Julien Offray de La Mettrie: Man

“In general, the form and the structure of the brains of quadrupeds are almost the same as those of the brain of man…”

“I reduce to two the systems of philosophy which deal with man's soul. The first and older system is materialism; the second is spiritualism.”

“[W]hy should we divide the sensitive principle which thinks in man? …For a thing that is divided can no longer without absurdity be regarded as indivisible.”

“The soul is… but an empty word, of which no one has any idea, and which an enlightened man should use only to signify the part in us that thinks…”

“Man has been trained in the same way as animals. He has become an author, as they became beasts of burden.”

“Man's preeminent advantage is his organism. …Only through nature do we have any good qualities; to her we owe all that we are.”

“[M]an… whatever the origin of his soul, if it is pure, noble, and lofty, it is a beautiful soul which dignifies the man endowed with it.”

“[A] brilliant man is his own best company, unless he can find other company of the same sort.”

“What was man before the invention of words and the knowledge of language? An animal..”