Protagoras
A leading Sophist, famous for the dictum 'Man is the measure of all things'.
Most quoted
"Concerning the gods, I have no means of knowing whether they exist or not, nor of what sort they may be. For many are the obstacles that prevent knowledge, both the obscurity of the question and the shortness of human life."
— from On the Gods, -440
"Concerning the gods, I have no means of knowing whether they exist or not or of what sort they may be. Many things prevent knowledge including the obscurity of the subject and the brevity of human life."
— from On the Gods
"About the gods I am unable to discover whether they exist or not, or what they are like in form; for there are many hindrances to knowledge: the obscurity of the subject and the shortness of human life."
— from On the Gods
All quotes by Protagoras (151)
Every speech must be true, and every truth must be spoken.
Human life is but a moment in the vastness of time.
To make the worse appear the better reason is my profession.
Virtue can be taught, just as any skill can be learned.
Perception is the measure of truth for each individual.
The soul is more important than the body; educate it first.
Laws are conventions, not eternal truths.
Debate sharpens the mind like a whetstone sharpens a blade.
Happiness comes from harmony in the soul.
Words are the weapons of the wise.
Nothing exists absolutely; all is relative to the observer.
The teacher must adapt to the student's measure.
Justice is a matter of perspective, not absolute.
Life's brevity demands we seek wisdom urgently.
Sophistry is the art of plausible argument.
Poetry is the original form of wisdom.
No man errs willingly; ignorance is the root of evil.
The marketplace of ideas is where truth is forged.
Courage is knowledge; fear is ignorance.
Rhetoric is the power to move men's souls.
Contemporaries of Protagoras
Other Philosophys born within 50 years of Protagoras (-490–-420).