--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When someone asks 'what's the use of…" description: "\"When someone asks 'what's the use of philosophy?' the reply must be aggressive, since the question tries to be ironic and caustic. Philosophy does not ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/gilles-deleuze-3530_aggressive_when-someone-asks-what-s-the-use-of-phil_1548689.jpg" --- # When someone asks 'what's the use of philosophy?' the… ![“When someone asks 'what's the use of philosophy?' the reply must be aggressive, since the question tries to be ironic and caustic. Philosophy does not serve the State or the Church, who have other concerns. It serves no established power.” quote by Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/gilles-deleuze-3530_aggressive_when-someone-asks-what-s-the-use-of-phil_1548689.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/gilles-deleuze-3530_aggressive_when-someone-asks-what-s-the-use-of-phil_1548689.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79b/gilles-deleuze-3530_aggressive_when-someone-asks-what-s-the-use-of-phil_1548689.jpg) > “When someone asks 'what's the use of philosophy?' the reply must be aggressive, since the question tries to be ironic and caustic. Philosophy does not serve the State or the Church, who have other concerns. It serves no established power.” [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Philosophy should respond aggressively to cynical questions, rejecting service to state or church, and remain independent of established powers. **In simple terms:** Philosophy must be confrontational and independent. Key Takeaway Defend philosophy’s autonomy. Themes philosophy critical theory politics Mood provocative intellectual Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - academic discourse - public debate - education reform Key Concepts autonomy radicalism skepticism Questions to Reflect On - How can philosophy stay critical yet accessible? - What role should philosophy play in society? A Different Perspective Aggressive tone may alienate broader audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aggressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggressive/) [Aggressive Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggressive-question-5784067/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-does-895590/) [Philosophy Reply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-reply-5784066/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Use Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-philosophy-2766287/) ## Related quotes > [The use of philosophy is to sadden. A philosophy which saddens no one, that annoys no one, is not a philosophy. It is useful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/the-use-of-philosophy-is-to-sadden-a-philosophy-which-saddens-no-one/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [“Philosophy does not serve the State or the Church, who have other concerns. It serves no established power. The use of philosophy is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/philosophy-does-not-serve-the-state-or-the-church-who-have-other/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [If you use a philosophy education well, you can get your foot in the door of any industry you please. Industries are like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/if-you-use-a-philosophy-education-well-you-can-get-your-foot-in-the/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/keep-me-away-from-the-wisdom-which-does-not-cry-the-philosophy-which-2/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [“...there is no true understanding of any art without some knowledge of its philosophy. Only then does its meaning come clear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/there-is-no-true-understanding-of-any-art-without-some-knowledge-of/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [Philosophy does not exist. It is nothing but an hypostatized abstraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-d-laing/philosophy-does-not-exist-it-is-nothing-but-an-hypostatized/) [R. D. Laing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-laing/) > [“Historically, philosophy does not have an impressive track record of answering questions about natural world in a decisive manner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christof-koch/historically-philosophy-does-not-have-an-impressive-track-record-of/) [Christof Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christof-koch/) > [“Philosophy which does not seek to impose upon the world its own conceptions of good and evil is not only more likely to achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/philosophy-which-does-not-seek-to-impose-upon-the-world-its-own/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [To me, what philosophy does best is reflect on knowledge that's generated in other areas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/to-me-what-philosophy-does-best-is-reflect-on-knowledge-that-s/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [“Philosophy, as defined by Fichte, is the "science of sciences." Its aim was to solve the problems of the world. In the past, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-korzybski/philosophy-as-defined-by-fichte-is-the-science-of-sciences-its-aim/) [Alfred Korzybski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-korzybski/) > [“A strong personal philosophy does more than sustain us through the tragedies of life. It also stains us daily in everything we think and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-prentiss/a-strong-personal-philosophy-does-more-than-sustain-us-through-the/) [Chris Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-prentiss/) > [Therefore, philosophy does not give sense in mind happiness. It keeps in mind the only truth. However, it is very possible that the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-conche/therefore-philosophy-does-not-give-sense-in-mind-happiness-it-keeps/) [Marcel Conche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-conche/) > [Philosophy does provide me a structure and a way of thinking. Religion - like the religion I grew up with, Mormonism - also provides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-evenson/philosophy-does-provide-me-a-structure-and-a-way-of-thinking-religion/) [Brian Evenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-evenson/) > [Philosophy does not regard pedigree, she received Plato not as a noble, but she made him one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/philosophy-does-not-regard-pedigree-she-received-plato-not-as-a-noble/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Philosophy appears to some people as a homogenous milieu: there thoughts are born and die, there systems are built, and there, in turn, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/philosophy-appears-to-some-people-as-a-homogenous-milieu-there/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) ## More by Gilles Deleuze > [“Philosophy is the theory of multiplicities, each of which is composed of actual and virtual elements. Purely actual objects do not exist. Every actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/philosophy-is-the-theory-of-multiplicities-each-of-which-is-composed/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [I have no admiration for culture. I have no reserve knowledge, no provisional knowledge. And everything that I learn, I learn for a particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/i-have-no-admiration-for-culture-i-have-no-reserve-knowledge-no/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [A leftist government doesn't exist because being on the left has nothing to do with governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/a-leftist-government-doesn-t-exist-because-being-on-the-left-has/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [“The best one can hope for is a government favorable to certain claims and demands from the Left.