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From The Mature Mind, H.A. Overstreet
"The human being is born to a world of isolated particulars. He has to mature into a world of wholes. At first he has only this pain; this satisfaction; this fear…the newborn has as yet no experience of wholeness—that is, of parts significantly related to one another; of many parts making a total from which each separate part draws meaning. It is in the direction of whole-seeing and whole-thinking that growth must take place if maturity is ever to be achieved. Life is a process of entering into—as well as creating-wholes of meaning. When that which is whole is come, that which is in part is not so much ‘done away’ as it is lifted up into its full significance.
As we develop the power thus to lift up the part into the whole, our linkage to life becomes philosophical. The person is mature in the degree he sees whole and takes into account all that is involved in a situation and ties to that ‘all’ both his present behaviors and his future plans and expectations."
From The Mansions of Philosophy, Will Durant
“Ripeness is all. Perhaps philosophy will give us, if we are faithful to it, a healing unity of soul. We are so slovenly and self-contradictory in our thinking; it may be that we shall clarify ourselves, and pull ourselves together into consistency, and be ashamed to harbor contradictory desires or beliefs. And through this unity of mind may come that unity of purpose and character which makes a personality, and lends some order and dignity to our existence. Philosophy is harmonized knowledge making a harmonious life; it is the self-discipline which lifts us to serenity and freedom. Knowledge is power, but only wisdom is liberty.