--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just realized, sometime early on in…" description: "\"I just realized, sometime early on in college, that I wanted to be a philosopher. I basically decided that I wanted to spend my life thinking as deeply..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/l-a-paul-31830_approach_i-just-realized-sometime-early-on-in-col_2360667.jpg" --- # I just realized, sometime early on in college, that I… ![“I just realized, sometime early on in college, that I wanted to be a philosopher. I basically decided that I wanted to spend my life thinking as deeply and carefully and reflectively as I could about the nature of reality and our human engagement with it, and that taking a philosophical approach…” quote by L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/l-a-paul-31830_approach_i-just-realized-sometime-early-on-in-col_2360667.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/l-a-paul-31830_approach_i-just-realized-sometime-early-on-in-col_2360667.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/l-a-paul-31830_approach_i-just-realized-sometime-early-on-in-col_2360667.jpg) > “I just realized, sometime early on in college, that I wanted to be a philosopher. I basically decided that I wanted to spend my life thinking as deeply and carefully and reflectively as I could about the nature of reality and our human engagement with it, and that taking a philosophical approach was the best way to go about doing this.” [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker discovered a desire to pursue philosophy, seeking deep, careful reflection on reality and human experience, believing philosophy is the optimal method. **In simple terms:** I realized I wanted to think deeply about reality. Key Takeaway Embrace philosophical inquiry. Themes self‑discovery intellectual curiosity purpose Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - college majors - career planning - personal development - academic research Key Concepts existentialism critical thinking reflective practice Questions to Reflect On - What topics compel you to think deeply? - How can philosophical thinking improve daily decisions? A Different Perspective Philosophy may not provide immediate practical outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Engagement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engagement/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [My anarcho-capitalist philosophy would imply the elimination of the state, but that is a theoretical, philosophical approach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-milei/my-anarcho-capitalist-philosophy-would-imply-the-elimination-of-the/) [Javier Milei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-milei/) > [I do think you have sort of a general philosophical approach that you want from a justice, and I think a strict constructionist would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/i-do-think-you-have-sort-of-a-general-philosophical-approach-that-you/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [I believe that American engagement, through our embassy, our businesses, and most of all through our people, is the best way to advance our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/i-believe-that-american-engagement-through-our-embassy-our-businesses/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [She had just realized there were two things that prevent us from achieving our dreams: believing them to be impossible or seeing those dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/she-had-just-realized-there-were-two-things-that-prevent-us-from/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I gave him a smile that I hoped was as dazzling as one of his. "I realized I'm in love." Marcus, startled, looked around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-gave-him-a-smile-that-i-hoped-was-as-dazzling-as-one-of-his-i/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [We all just realized that I am terminally ill and I'm dying and I would just prefer to die with less pain and less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-maynard/we-all-just-realized-that-i-am-terminally-ill-and-i-m-dying-and-i/) [Brittany Maynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-maynard/) > [I don't lie to you," Alan said. "I lie WITH you." Sin stopped looking up at him from under her eyelashes and burst out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/i-don-t-lie-to-you-alan-said-i-lie-with-you-sin-stopped-looking-up-at/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [He shrugged. "I was...thinking." "About what?" "The fires of purgatory." She had to sit down. He wasn't making any sense now. "What does that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-garwood/he-shrugged-i-was-thinking-about-what-the-fires-of-purgatory-she-had/) [Julie Garwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-garwood/) > [By the second time I sang by myself in school, I just realized that I was more in control of my environment than I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/by-the-second-time-i-sang-by-myself-in-school-i-just-realized-that-i/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [I have just realized that it is due to you, and to Mr. James Thomas and his staff of the Army Navy Country Club…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/i-have-just-realized-that-it-is-due-to-you-and-to-mr-james-thomas-and/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [I just realized that I need to be a director - for two reasons. One, directors were already my heroes at this point. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-just-realized-that-i-need-to-be-a-director-for-two-reasons-one/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [I just realized how long it was since the last album, and where did the time go? You know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/i-just-realized-how-long-it-was-since-the-last-album-and-where-did/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [The years go so fast. I mean, I just realized that at the end of the year I will be twenty-two, and I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastassja-kinski/the-years-go-so-fast-i-mean-i-just-realized-that-at-the-end-of-the/) [Nastassja Kinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastassja-kinski/) > [I think I just realized that having a problem - an eating disorder - it's not healthy and you can actually die from that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-polizzi/i-think-i-just-realized-that-having-a-problem-an-eating-disorder-it-s/) [Nicole Polizzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-polizzi/) > [You can never completely get it - being a Christian - but I think I really got it when my first son was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-teixeira/you-can-never-completely-get-it-being-a-christian-but-i-think-i/) [Mark Teixeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-teixeira/) ## More by L.A. Paul > [Living rationally and authentically does not mean that you map out your future by thinking carefully about what it would be like if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/living-rationally-and-authentically-does-not-mean-that-you-map-out/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [It's always better to be deep rather than shallow. And I'm deep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/it-s-always-better-to-be-deep-rather-than-shallow-and-i-m-deep/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [While I do not agree with all of the claims made by experimental philosophers, especially those who seem to think xphi will somehow replace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/while-i-do-not-agree-with-all-of-the-claims-made-by-experimental/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [We should listen to both philosophers and scientists, because the philosophical contribution is different from the scientific contribution, and both of them are worthwhile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/we-should-listen-to-both-philosophers-and-scientists-because-the/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [I argue, based on metaphysical and physical considerations, that we should think of the fundamental parts of the world as a mix of intrinsic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/i-argue-based-on-metaphysical-and-physical-considerations-that-we/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [If you are female, and conditions are otherwise apt, you are supposed to decide whether you want to become a mother by thinking carefully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/if-you-are-female-and-conditions-are-otherwise-apt-you-are-supposed/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [Often the features metaphysicians are interested in, like causation, time, and essence, involve features that seem so basic or are so generally embedded in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/often-the-features-metaphysicians-are-interested-in-like-causation/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [There are laws of nature - of course there are - even if they don't exist in some sort of bizarre Platonic Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/there-are-laws-of-nature-of-course-there-are-even-if-they-don-t-exist/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [Philosophers, especially metaphysicians, explore features of reality and of our mental life that are different from those explored by scientists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/philosophers-especially-metaphysicians-explore-features-of-reality/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [I have quite a bit of sympathy for the idea that psychology and cognitive science have much to offer philosophy, and that the reverse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/i-have-quite-a-bit-of-sympathy-for-the-idea-that-psychology-and/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [I do think that metaphysical exploration is like scientific exploration, in the sense that philosophers and scientists are both developing models of reality, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/i-do-think-that-metaphysical-exploration-is-like-scientific/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [I think, in fact, that the connections between philosophy and cognitive science haven't gone far enough, metaphysicians should be working closely with cognitive scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/i-think-in-fact-that-the-connections-between-philosophy-and-cognitive/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [The distinctive contribution that metaphysics makes to our understanding of reality is first that it considers questions about features of reality that the sciences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/the-distinctive-contribution-that-metaphysics-makes-to-our/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [I reject what I see as flat-footed accounts of the fundamental structure of the world, where we somehow assume that, because ordinary experience involves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/i-reject-what-i-see-as-flat-footed-accounts-of-the-fundamental/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) > [Living rationally and authentically means understanding that life centrally involves making leaps of faith, both small and large, and that the value of living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-paul/living-rationally-and-authentically-means-understanding-that-life/) [L.A. Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) [Explore all 16 L.A. Paul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-paul/) ## More Approach quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [I don't have any particular method, my approach is very simple. I try to understand the emotional graph of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratik-gandhi/i-don-t-have-any-particular-method-my-approach-is-very-simple-i-try/) [Pratik Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratik-gandhi/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything, every part that you approach has to be somehow rooted in yourself. You have to somehow root everything so that it's not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/everything-every-part-that-you-approach-has-to-be-somehow-rooted-in/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. 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