Trivia Quiz: Philosophy Quotes

Each of the following quotes was said by one of the authors featured in our Book Club's philosophy library. Can you guess who said each one?


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Question 1: "The point of philosophy is to start with something so simple as not to seem worth starting, and to end with something so paradoxical that no one will believe it."

 A: Bertrand Russell
 B: Herbert Spencer
 C: Samuel Butler
 D: William James

Question 2: "To live alone one must be a beast or a God, says Aristotle. Leaving out the third case: one must be both -- a philosopher."

 A: Rene Descartes
 B: Francis Bacon
 C: George Santayana
 D: Friedrich Nietzsche

Question 3: "Happiness is thought to depend on leisure; for we are busy that we may have leisure, and make war that we may live in peace."

 A: Nicolo Machiavelli
 B: Aristotle
 C: Epictetus
 D: Thomas Paine

Question 4: "The philosophy of the wisest man that ever existed, is mainly derived from the act of introspection."

 A: William Godwin
 B: Bertrand Russell
 C: Aristotle
 D: Friedrich Nietzsche

Question 5: "Homo sapiens, the only creature endowed with reason, is also the only creature to pin its independence on things unreasonable."

 A: William James
 B: Thomas Taylor
 C: Henri Bergson
 D: Samuel Butler

Question 6: "If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things."

 A: Herbert Spencer
 B: Rene Descartes
 C: William Gibson
 D: William James

Question 7: "What is the first business of philosophy? To part with self-conceit. For it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn what he thinks that he already knows."

 A: Epictetus
 B: Henri Bergson
 C: Delia Bacon
 D: Rene Descartes

Question 8: "God is not willing to do everything, and thus take away our free will and that share of glory which belongs to us."

 A: Aristotle
 B: Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
 C: Rene Descartes
 D: Nicolo Machiavelli

Question 9: "All philosophies, if you ride them home, are nonsense, but some are greater nonsense than others."

 A: Epictetus
 B: Frank R. Stockton
 C: Samuel Butler
 D: J.B. Bury

Question 10: "A man is morally free when, in full possession of his living humanity, he judges the world, and judges other men, with uncompromising sincerity."

 A: Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
 B: Friedrich Nietzsche
 C: Thomas Paine
 D: George Santayana