For any culture which is primarily concerned with meaning the study of death - the only certainty that life holds for us - must be central for an understanding of death is the key to liberation in life.

Benjamin Franklin said there were only two things certain in life: death and taxes. But I'd like to add a third certainty: trash. And while some in this room might want to discuss reducing taxes I want to talk about reducing trash.

There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.

We are biological creatures. We are born we live we die. There is no transcendent purpose to existence. At best we are creatures of reason and by using reason we can cure ourselves of emotional excess. Purged of both hope and fear we find courage in the face of helplessness insignificance and uncertainty.

Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.

The idea of the sacred is quite simply one of the most conservative notions in any culture because it seeks to turn other ideas - uncertainty progress change - into crimes.

A liberal knows that the only certainty in this life is change but believes that the change can be directed toward a constructive end.

Never Have Your Dog Stuffed is really advice to myself a reminder to myself not to avoid change or uncertainty but to go with it to surf into change.

Jealousy is bred in doubts. When those doubts change into certainties then the passion either ceases or turns absolute madness.

We have some worse scenarios for which we need to prepare as companies. For the moment we're planning for the worst and the worst is now and the car market is down more than 15 percent in France. There is so much uncertainty.