The world famous physicist Albert Einstein was born in Germany in 1879 and died in the USA in 1955. He was a winner of the Nobel Prize and considered the father of modern physics. It is through his work that the quantum theory branch of physics was developed. Einstein was remarkable not only for his huge intellect (he is considered one of the ...
Henry David Thoreau was an American author and poet who lived from 1817 to 1862. He was very passionate about natural history and wrote about the joys of a simple life, epitomized by living close to nature. His works, particularly Walden, influenced the evolution of the Environmentalist movement. He also developed his philosophy ...
The German philosopher and philologist, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900), was a controversial figure of the 19th Century. Considered as one of the first of the existentialists, his philosophical views have been an inspiration for many prominent cultural figures and professions, including writers, artists, psychologists, philosophers, sociologists, revolutionaries and even dancers. ...
Confucius lived between 551 BC and 479 BC. He was a Chinese thinker and social philosopher, whose thoughts and ideas have been developed into a detailed system of philosophy known as Confucianism. He was born into a warrior family, his father a soldier who died when Confucius was only 3 years old, leaving him to grow up in poverty. Despite economic disadvantage in ...
If any one can relate to this quote, it would surely be Helen Keller. She was born in Alabama USA in 1880 and at the age of 19 months she fell ill and lost both her sight and hearing. Imagine facing the world totally deaf and blind – unable to relate to anything or anyone around you by sound or sight. Helen must have ...
When the Buddha said these words, by “truth” he was referring to the way of life of a fully enlightened and realized human being. Just as the illumination of the sun and moon cannot be suppressed, so the truths espoused by a fully realized being will eventually shine like a light for all to see. The teachings of the Buddha revolve around ...
Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is youer than you! And this is how they celebrate birthdays in the land of Katroo, according to Dr Seuss in his classic work, Happy Birthday To You. Indeed, March 2 ...
Robert Browning was an accomplished Victorian English poet, who was born in London in 1812 and died in Italy in 1889. He was renowned for his dramatic monologues. His relationship with his wife, poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, began as admiration for her poetry before developing into love. As her father disapproved, they kept their relationship secret for 6 years until Robert stole ...
Hugely inspiring poet and author, Kahlil Gibran, was born in Lebanon in 1883 and died in New York in 1931. His works show an intricate wisdom and common sense. Amongst his writings is the classic work, The Prophet, a collection of moving poems that inspire peace and a deep appreciation for the elements of life. The book presents the main character as ...
If there has ever been a mind that wandered so purposefully and productively, it was the mind of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, scholar and professor of Old and Middle English and writer of “high fantasy” stories and novels, such as The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. A story about Tolkien goes that, whilst marking exam papers, he was confronted with a ...
