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Arthur Koestler Quotes

27 Top Arthur Koestler Quotes That You Can Connect With

Famous As: Novelist and Journalist Best Known for His Books ‘Darkness at Noon’ and ‘The Thirteenth Tribe’

Born On: 1905

Died On: 1983

Born In: Budapest, Hungary

Died At Age: 77

Arthur Koestler was an acclaimed British author and journalist. In the early days of his career he moved to Palestine to find a job. After struggling with some menial jobs for a year he landed up a job as Jerusalem-based correspondent for ‘German Newspapers’. He had to travel extensively for work which helped him gain expertise in political writing and nurtured his reputation as a journalist. He then wrote his first memoir ‘Spanish Testament’ which described his experiences as a prisoner during the Spanish Civil War. This got him some fame which encouraged him to write his first novel ‘The Gladiators’ which discussed the corrupt practices in Stalin’s socialism. Then he wrote ‘Darkness at Noon’ which turned out to be his most notable work. His second memoir ‘Scum of the Earth’ which described his life as a prisoner of the concentration camp in France, was also well-appreciated. He was honored with the ‘Sonning Prize’ for ‘Outstanding contribution to European culture". He shared his experiences and thoughts through his writings and some of his thoughts and sayings are quoted extensively. Here is a collection of sayings and quotes by Arthur Koestler which have been excerpted from his work, writings, books, memoirs and thoughts.

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Writers

The principal mark of genius is not perfection but originality, the opening of new frontiers.

The principal mark of genius is not perfection but originality, the opening of new frontiers.
Arthur Koestler

Creative activity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.

Creative activity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.
Learning
Arthur Koestler

Nothing is more sad than the death of an illusion.

Nothing is more sad than the death of an illusion.
Death
Arthur Koestler

Creativity is the defeat of habit by originality.

Creativity is the defeat of habit by originality.
Arthur Koestler

The more original a discovery, the more obvious it seems afterwards.

The more original a discovery, the more obvious it seems afterwards.
Arthur Koestler

The principle that the end justifies the means is and remains the only rule of political ethics; anything else is just a vague chatter and melts away between one’s fingers.

The principle that the end justifies the means is and remains the only rule of political ethics; anything else is just a vague chatter and melts away between one’s fingers.
Arthur Koestler

Show us not the aim without the way.
For ends and means on earth are so entangled
That changing one, you change the other too;
Each different path brings other ends in view

Show us not the aim without the way. For ends and means on earth are so entangled That changing one, you change the other too; Each different path brings other ends in view
You Change
Arthur Koestler

History had a slow pulse; man counted in years, history in generations

History had a slow pulse; man counted in years, history in generations
History
Arthur Koestler

The hangman is a disgrace to any civilized country.

The hangman is a disgrace to any civilized country.
Arthur Koestler

I went to Communism as one goes to a spring of fresh water, and I left Communism as one clambers out of a poisoned river strewn with the wreckage of flooded cities and the corpses of the drowned.

I went to Communism as one goes to a spring of fresh water, and I left Communism as one clambers out of a poisoned river strewn with the wreckage of flooded cities and the corpses of the drowned.
I
Arthur Koestler

Honor is decency without vanity.
Arthur Koestler

The fact is: I no longer believe in my own infallibility. That is why I am lost.

The fact is: I no longer believe in my own infallibility. That is why I am lost.
Believe I
Arthur Koestler

The 'gallows' are not only a symbol of death, but also a symbol of cruelty, terror and irreverence for life; the common denominator of primitive savagery, medieval fanaticism and modern totalitarianism.

The 'gallows' are not only a symbol of death, but also a symbol of cruelty, terror and irreverence for life; the common denominator of primitive savagery, medieval fanaticism and modern totalitarianism.
Death
Arthur Koestler

History knows no scruples and no hesitation. Inert and unnering flows towards her goal. History knows herway. She makes no mistakes.

History knows no scruples and no hesitation. Inert and unnering flows towards her goal. History knows herway. She makes no mistakes.
History
Arthur Koestler

[My father] loved me tenderly and shyly from a distance, and later on took a naive pride in seeing my name in print.

[My father] loved me tenderly and shyly from a distance, and later on took a naive pride in seeing my name in print.
Me
Arthur Koestler

Some of the greatest discoveries...consist mainly in the clearing away of psychological roadblocks which obstruct the approach to reality; which is why,post factum they appear so obvious.

Some of the greatest discoveries...consist mainly in the clearing away of psychological roadblocks which obstruct the approach to reality; which is why,post factum they appear so obvious.
Arthur Koestler

And there was only one revolutionary virtue which he had not learned, the virtue of self-deception

And there was only one revolutionary virtue which he had not learned, the virtue of self-deception
Arthur Koestler

But who will be proved right? It will only be known later. Meanwhile he is bound to act on credit and sell his soul to the devil, in the hope of history's absolution.

But who will be proved right? It will only be known later. Meanwhile he is bound to act on credit and sell his soul to the devil, in the hope of history's absolution.
Will Hope Soul
Arthur Koestler

Aberrations of the human mind are to a large extent due to the obsessional pursuit of some part-truth, treated as if it were a whole truth.

Aberrations of the human mind are to a large extent due to the obsessional pursuit of some part-truth, treated as if it were a whole truth.
Arthur Koestler

Nothing is worse in prison than the consciousness of one's innocenc; it prevents acclimatizatin and undermines one's morale...

Nothing is worse in prison than the consciousness of one's innocenc; it prevents acclimatizatin and undermines one's morale...
Arthur Koestler

Perhaps he did not know himself - like all these intellectual cynics...

Perhaps he did not know himself - like all these intellectual cynics...
Like
Arthur Koestler

There was a dense fog in my brain,impenetrable to any coherent thought,except the dull obsession of counting the minutes - an aching state of semi concsiousness and numb idiocy.

There was a dense fog in my brain,impenetrable to any coherent thought,except the dull obsession of counting the minutes - an aching state of semi concsiousness and numb idiocy.
Arthur Koestler

Hitherto man had to live with the idea of death as an individual; from now onward mankind will have to live with the idea of its death as a species.

Hitherto man had to live with the idea of death as an individual; from now onward mankind will have to live with the idea of its death as a species.
Death Will
Arthur Koestler

Revolutionary theory had frozen to a dogmatic cult, with a simplified, easily graspable catechism, and with No. 1 as the high priest celebrating the Mass.

Revolutionary theory had frozen to a dogmatic cult, with a simplified, easily graspable catechism, and with No. 1 as the high priest celebrating the Mass.
Arthur Koestler

Creative activity could be described as a type of learning process where teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.

Creative activity could be described as a type of learning process where teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.
Learning
Arthur Koestler

The deterioration of the intelligentsia is as much a symptom of disease as the corruption of the ruling class or the sleeping sickness of the proletariat.

The deterioration of the intelligentsia is as much a symptom of disease as the corruption of the ruling class or the sleeping sickness of the proletariat.
Arthur Koestler