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/the-best-one-can-hope-for-is-a-government-favorable-to-certain-claims/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [Things never pass where you think, nor along the paths you think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/things-never-pass-where-you-think-nor-along-the-paths-you-think/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [ Either it is the fold of the infinite, or the constant folds \[replis\] of finitude which curve the outside and constitute the inside. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/either-it-is-the-fold-of-the-infinite-or-the-constant-folds-replis-of/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [“The modulating principle of “salary according to merit” has not failed to tempt national education itself. Indeed, just as the corporation replaces the factory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/the-modulating-principle-of-salary-according-to-merit-has-not-failed/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [The various forms of education or ‘normalization’ imposed upon an individual consist in making him or her change points of subjectification, always moving towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/the-various-forms-of-education-or-normalization-imposed-upon-an/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [External images act on me, transmit movement to me, and I return movement: how could images be in my consciousness since I am myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/external-images-act-on-me-transmit-movement-to-me-and-i-return/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [A concept is a brick. It can be used to build a courthouse of reason. Or it can be thrown through the window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/a-concept-is-a-brick-it-can-be-used-to-build-a-courthouse-of-reason/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [The problem is no longer getting people to express themselves, but providing little gaps of solitude and silence in which they might eventually find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/the-problem-is-no-longer-getting-people-to-express-themselves-but/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [Intensities are implicated multiplicities, 'implexes,' made up of relations between asymmetrical elements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/intensities-are-implicated-multiplicities-implexes-made-up-of/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [There’s no democratic state that’s not compromised to the very core by its part in generating human misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/there-s-no-democratic-state-that-s-not-compromised-to-the-very-core/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [Photography, if there is photography, is already snapped, already shot, in the very interior of things and for all points of space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/photography-if-there-is-photography-is-already-snapped-already-shot/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [The use of philosophy is to sadden. A philosophy which saddens no one, that annoys no one, is not a philosophy. It is useful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/the-use-of-philosophy-is-to-sadden-a-philosophy-which-saddens-no-one/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) [Explore all 120 Gilles Deleuze quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) ## More Aggressive quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Good girls don't hurt other people's feelings. Good girls are not overly aggressive, competitive, or boastful. Good girls please others. But what good girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jane-gilman/good-girls-don-t-hurt-other-people-s-feelings-good-girls-are-not/) [Susan Jane Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jane-gilman/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Passive...Aggressive...Pussy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-azzarello/passive-aggressive-pussy/) [Brian Azzarello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-azzarello/) > [I'm not a fan of endless mystery in storytelling - I like to know where the mythology's going; I like to get there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/i-m-not-a-fan-of-endless-mystery-in-storytelling-i-like-to-know-where/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [Most conservatives - by which I mean normal people - have little conception of the aggressive and revolutionary force that confronts them. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bethell/most-conservatives-by-which-i-mean-normal-people-have-little/) [Tom Bethell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bethell/) > [If I serve good and play aggressive from the baseline, I can beat everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karolina-pliskova/if-i-serve-good-and-play-aggressive-from-the-baseline-i-can-beat/) [Karolina Pliskova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karolina-pliskova/) > [I'm just trying to be aggressive. Be aggressive with my shot. Be aggressive going to the rim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-murray/i-m-just-trying-to-be-aggressive-be-aggressive-with-my-shot-be/) [Jamal Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-murray/) > [I see other teams playing aggressive, attacking football, they are games I switch on and watch. They are the football teams I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelos-postecoglou/i-see-other-teams-playing-aggressive-attacking-football-they-are/) [Angelos Postecoglou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelos-postecoglou/) > [You cannot will yourself to be happy while believing that you have no right to happiness, or that you are unworthy of it. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-roberts/you-cannot-will-yourself-to-be-happy-while-believing-that-you-have-no/) [Jane Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-roberts/) > [I have definitely noticed I am very passionate. So if I'm fighting with someone I'll be SO super loud and aggressive, and make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-martinez/i-have-definitely-noticed-i-am-very-passionate-so-if-i-m-fighting/) [Melanie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-martinez/) > [ I think the president's \[Barack Obama\] position has been very clear on Syria. 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