Mortimer Adler Quotes

Powerful Mortimer Adler for Daily Growth

About Mortimer Adler

Mortimer Jerome Adler (1902-2001) was an American philosopher, educator, and prolific author known for his work in philosophy, education, and social criticism. Born on February 15, 1902, in New York City, Adler grew up in a Jewish family with strong intellectual roots. His father, Samuel Adler, was a rabbi, and his mother, Rose Adler, was an accomplished violinist. After earning his Bachelor of Philosophy from City College of New York in 1922, Adler went on to study at Columbia University, where he received his Ph.D. in philosophy in 1931. During his time at Columbia, Adler was heavily influenced by the works of Aristotle and Plato, which would later shape much of his philosophical thinking. Adler's career spanned several fields, but he is perhaps best known for his work in education. In 1944, he co-founded the University of Chicago Extension, where he developed the Great Books program, an interdisciplinary curriculum centered around classic works of literature, philosophy, and science. He would later expand this program to other universities, including St. John's College in Annapolis and Santa Fe. In addition to his work in education, Adler was a prolific author who wrote over 50 books on various philosophical topics. His most famous works include "How to Read a Book" (1940), which offers practical advice on reading comprehension, and the multi-volume "Syntopicon," a cross-referenced encyclopedia of philosophical ideas based on his Great Books program. Throughout his life, Adler was a strong advocate for liberal education and the importance of critical thinking in a democratic society. He passed away on June 28, 2001, leaving behind a significant body of work that continues to influence educational philosophy today.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Education is the movement from darkness to light."

Mortimer Adler's quote suggests that education represents a journey from ignorance or unawareness (darkness) towards knowledge, understanding, and enlightenment (light). This perspective underscores the transformative power of learning and its role in personal growth and development as individuals progressively gain insights into themselves, their world, and their place within it.


"The unexamined life is not worth living."

Mortimer Adler's quote, "The unexamined life is not worth living," underscores the importance of self-reflection and introspection in human existence. It suggests that a life devoid of critical examination, understanding, and improvement is insufficient, for it fails to fulfill its true potential as a pursuit of wisdom and personal growth. Essentially, Adler encourages us to engage actively with our lives, question our actions, beliefs, and purposes, and strive for self-improvement, thereby making life more meaningful.


"Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere."

Mortimer Adler's quote emphasizes the enduring value and portability of knowledge, suggesting that learning is not just about acquiring information but also cultivating an enriched mindset. The wisdom gained through education travels with us throughout our lives, influencing our thoughts, decisions, and interactions, regardless of where we go or what we do. It's a lifelong asset that provides personal growth and success in various aspects of life.


"A good discussion requires three things: a topic, people eager to talk about it, and a neutral moderator."

Mortimer Adler's quote emphasizes that meaningful discussions necessitate clear subject matter, engaged participants, and an impartial facilitator. The topic must be compelling enough to spark interest in the audience, while the participants need to bring enthusiasm and openness to contribute ideas. A neutral moderator ensures that all perspectives are heard fairly, promotes respectful discourse, and fosters a productive exchange of thoughts without introducing bias or personal agenda into the conversation.


"Read not to collect information, but to cultivate ideas."

Mortimer Adler's quote emphasizes the transformative power of reading beyond simply gathering facts or data. He encourages readers to engage with texts in a way that stimulates their minds, fosters critical thinking, and broadens their perspectives – in other words, to cultivate ideas. Reading for cultivation means delving deeper into the substance of the text, considering its context, analyzing its implications, and drawing connections between different ideas. This mindful reading approach enriches our intellectual lives, enhances our understanding of complex concepts, and contributes to personal growth.


An educated person is one who, through the travail of his own life, has assimilated the ideas that make him representative of his culture.

- Mortimer Adler

Ideas, Own, Through, Assimilated

Not to engage in the pursuit of ideas is to live like ants instead of like men.

