As long as we try to project from the relative and…
“As long as we try to project from the relative and conditioned to the absolute and unconditioned, we shall keep the pendulum swinging between dogmatism and skepticism. The only way to stop this increasingly tiresome pendulum swing is to change our conception of what philosophy is good for. But that is not something which will be accomplished by a few neat arguments. It will be accomplished, if it ever is, by a long, slow process of cultural change - that is to say, of change in common sense, changes in the intuitions available for being pumped up by philosophical arguments.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Philosophy swings between dogmatism and skepticism; lasting change requires cultural shift, not just arguments.
In simple terms: Philosophy needs cultural change, not just debate.
Key Takeaway
Promote gradual cultural evolution.
Themes
philosophy
culture
skepticism
dogmatism
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
theoretical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- education reform
- public discourse
- academic curricula
Key Concepts
paradigm shift
intellectual history
Questions to Reflect On
- What mechanisms foster cultural shift?
- How to balance critique with constructive change?
A Different Perspective
Cultural change is slow and may resist new ideas.