Atheism Quote by Jürgen Habermas
““[Jürgen Habermas' obituary to friend and philosopher, Richard Rorty] One small autobiographical piece by Rorty bears the title 'Wild Orchids and Trotsky.' In it, Rorty describes how as a youth he ambled around the blooming hillside in north-west New Jersey, and breathed in the stunning odour of the orchids. Around the same time he discovered a fascinating book at the home of his leftist parents, defending Leon Trotsky against Stalin. This was the origin of the vision that the young Rorty took with him to college: philosophy is there to reconcile the celestial beauty of orchids with Trotsky's dream of justice on earth. Nothing is sacred to Rorty the ironist. Asked at the end of his life about the 'holy', the strict atheist answered with words reminiscent of the young Hegel: 'My sense of the holy is bound up with the hope that some day my remote descendants will live in a global civilization in which love is pretty much the only law.””
About This Quote
Source Obituary: Richard Rorty, by Jürgen Habermas, 2007
Rorty saw philosophy as a bridge between aesthetic wonder and political justice, envisioning a future where love guides global law.
In simple terms: Philosophy links beauty and justice, hoping for a loving world.
Embrace both aesthetic and ethical aspirations.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- academic discourse
- personal reflection
- political activism
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Can beauty inspire political change?
- What does a love‑based law look like?
Idealism may overlook practical constraints of governance.