1001Philosophers

Jose Ortega y Gasset Quotes

Jose Ortega y Gasset was a Spanish philosopher, essayist, and the most influential Spanish thinker of the twentieth century. Educated in Marburg under the neo-Kantians, he returned to Madrid to teach metaphysics and to lead the philosophical review Revista de Occidente, which introduced contemporary European thought to the Spanish-speaking world. The quotes below are attributed to Jose Ortega y Gasset, organized by topic.

Jose Ortega y Gasset on Life

  • Attributed to Jose Ortega y Gasset:

    “I am I and my circumstance, and if I do not save it, I do not save myself.”

  • Attributed to Jose Ortega y Gasset:

    “Living is a constant process of deciding what we are going to do.”

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Jose Ortega y Gasset on Mind

  • Attributed to Jose Ortega y Gasset:

    “Tell me to what you pay attention and I will tell you who you are.”

Jose Ortega y Gasset on Politics

  • Attributed to Jose Ortega y Gasset:

    “Civilization is, before all else, the will to live in common.”

  • Attributed to Jose Ortega y Gasset:

    “The mass crushes everything that is different, that is excellent, individual, qualified, and select.”

Jose Ortega y Gasset on Virtue

  • Attributed to Jose Ortega y Gasset:

    “Effort is only effort when it begins to hurt.”

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