In order to shake a hypothesis, it is sometimes not necessary to do anything more than push it as far as it will go.

- Denis Diderot

The general interest of the masses might take the place of the insight of genius if it were allowed freedom of action.

- Denis Diderot

One declaims endlessly against the passions; one imputes all of man's suffering to them. One forgets that they are also the source of all his pleasures.

- Denis Diderot

Watch out for the fellow who talks about putting things in order! Putting things in order always means getting other people under your control.

- Denis Diderot

The infant runs toward it with its eyes closed, the adult is stationary, the old man approaches it with his back turned.

- Denis Diderot

There is no good father who would want to resemble our Heavenly Father.

- Denis Diderot

The decisions of law courts should never be printed: in the long run, they form a counter authority to the law.

- Denis Diderot

Morals are in all countries the result of legislation and government; they are not African or Asian or European: they are good or bad.

- Denis Diderot

It is said that desire is a product of the will, but the converse is in fact true: will is a product of desire.

- Denis Diderot

It is not human nature we should accuse but the despicable conventions that pervert it.

- Denis Diderot

There is no moral precept that does not have something inconvenient about it.

- Denis Diderot

His hands would plait the priest's guts, if he had no rope, to strangle kings.

- Denis Diderot

Gaiety is a quality of ordinary men. Genius always presupposes some disorder in the machine.

- Denis Diderot

People praise virtue, but they hate it, they run away from it. It freezes you to death, and in this world you've got to keep your feet warm.

- Denis Diderot

Patriotism is an ephemeral motive that scarcely ever outlasts the particular threat to society that aroused it.

- Denis Diderot

Gratitude is a burden, and every burden is made to be shaken off.

- Denis Diderot

If you want me to believe in God, you must make me touch him.

- Denis Diderot

Although a man may wear fine clothing, if he lives peacefully; and is good, self-possessed, has faith and is pure; and if he does not hurt any living being, he is a holy man.

- Denis Diderot

There is no kind of harassment that a man may not inflict on a woman with impunity in civilized societies.

- Denis Diderot

Every man has his dignity. I'm willing to forget mine, but at my own discretion and not when someone else tells me to.

- Denis Diderot