THE PURPOSE OF THIS WRITING is to remind us that there has been wonderful people who have gathered knowledge, experience, and wisdom so profound that even after decades, centuries, and millenniums that they left this world their vivacity remains. Those with open mind will read to gain valuable and insightful knowledge to reflect on, and above all, to benefit from it.
» voltaire
French -- Born November 21st. 1694 as François-Marie Arouet. His Nom de Plume was Voltaire. He died in 1778 at age 84. He is known as an Enlightenment Writer, Civil Liberties Pioneer, advocate of freedom of speech. His attacks at the Catholic religion, oppossing religious corruption, and stating in public that no religion should stand between people and God sent Voltaire to jail; and later, to exile in England. Voltaire's intelligence, wit, and writing style made him one of the greatest writers that France has ever produced.These are the thoughts he left us with:
"I do not know if there is a God, but if there is none, we need one like the God in the Bible."
"God provided love between a man and a woman as a canvas. It is up to the man to paint on that canvas with his imagination."
"Often, a doctor's job is to entertain the patient until Mother Nature does her job."
"Those who make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."
"It is dangerous to be right when Police Officers are wrong."
» winston churchill
English -- Born November 30th. 1874 in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, U.K. and died January 24th. 1965 at age 90 in Kensington, London, U.K. Winston Churchill was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1940-45 and 1951-55. He was officer of the British Army, a non-academic historian, and a writer. He was granted the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 for his lifetime body of work. In 1963, he was the first of eight people to be made an Honorary Citizen of the United States.These were his deepest convictions:
"Never! Never ever give up or surrender! Except to convictions of correctness and honorableness."
"Success is walking from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
"Failure is not fatal. Success is not forever. It is courage to continue that counts."
» william shakespeare
English -- No birth records exist, but a church in Stratford-upon-Avon, U. K. shows that he was baptized on April 26th., 1564. William was a poet and playwriter. He has been regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the greatest dramatist of all times. His books were sold an estimated four million times. William died April 23rd., 1616 in Stratford-upon-Avon, U. K. at age 52.This is what he wants us to remember:
"No legacy is so rich as honesty."
"Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none."
"If good music is the food of love, play on!"
» simon sinek
British-American -- Born October 9th., 1973 in Wimbledon, England. He is an inspirational speaker and writer. He lived in Johannesburg, London, and Hong Kong. He settled in the United States where resides today. Simon is convinced that..."Champions are neither athletes nor race runners. Champions are those who get themselves out there and fight for what is right."
» confucius
Chinese -- Born in September 28th., 551 B.C. as Kong Qiu in Qufu feudal state of Lu ~today known as the Shandong Province~ and died April 11th. 479 B.C. at age 72 also in Lu. He is the most respected Chinese Philosopher. Confucius' philosophy ~known as Confucianism~ emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice for all, and sincerity.This is what he wanted us to remember of him:
"We may acquire wisdom through three ways: by reflection which is the noblest; by imitation which is the easiest; by experience which is a bitter way to learn."
"Our greatest glory is not to never fall down, but in rising every time we do."
"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop going."
"Beauty is everywhere, but only few people can see it."
"I hear I forget. I see I remember. I do I understand.” Two millenniums and one half later, Benjamin Franklin took Confucius's thought and made it more elocuent. Benjamin said... "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me in and I will learn."
» albert einstein
German -- Albert was born March 14th. 1879 in Ulm, Württemberg, Germany and died April 18th. 1955, Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.A. He was a Physicist who developed special and general Theories Of Relativity. He also won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect. Albert Einstein is generally considered the most influential physicist of the 20th century.These were his deepest convictions:
"When you stop learning you start dying." Albert was convinced that the brain is like a muscle. The more it is used, the stronger it gets.
"Two things are infinite: universe and human stupidity. I am not sure about the universe though."
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."
» diogenes laërtius
Greek -- Unknown dates of birth and death. Diogenes' work is mostly known for his writing 'Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers' where he gives an account of the lives of great Greek Philosophers. In other words, Diogenes was mostly known as a biographer of Greek Philosophers.This is what he was convinced of:
"The success of a nation is determined by how they raise their youngsters."
» hippocrates
Greek -- Born in 460 B.C. in Cos, Greece and died in 375 B.C. in Lárissa, Greece. Hippocrates is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. In recognition of his lasting contributions to the field of medicine ~and for being founder of the first 'School of Medicine' in Europe~ even today in the XXI Century, Hippocrates is referred to as 'Father of Western Medicine.'This is the wisdom of a great man:
"Make a habit of helping others or at least do not affect their lives detrimentaly."
"There are two things: Science and Opinion. The former creates knowledge. The latter promotes ignorance."
» socrates
Greek -- Born in Athens, Greece 469 B.C. and he died in Athens, Greece in 399 B.C. Socrates is credited as founder of first university in Europe and the first Moral Philosopher. Socrates did not write. He is known through writings made by writers during his lifetime particularly his student Plato. Politics in Greece turned against Socrates, and he was sentenced to death by drinking Hemlock Poisoning at age 71.This is a sample of his erudition:
"Education is not to fill a vessel. Education is to see a spark and fuel it until it becomes a flame."
"Wisdom begins when one starts to wonder."
» aristotle
Greek -- Born in 384 B.C. Stagira, Greece and died in 322 B.C. in Chalcis, Greece at age 62. Aristotle was a philosopher during the Classical Period in Greece. He was founder of a 'Lyceum & School of Philosophy.' Along with his teacher Plato, Aristotle is still today considered the 'Father of Western Philosophy.'These were his convictions:
"Excellence is not an accident. It is high intent, sincere effort, intelligent execution."
"Our problem is not that we aim high and miss. It is that we aim low and hit."
"What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do what is right."
"We are what we do repeatedly. Therefore, excellence is not an act but a habit."
» johann wolfgang von goethe
German -- Born August 28th. 1749 in Frankfurt, Germany. Johann was regarded as the greatest German writer in Germany and a literary figure in Europe. Johann died March 22nd. 1832 in Weimar, Germany at age 83.These were his deepest thoughts:
"Few things in life are more frieghtening than ignorance in action."
"Our actions and our words are mirrors reflecting an image of who we are."
