--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Philosophy, having crept clinging to the…" description: "\"Philosophy, having crept clinging to the rocks so far, puts out its feelers many ways in vain.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/henry-david-thoreau-20_clinging_philosophy-having-crept-clinging-to-the_1093285.jpg" --- # Philosophy, having crept clinging to the rocks so far… ![“Philosophy, having crept clinging to the rocks so far, puts out its feelers many ways in vain.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/henry-david-thoreau-20_clinging_philosophy-having-crept-clinging-to-the_1093285.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/henry-david-thoreau-20_clinging_philosophy-having-crept-clinging-to-the_1093285.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/henry-david-thoreau-20_clinging_philosophy-having-crept-clinging-to-the_1093285.jpg) > “Philosophy, having crept clinging to the rocks so far, puts out its feelers many ways in vain.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Philosophy clings to solid foundations yet reaches out in many futile attempts to grasp meaning. **In simple terms:** Philosophy struggles to find purpose. Key Takeaway Question assumptions. Themes philosophy nature existence Mood contemplative skeptical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - academic study - personal reflection Key Concepts metaphysics critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - Why do we persist in futile searches? - What gives philosophy value? A Different Perspective Can be seen as overly pessimistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeler/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) ## Related quotes > [She's all I need. 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As Cicero famously said, you have no choice between having a philosophy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/philosophy-is-not-confined-to-philosophers-thank-god-everyone-has-a/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [It is not in the power of every one to taste humor, however he may wish it; it is the gift of God! and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/it-is-not-in-the-power-of-every-one-to-taste-humor-however-he-may/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [It is the artists of the world, the feelers and the thinkers who will ultimately save us; who can articulate, educate, defy, insist, sing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/it-is-the-artists-of-the-world-the-feelers-and-the-thinkers-who-will/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [When feeling is divested of the feeler and the felt, it shines as love; when seeing is divested of the seer and the seen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-spira/when-feeling-is-divested-of-the-feeler-and-the-felt-it-shines-as-love/) [Rupert Spira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-spira/) > [it is an easy mistake to think that non-talkers are non-feelers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/it-is-an-easy-mistake-to-think-that-non-talkers-are-non-feelers/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [I'm always open to a relationship, but I'm not putting those feelers out there now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-m-always-open-to-a-relationship-but-i-m-not-putting-those-feelers/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) > [I'm not asking a poem to carry a lot of rocks in its pockets. 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They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Clinging quotes > [My mind shrank from the menace sweeping down on us, as children's do from belief in death and misfortune, vainly clinging to the fancy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-pankhurst/my-mind-shrank-from-the-menace-sweeping-down-on-us-as-children-s-do/) [Sylvia Pankhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-pankhurst/) > [I hate to see prudence clinging to the green suckers of youth; 'tis like ivy round a sapling, and spoils the growth of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/i-hate-to-see-prudence-clinging-to-the-green-suckers-of-youth-tis/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [I don't think people ever were free of fear of death, but clinging to life and being so unprepared for it is a modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-butler/i-don-t-think-people-ever-were-free-of-fear-of-death-but-clinging-to/) [Katy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-butler/) > [Blaming mother is just a negative way of clinging to her still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-friday/blaming-mother-is-just-a-negative-way-of-clinging-to-her-still/) [Nancy Friday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-friday/) > [Jobs are a centuries-old concept created during the Industrial Revolution. Despite the reality that we're now deep in the Information Age, many people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/jobs-are-a-centuries-old-concept-created-during-the-industrial/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to loose Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose Once there was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-m-so-afraid-to-love-you-but-more-afraid-to-loose-clinging-to-a-past/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [If conservatives don't want to be seen as bitter people who cling to their guns and religion and anti-immigrant sentiments, they should stop being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/if-conservatives-don-t-want-to-be-seen-as-bitter-people-who-cling-to/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Sam, clinging to Frodo's arm, collapsed on a step in the black darkness. 'Poor old Bill!' he said in a choking voice. 'Poor old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sam-clinging-to-frodo-s-arm-collapsed-on-a-step-in-the-black-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And one fine day the goddess of the wind kisses the foot of man, that mistreated, scorned foot, and from that kiss the soccer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/and-one-fine-day-the-goddess-of-the-wind-kisses-the-foot-of-man-that/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [I am tired of clinging. Though I cannot see it with my eyes, I trust that the current knows where it is going. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/i-am-tired-of-clinging-though-i-cannot-see-it-with-my-eyes-i-trust/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Some people have a very strange idea that material success does not coincide harmoniously with self-realization, which is absurd. The aversion to material success,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/some-people-have-a-very-strange-idea-that-material-success-does-not/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [How mutable are our feelings, and how strange is that clinging love we have of life even in the excess of misery!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-mutable-are-our-feelings-and-how-strange-is-that-clinging-love-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we cling to belief in God, we cannot likewise have faith, since faith is not clinging but letting go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-we-cling-to-belief-in-god-we-cannot-likewise-have-faith-since/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am not saying that you should renounce things, that you should escape from your home and renounce the marketplace. No, don't misunderstand my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/i-am-not-saying-that-you-should-renounce-things-that-you-should/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Augustine says that we may, out of our dead sins, make stepping stones to rise to the heights of perfection. What did he mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stalker/augustine-says-that-we-may-out-of-our-dead-sins-make-stepping-stones/) [James Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stalker/) Browse all 336 Clinging quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Philosophy, having crept clinging to the rocks so far, puts out its feelers many ways in vain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/philosophy-having-crept-clinging-to-the-rocks-so-far-puts-out-its/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clinging" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/philosophy-having-crept-clinging-to-the-rocks-so-far-puts-out-its/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/henry-david-thoreau-20_clinging_philosophy-having-crept-clinging-to-the_1093285.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/henry-david-thoreau-20_clinging_philosophy-having-crept-clinging-to-the_1093285.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e41/henry-david-thoreau-20_clinging_philosophy-having-crept-clinging-to-the_1093285.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Philosophy, having crept clinging to the rocks so far, puts out its feelers many ways in vain.” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Philosophy, having crept clinging to the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/philosophy-having-crept-clinging-to-the-rocks-so-far-puts-out-its/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/philosophy-having-crept-clinging-to-the-rocks-so-far-puts-out-its/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```