Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

James Bisset Pratt

Philosophy Teacher at Williams College

"According to the Buddha the will is free, effort is worth while, man makes his own fate, deeds have consequences, knowledge is possible, the body is not the real self, and death is not its end."

"The visions of the mystics are determined in content by their belief, and are due to the dream imagination working upon the mass of theological material which fills the mind."

"Religion is man’s sense of the disposition of the universe to himself."

"Religion indeed wishes to be useful and beautiful, but it also means to be true."