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)
Existence is what appears to each of us.
The gods, if they exist, are beyond our grasp.
Learning is the path to self-mastery.
Democracy thrives on eloquent persuasion.
Time erodes all certainties but change.
A witty retort disarms the strongest foe.
Myth and reason must walk hand in hand.
The measure of a man is his ability to adapt.
Oratory is the soul of civic life.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as is truth.
Vice is but a misstep in the pursuit of virtue.
The wise man questions everything.
Power lies in the tongue, not the sword.
Life's meaning is crafted by our perceptions.
A sophist's jest reveals deeper truths.
Education shapes the citizen as much as the man.
All things are in flux; nothing endures.
Harmony in discourse mirrors harmony in society.
The end of life brings clarity to its pursuits.
Wit is the spice of philosophical debate.
Contemporaries of Protagoras
Other Philosophys born within 50 years of Protagoras (-490–-420).