The worth of men consists in their liability to persuasion. . . . Civilisation is the maintenance of social order, by its own inherent persuasiveness as embodying the nobler alternative. The recourse to force, however unavoidable, is a disclosure of the failure of civilisation, either in the general society or in a remnant of individuals. Thus in a live civilisation there is always an element of unrest. For sensitiveness to ideas means curiosity, adventure, change. Civilised order survives on its merits, and is transformed by its power of Recognizing its imperfections.

Famous Quotes / Alfred North Whitehead

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Alfred North Whitehead: "The worth of men consists in their liability to persuasion. . . . Civilisation is the maintenance of social order, by its own inherent persuasiveness as embodying the nobler alternative. The recourse to force, however unavoidable, is a disclosure of the failure of civilisation, either in the general society or in a remnant of individuals. Thus in a live civilisation there is always an element of unrest. For sensitiveness to ideas means curiosity, adventure, change. Civilised order survives on its merits, and is transformed by its power of Recognizing its imperfections."

Quotations about

Adventure	Alternative	Change	Civilisation
Civilised	Consists	Curiosity	Disclosure
Either	Element	Embodying	Failure
Force	General	Ideas	Imperfections
Individuals	Inherent	Liability	Live
Maintenance	Means	Merits	Nobler
Order	Persuasion	Persuasiveness	Power
Recognizing	Recourse	Remnant	Sensitiveness
Social	Society	Survives	Thus
Transformed	Unavoidable	Unrest	Worth

Quotes by Power Quotations

The worth of men consists in their liability to persuasion. . . . Civilisation is the maintenance of social order, by its own inherent persuasiveness as embodying the nobler alternative. The recourse to force, however unavoidable, is a disclosure of the failure of civilisation, either in the general society or in a remnant of individuals. Thus in a live civilisation there is always an element of unrest. For sensitiveness to ideas means curiosity, adventure, change. Civilised order survives on its merits, and is transformed by its power of Recognizing its imperfections. - Alfred North Whitehead