I recall an incident involving the late George Stigler at…
“I recall an incident involving the late George Stigler at a conference in Spain in the 1980s. Hearing that I had written a book on reason and natural law, Stigler started to ridicule reason, going so far as to say that there is as much reason in a monkey's antics as in any human act. At that point I asked him whether he was trying to tell me something about how he wrote his books; he gave me a blank stare and stormed out of the room.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The anecdote illustrates how some scholars dismiss rational analysis as trivial, equating it with animal behavior, highlighting the tension between academic rigor and skepticism.
In simple terms: Scholars may mock reason, seeing it as no more valuable than monkey antics.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about the value of reason.
Themes
philosophy
skepticism
academic discourse
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
anecdotal
When to use this quote
- academic conferences
- debates
- intellectual discussions
Key Concepts
rationalism
humor
intellectual humility
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you respond when reason is mocked?
- What does this say about academic culture?
A Different Perspective
Reason can be dismissed without substantive critique.