1001Philosophers

George Santayana Quotes on Happiness

George Santayana was a Spanish-born American philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist. This page collects quotes attributed to George Santayana on the topic of happiness, drawn from across the philosopher's works.

Quotes

  • “There is no cure for birth and death save to enjoy the interval.”

    War Shrines
  • Attributed to George Santayana:

    “The earth has its music for those who will listen.”

  • “Pt. III, Form; § 30: "The average modified in the direction of pleasure.", p. 125”

    On fact, the whole machinery of our intelligence, our general ideas and laws , fixed and external objects, principles , persons , and gods , are so many symbolic , algebraic expressions. They stand for experience ; experience which we are incapable of retaining and surveying in its multitudinous immediacy. We should flounder hopelessly, like the animals, did we not keep ourselves afloat and direct
  • “Happiness is the only sanction of life; where happiness fails, existence remains a mad and lamentable experiment.”

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