We originally want or desire an object not because it is agreeable or good, but we call it agreeable or good because we want or desire it.
-- Ludwig von Mises, Epistemological Problems of Economics
This reminds me of B. F. Skinner's criticism of William James
...A long time ago William James corrected a prevailing view of the relation between feelings and action by asserting, for example, that we do not run away because we are afraid but are afraid becase we run away. In other words, what we feel when we feel afraid is our behaviour -- the very behaviour which in the traditional view expresses the feeling and is explained by it. But how many of those who have considered James's argument have noted that no antecedent event has in fact been pointed out?
This is our monthly thread for collecting these little gems and pearls of wisdom, rationality-related quotes you've seen recently, or had stored in your quotesfile for ages, and which might be handy to link to in one of our discussions.