others ‘fear’. I am disposed to put ‘curiosity’ on a level, at least, with these august sensations, just mere simple inquisitiveness.
  2. Or do you like being frightened?” Hugh, though generally intelligent, is dense in certain ways; this is one of them.“ Why, of course, I like being frightened, ” I said. “I want to be made to creep and creep and creep. Fear is the most...
  3. There is a certain amount which I shan't mention publicly, " Elizabeth said. "Things about Lucia which I should never dream of stating openly."" Those are just the ones I should like to hear about most, " said Diva. "Just a few little titbits.
  4. The subject dropped, and we sat on in the dusk that was rapidly deepening into night. The door into the hall was open at our backs, and a panel of light from the lamps within was cast out to the terrace. Wandering moths, invisible in...
  5. The narrator, I think, must succeed in frightening himself before he can think of frightening his reader…
Related Topics