Authors

Will Durant

Will Durant (1885–1981) was an American writer, historian, and philosopher best known for The Story of Civilization, a multi-volume history co-authored with his wife Ariel Durant. He also wrote The Story of Philosophy and popularized history and philosophy for general readers.

Quotes: 2

Quotes by Will Durant

Most of us spend too much time on the last 24 hours and too little on the last six thousand years. — Will Durant

Thinking Beyond Today: History’s Wider Lens

Will Durant’s remark is a gentle rebuke to the modern habit of living inside the tight frame of “today.” When our attention is consumed by the last 24 hours—headlines, social feeds, workplace urgencies—our judgments can...

Created on: 3/8/2026

Knowledge is the eye of desire and can become the pilot of the soul. — Will Durant

How Knowledge Illuminates Desire and Guides the Soul

Will Durant’s observation positions knowledge as more than information—he sees it as the force that illuminates our deepest longings. Desire without knowledge can be blind or misguided, like a traveler lost in darkness.

Created on: 5/18/2025