- Mortimer Adler

Ants, Pursuit, Like, Engage

If one wants another only for some self-satisfaction, usually in the form of sensual pleasure, that wrong desire takes the form of lust rather than love.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Some, Sensual, Lust

It is love rather than sexual lust or unbridled sexuality if, in addition to the need or want involved, there is also some impulse to give pleasure to the persons thus loved and not merely to use them for our own selfish pleasure.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Some, Sexuality, Lust

Love wishes to perpetuate itself. Love wishes for immortality.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Immortality, Itself, Perpetuate

Love consists in giving without getting in return; in giving what is not owed, what is not due the other. That's why true love is never based, as associations for utility or pleasure are, on a fair exchange.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Associations, Based, Love Is

Freud's view is that all love is sexual in its origin or its basis. Even those loves which do not appear to be sexual or erotic have a sexual root or core. They are all sublimations of the sexual instinct.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Instinct, Which, Freud

Men value things in three ways: as useful, as pleasant or sources of pleasure, and as excellent, or as intrinsically admirable or honorable.

- Mortimer Adler

Excellent, Sources, Pleasant, Admirable

Love without conversation is impossible.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Impossible, Without, Conversation

Love can be unselfish, in the sense of being benevolent and generous, without being selfless.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Selfless, Unselfish, Benevolent

Conjugal love, or the friendship of spouses, can persist even after sexual desires have weakened, withered, and disappeared.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Friendship, Spouses, Withered

Friendship is a very taxing and arduous form of leisure activity.

- Mortimer Adler

Friendship, Very, Form, Taxing

If you never ask yourself any questions about the meaning of a passage, you cannot expect the book to give you any insight you do not already possess.

- Mortimer Adler

Book, Give, Passage, Meaning Of

The ultimate end of education is happiness or a good human life, a life enriched by the possession of every kind of good, by the enjoyment of every type of satisfaction.

- Mortimer Adler

Education, Ultimate, Ultimate End

In English we must use adjectives to distinguish the different kinds of love for which the ancients had distinct names.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Which, Distinguish, Adjectives

The philosopher ought never to try to avoid the duty of making up his mind.

- Mortimer Adler

Mind, Never, Making, Making Up

Theories of love are found in the works of scientists, philosophers, and theologians.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Found, Works, Philosophers

I wonder if most people ever ask themselves why love is connected with reproduction. And if they do ask themselves about this, I wonder what answer they give.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Give, About, I Wonder

One of the embarrassing problems for the early nineteenth-century champions of the Christian faith was that not one of the first six Presidents of the United States was an orthodox Christian.

- Mortimer Adler

Champions, United States, Embarrassing

We acknowledge but one motive - to follow the truth as we know it, whithersoever it may lead us; but in our heart of hearts we are well assured that the truth which has made us free, will in the end make us glad also.

- Mortimer Adler

Hearts, Motive, Our, Assured

In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but how many can get through to you.

- Mortimer Adler

Through, See, How, Case

Leisure is not synonymous with time. Nor is it a noun. Leisure is a verb. I leisure. You leisure.

- Mortimer Adler

Nor, Verb, Noun, Synonymous

You have to allow a certain amount of time in which you are doing nothing in order to have things occur to you, to let your mind think.

- Mortimer Adler

Mind, Allow, Which, Order

When we ask for love, we don't ask others to be fair to us-but rather to care for us, to be considerate of us. There is a world of difference here between demanding justice... and begging or pleading for love.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Here, Rather, Between

Think how different human societies would be if they were based on love rather than justice. But no such societies have ever existed on earth.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Think, Based, Societies

We love even when our love is not requited.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Our Love, Even, Love Is

Work is toil: what one does only to earn a living. If it gives pleasure, it is leisure.

- Mortimer Adler

Work, Living, Does, Toil

One of the aims of sexual union is procreation - the creation by reproduction of an image of itself, of the union.

- Mortimer Adler

Image, Itself, Aims, Creation

Being influential is not the mark of a great book.

- Mortimer Adler

Book, Being, Influential, Mark

There is only one situation I can think of in which men and women make an effort to read better than they usually do. It is when they are in love and reading a love letter.

- Mortimer Adler

Love, Think, Which, Letter

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.