Since the Greeks the predominant attitude of thinkers…
“Since the Greeks the predominant attitude of thinkers towards intellectual activity was to glorify it insofar as (like aesthetic activity) it finds its satisfaction in itself, apart from any attention to the advantages it may procure. Most thinkers would have agreed with Renan's verdict that the man who loves science for its fruits commits the worst of blasphemies against that divinity. The modern clercs have violently torn up this charter. They proclaim the intellectual functions are only respectable to the extent that they are bound up with the pursuit of concrete advantage.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Intellectual activity should be valued for its own sake, not for practical benefits, and treating it otherwise is a betrayal of its true nature.
In simple terms: Think for love, not profit.
Key Takeaway
Respect the intrinsic value of ideas.
Themes
philosophy
intellectualism
ethics
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- academic research
- creative writing
- policy analysis
- education reform
Key Concepts
intrinsic value
blasphemy
modernism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance idealism with real‑world pressures?
- What is lost when knowledge is only seen as a tool?
A Different Perspective
Practical demands often force compromise on pure intellectual pursuits.