I must confess that I am not at all partial to the…
““I must confess that I am not at all partial to the fabrication of Weltanschauungen. Such activities may be left to philosophers, who avowedly find it impossible to make their journey through life without a Baedeker of that kind to give them information on every subject. Let us humbly accept the contempt with which they look down on us from the vatnage-ground of their superior needs. But since we cannot forgot our narcissistic pride either, we will draw comfort from the reflection that such 'Handbooks to Life' soon grow out of date and that it is precisely our short-sighted, narrow, and finicky work which obliges them to appear in new editions, and that even the most up-to-date of them are nothing but attempts to find a substitute for the ancient, useful and all-sufficient Church Catechism. We know well enough how little light science has so far been able to throw on the problems that surround us. But however much ado the philosophers may make, they cannot alter the situation. Only patient, persevering research, in which everything is subordinated to the one requirement of certainty, can gradually bring about a change. The benighted traveller may sing aloud in the dark to deny his own fears; but, for all that, he will not see an inch further beyond his nose.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Freud critiques philosophers' attempts to create comprehensive life manuals, arguing that only rigorous, patient research grounded in certainty can truly advance knowledge, while acknowledging science's limited illumination of existential problems.
In simple terms: Philosophers' handbooks are inadequate; only careful research yields real progress.
Prioritize disciplined, evidence‑based inquiry over speculative systems.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- academic study
- personal development
- ethical decision‑making
- public policy
- education
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Can we balance philosophical insight with empirical rigor?
- What role should humility play in scientific pursuit?
Such handbooks may still offer useful frameworks despite their limitations.