---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In this modern world, the celibacy of the…"
description: "\"In this modern world, the celibacy of the medieval learned class has been replaced by a celibacy of the intellect which is divorced from the concrete c..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d73/alfred-north-whitehead-836_celibacy_in-this-modern-world-the-celibacy-of-the_1304959.png"
---

#  In this modern world, the celibacy of the medieval learned…

![“In this modern world, the celibacy of the medieval learned class has been replaced by a celibacy of the intellect which is divorced from the concrete contemplation of the complete facts.” quote by Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d73/alfred-north-whitehead-836_celibacy_in-this-modern-world-the-celibacy-of-the_1304959.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d73/alfred-north-whitehead-836_celibacy_in-this-modern-world-the-celibacy-of-the_1304959.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d73/alfred-north-whitehead-836_celibacy_in-this-modern-world-the-celibacy-of-the_1304959.png)

> “In this modern world, the celibacy of the medieval learned class has been replaced by a celibacy of the intellect which is divorced from the concrete contemplation of the complete facts.”

[Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Intellectual abstraction replaces traditional celibacy, detaching thought from concrete reality.

**In simple terms:** Thought is abstract, not grounded in facts.

Key Takeaway

Ground ideas in concrete facts.

Themes

philosophy intellectualism modernity

Mood

reflective analytical

Type

philosophical critical

When to use this quote

- academic research
- policy analysis
- creative writing
- critical thinking

Key Concepts

process philosophy abstraction medieval scholarship

Questions to Reflect On

- How does abstraction affect decision making?
- When is concrete observation essential?

A Different Perspective

Abstraction can limit practical insight.

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> [“Not just the celibacy thing but because he has God’s ear, a line on the mysteries. That’s impressive to girls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-elkin/not-just-the-celibacy-thing-but-because-he-has-god-s-ear-a-line-on/)

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> [It is impossible to believe that the same God who permitted His own son to die a bachelor regards celibacy as an actual sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/it-is-impossible-to-believe-that-the-same-god-who-permitted-his-own/)

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[Peter De Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-de-vries/)

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> [“I will tell you this only once. Homosexuals have been among the best warriors in our history, the berserkers of last resort. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/i-will-tell-you-this-only-once-homosexuals-have-been-among-the-best/)

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## More by Alfred North Whitehead

> [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/)

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> [“I will tell you this only once. Homosexuals have been among the best warriors in our history, the berserkers of last resort. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/i-will-tell-you-this-only-once-homosexuals-have-been-among-the-best/)

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