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Agree Quote by Gertrude Stein

“A writer must always try to have a philosophy and he should also have a psychology and a philology and many other things. Without a philosophy and a psychology and all these various other things he is not really worthy of being called a writer. I agree with Kant and Schopenhauer and Plato and…” quote by Gertrude Stein
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“A writer must always try to have a philosophy and he should also have a psychology and a philology and many other things. Without a philosophy and a psychology and all these various other things he is not really worthy of being called a writer. I agree with Kant and Schopenhauer and Plato and Spinoza and that is quite enough to be called a philosophy. But then of course a philosophy is not the same thing as a style.”

Gertrude Stein

About This Quote

Source Essay: The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, 1933

A writer needs a broad intellectual foundation—philosophy, psychology, philology—to be truly qualified.

In simple terms: Writers need deep knowledge to be worthy.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate interdisciplinary study.

Themes

education literature intellectualism

Mood

reflective inquisitive

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • writing workshops
  • academic research
  • creative projects
  • literary criticism

Key Concepts

philosophy psychology philology style knowledge

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does interdisciplinary knowledge shape your writing?
  • When does expertise become a barrier?
A Different Perspective

Depth may hinder practical output if over‑theorized.

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