Philosophical Quote by Iris Murdoch
““Even those novelists most commonly deemed “philosophical” have sometimes answered with an emphatic no. Iris Murdoch, the longtime Oxford philosopher and author of some two dozen novels treating highbrow themes like consciousness and morality, argued that philosophy and literature were contrary pursuits. Philosophy calls on the analytical mind to solve conceptual problems in an “austere, unselfish, candid” prose, she said in a BBC interview broadcast in 1978, while literature looks to the imagination to show us something “mysterious, ambiguous, particular” about the world. Any appearance of philosophical ideas in her own novels was an inconsequential reflection of what she happened to know. “If I knew about sailing ships I would put in sailing ships,” she said. “And in a way, as a novelist, I would rather know about sailing ships than about philosophy.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: BBC, 1978
Murdoch argues that philosophy and literature serve different purposes: philosophy seeks analytical clarity, while literature embraces imaginative mystery.
In simple terms: Philosophy is analytical; literature is imaginative.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the distinct strengths of each discipline.
Themes
philosophy
literature
creativity
analysis
imagination
Mood
thoughtful
reflective
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
literary
reflective
When to use this quote
- writing novels
- teaching philosophy
- public speaking
- academic research
Key Concepts
analytical rigor
conceptual problem solving
creative storytelling
subjective experience
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance analytical thinking with imaginative expression?
- Can one discipline enrich the other?
A Different Perspective
Literature can still convey deep ideas without formal philosophy.
