Philosophers are not honest enough in their work, although…
“Philosophers are not honest enough in their work, although they make a lot of virtuous noise when the problem of truthfulness is touched even remotely. They all pose as if they had discovered and reached their real opinions through the self-development of a cold, pure, divinely unconcerned dialectic...; while at bottom it is an assumption, a hunch, indeed a kind of "inspiration" most often a desire of the heart that has been filtered and made abstract that they defend with reasons they have sought after the fact.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Philosophers often claim objective rigor while their arguments are driven by hidden personal desires and unexamined assumptions.
In simple terms: Philosophers hide personal motives behind logical claims.
Key Takeaway
Question your own biases when evaluating ideas.
Themes
philosophy
truth
motivation
Mood
skeptical
reflective
Type
critical
analytical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- personal decision making
- ethical analysis
Key Concepts
epistemology
psychology
bias
Questions to Reflect On
- What hidden motives influence your conclusions?
- How can you separate genuine insight from wishful thinking?
A Different Perspective
The claim of pure rationality can be self‑deceptive.