Theme

Philosophy quotes about growth

Growth appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat growth as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.

Why this theme matters

Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Friedrich Nietzsche and Aristotle), growth is framed through Confucianism and Philosophy of Will. Some passages define growth; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language.

In the history of philosophy

Discussions of growth travel through Greek and Chinese traditions. Compare the quotations below with their school labels rather than forcing a single definition.

Thinkers in this collection

Aristotle , Friedrich Nietzsche , John Dewey , Ralph Waldo Emerson , Confucius , Mencius , Xunzi

Frequently asked questions

What did philosophers say about growth?

They disagreed in productive ways. In this archive, Friedrich Nietzsche, Aristotle, and related voices treat growth as something to clarify, cultivate, or critique—not merely to celebrate.

Where can I find philosophy quotes about growth?

This theme page gathers 8 verified English quotations tagged Growth, with links to thinkers and sources.

How should I read quotes about growth?

Read the sentence, then check school and source. A compact line is an entry point into an argument about growth, not a substitute for the surrounding text.

  1. Virtues arise in us neither by nature nor contrary to nature; we are fitted by nature to receive them, and are brought to completion by habit.
  2. From the military school of life. — What does not kill me makes me stronger.
  3. Man is something that shall be overcome.
  4. Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.
  5. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
  6. The Master said: When you have faults, do not fear to correct them.
  7. Thus, when Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on someone, it first afflicts his mind and will, exhausts his muscles and bones, starves his body, subjects him to poverty, and confounds his undertakings — so as to stir his mind, harden his nature, and increase his capacities.
  8. Indigo is taken from the indigo plant, yet is bluer than the plant; ice is made of water, yet is colder than water.