Epoch Quote by Edmund Husserl
““First, anyone who seriously intends to become a philosopher must "once in his life" withdraw into himself and attempt, within himself, to overthrow and build anew all the sciences that, up to then, he has been accepting. Philosophy wisdom (sagesse) is the philosophizer's quite personal affair. It must arise as His wisdom, as his self-acquired knowledge tending toward universality, a knowledge for which he can answer from the beginning, and at each step, by virtue of his own absolute insights.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Logical Investigations, 1900
Philosophy requires a deep, personal re-examination of all prior knowledge, building a universal understanding from one's own insights.
In simple terms: Philosophers must rethink everything themselves.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions, seek personal insight.
Themes
philosophy
self‑reflection
knowledge
Mood
contemplative
introspective
Type
theoretical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic study
- personal meditation
- intellectual development
- teaching philosophy
Key Concepts
transcendental phenomenology
epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- What personal biases shape your current beliefs?
- How can you balance personal insight with communal discourse?
A Different Perspective
Such radical self‑overhaul can be isolating.
