Family Quote by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
““To the philosopher, infinity, knowledge, movement, empirical laws, etc., are things just as familiar {as family relations}. And as her dead brother and uncle are present to the peasant woman, thus Plato, Spinoza, etc. are present to the philosopher. The one has as much reality as the other, but the latter are immortal.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Phenomenology of Spirit, 1807
Philosophers treat abstract concepts with the same intimacy as personal relationships, granting them a lived reality comparable to everyday bonds.
In simple terms: Philosophers see ideas as familiar as family.
Key Takeaway
Treat ideas as real as people.
Themes
philosophy
ontology
relationships
Mood
contemplative
introspective
Type
analytical
thought‑provoking
When to use this quote
- academic discourse
- personal reflection
- teaching philosophy
- writing essays
Key Concepts
metaphysics
immortality
reality
Questions to Reflect On
- How does personalizing concepts change your understanding?
- Can abstract ideas feel as real as relationships?
A Different Perspective
Abstract ideas may lack tangible evidence for non‑philosophers.
![“It has been said that the French revolution resulted from philosophy, and it is not without reason that philosophy has been called Weltweisheit [world wisdom]; for it is not only truth in and for itself, as the pure essence of things, but also truth in its living form as exhibited in the affairs…” quote by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/906/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel_french-revolution_it-has-been-said-that-the-french-revolut_297624.jpg)
