Great philosophers Quote by Bryan Magee
““Like the character Moliere who discovered to his astonishment that he had been speaking prose all his life, I discovered to my astonishment that I had been immersed in philosophical problems all my life. And I had been drawn into the same problems as great philosophers by the same felt need to make sense of the world...The chief difference between me and them, of course, was that whereas they had something to offer by way of solutions to the problems, I had failed even to formulate very rich or sophistocated versions of the problems, let alone work my way through to defensible solutions for them. In consequence I fell on their work like a starving man on food, and it has done a geat deal to nourish and sustain me ever since.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Bryan Magee on philosophy, 1990s
He realized he spent life immersed in philosophical questions without formulating them clearly, learning from great philosophers’ work.
In simple terms: Immersed in philosophy without clear problems
Key Takeaway
Study and clarify your own questions.
Themes
self‑reflection
philosophy
learning
humility
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
introspective
educational
When to use this quote
- academic study
- personal growth
- creative writing
Key Concepts
intellectual curiosity
problem formulation
Questions to Reflect On
- What philosophical problem troubles you?
- How can you articulate it better?
A Different Perspective
Clarity of problem is prerequisite to solution.
![“Education, they [philosophers] felt, is the only answer to the always pressing question, to the political question par excellence, of how to reconcile order which is not oppression with freedom which is not license.” quote by Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8f1/leo-strauss-12446_answers_education-they-philosophers-felt-is-the_2056506.jpg)
![“[L]e philosophe n'a jamais tué de prêtres et le prêtre a tué beaucoup de philosophes... (The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has killed a great many philosophers.)” quote by Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c13/denis-diderot-1536_great-man_l-e-philosophe-n-a-jamais-tu-de-pr-tres_506737.jpg)
