What are some mind-provoking philosophical quotes?

Question

Things like if a tree falls in the forest, and nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Things that will lighten up a dull conversation and/or get people debating and talking.

Answer 1

Here are a few,

food for your brain;

Buying on trust is the way to pay double.

When a girl begins to count on a man, his number is up.

An access of courtesy is discourtesy.

A wicked book cannot repent.

He who hesitates is bossed.

When money speaks, the truth is silent.

Little strokes fell great oaks.

He is rich who owes nothing.

Success has many friends.

A thankless man rarely does a thankful deed.

Hasty climbers have sudden falls.

Good habits result from resisting temptations.

Well this should suffice for now.

Answer 2

We have now recognized the necessity to the mental well-being of mankind (on which all their own well-being depends) of freedom of opinion, and freedom of the expression of opinion.... it is only by the collision of adverse opinions that the remainder of the truth has any chance of being supplied

- John Stuart Mill

We need to make a very clear distinction between what is in our ego's self-interest and what is in our ultimate interest; it is from mistaking one for the other that all our suffering comes

- Sogyal Rinpoche

The mystery of love is greater then the myster of death

-Anonymous

All the phenomena of exsistence have mind as their precursor, mind as their supreme leader, and of mind are they made.

- Guatama Buddha

Men and women "in love" share the mistaken belief that they live in the same world. They come to "love" in the same world. They come to "love" one another when they acknowledge that they live in different worlds, but are prepared, once in a while, to corss the chasm that seperates them.

-Thomas Szasz

The time will inevitably come when mechanistic and atomic thinking will be put out of the minds of all people of wisdom... When that happens the divinity of living Nature will unfold before our eyes all the more clearly.

- Johann von Goethe

Answer 3

"The world is not a dangerous place, because of the evil in it, but because of good people who do nothing about it"

~ Albert Einstein

"We can easy forgive a child who is afraid of the dark, but the real tragedy is when men are afraid of the light"

~ Plato

He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent which will reach to himself.

~ Thomas Paine (1737-1809), Dissertation on First Principles of Government, 1795

Answer 4

would you rather live a long dull sad life, or a short but exciting life?

Do blind people see in their dreams, is it accurate?

If you could travel to the past would you kill Hitler before anyone knew what he was going to do, would you? Even if you had to go to jail for killing an "Innocent" man?

Answer 5

We are all fish in the sea of life, caught on our own hooks.

Answer 6

A question and answer, constituting together a very philosophical pun.

Q: Is life worth living?

A: It depends on the liver.

Answer 7

A story about Groucho Marx comes to mind. In the early 30's Groucho a famous Jewish comedian went to a beach with his son of 5 near Los Angeles. The life guard told Groucho while a great fan of his work that the beach strictly prohibited Jews from going in the water. Groucho nodded and retorted.

"well my son is only half Jewish can he go into the ocean up to his waste?"

This points out the ridiculousness of prejudice thought

Answer 8

“There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

“Superstition sets the whole world in flames; philosophy quenches them” - Voltaire

“Every philosophy is the philosophy of some stage of life.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

“Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.” - Plato

Answer 9

How about this one--

What is the best kind of job?  To find something you love to do and then be able to get paid for it!  

So many people having jobs, that they hate, this would be like  frosting on the cake!

It is not a tree that falls in the forest comment but this is sure one that you can start lots of conversations with it! Cheers!!