Contempt Quote by Allan Bloom
“Social science and humanities ... have a mutual contempt for one another, the former looking down on the latter as unscientific, the latter regarding the former as philistine. ... The difference comes down to the fact that social science really wants to be predictive, meaning that man is predictable, while the humanities say that he is not.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Closing of the American Mind, Allan Bloom, 1987
Social sciences seek predictive models of human behavior, while humanities emphasize the unpredictable, subjective nature of humanity.
In simple terms: Sciences predict; humanities resist.
Key Takeaway
Balance quantitative and qualitative insights.
Themes
prediction
human nature
disciplinary tension
Mood
thoughtful
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
analytical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic research
- policy analysis
- education curriculum design
- public discourse
Key Concepts
epistemology
interpretivism
methodology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we integrate predictive methods with humanistic insight?
- What risks arise from dismissing either discipline?
A Different Perspective
Predictive models can oversimplify complex human experiences.
![“Every person of any rank in the left, from voter on up to cabinet member to elected official in the Democrat Party, has contempt. We [Republicans] are the number one enemy. And they will put aside whatever differences they have.” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/08a/rush-limbaugh-28_cabinets_every-person-of-any-rank-in-the-left-fro_29974.jpg){kind=icon}