Voltaire exclaims: ‘Oh metaphysics! We have come precisely…
““Voltaire exclaims: ‘Oh metaphysics! We have come precisely as far as in the time of the early Druids.’c But what other science has always had, like it, the constant handicap of an antagonist ex officio, an appointed fiscal prosecutor, and a king’s champion in full armour who attack it defenceless and unarmed? It will never reveal its true powers or be able to take its giant strides as long as it is expected to conform, under threat, to the dogmas that accrue to the ever so tiny capacity of the great mob. First they bind our arms, and then they mock us for not being able to achieve anything.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage argues that science is constantly hindered by institutional forces—fiscal, political, and societal—that suppress its true potential and force conformity.
In simple terms: Science is limited by power structures.
Key Takeaway
Challenge institutional constraints on research.
Themes
science
authority
conformity
freedom
innovation
Mood
critical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- academic funding
- policy making
- technological development
- public discourse
Key Concepts
philosophy of science
political economy
institutional critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How can scientists protect integrity against pressure?
- What alternatives exist to traditional funding models?
A Different Perspective
Even with constraints, breakthroughs can arise from dissent.