--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To philosophize is only another way of…" description: "\"To philosophize is only another way of being afraid and leads hardly anywhere but to cowardly make-believe.\" — Louis-Ferdinand Celine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_being-afraid_to-philosophize-is-only-another-way-of-b_1432294.jpg" --- # To philosophize is only another way of being afraid and… ![“To philosophize is only another way of being afraid and leads hardly anywhere but to cowardly make-believe.” quote by Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_being-afraid_to-philosophize-is-only-another-way-of-b_1432294.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_being-afraid_to-philosophize-is-only-another-way-of-b_1432294.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_being-afraid_to-philosophize-is-only-another-way-of-b_1432294.jpg) > “To philosophize is only another way of being afraid and leads hardly anywhere but to cowardly make-believe.” [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Philosophizing is a fear‑driven escape that leads to empty, cowardly fantasies rather than real insight. **In simple terms:** Philosophy can be a fearful avoidance of truth. Key Takeaway Question fear‑based thinking. Themes philosophy fear avoidance Mood critical introspective Type philosophical skeptical When to use this quote - personal crisis - intellectual debate - creative writing - self‑reflection Key Concepts existentialism self‑deception Questions to Reflect On - What fears underlie your deepest thoughts? - Can doubt be a catalyst for growth? A Different Perspective Some argue philosophy confronts fear, not avoids it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-afraid/) [Make believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-believe/) ## Related quotes > [“NEVER Cruel Or Cowardly. NEVER Give Up. NEVER Give In. And if you ever are, always make amends”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/never-cruel-or-cowardly-never-give-up-never-give-in-and-if-you-ever/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [But you can’t put fight into a man’s guts if he hasn’t any fight in him. There are some of us so cowardly that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/but-you-can-t-put-fight-into-a-man-s-guts-if-he-hasn-t-any-fight-in/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [“Never be cruel and never be cowardly. And if you ever are, always make amends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-12th-doctor/never-be-cruel-and-never-be-cowardly-and-if-you-ever-are-always-make/) The 12th Doctor > [Philosophizing is simply one way of being afraid, a cowardly pretense that doesn't get you anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/philosophizing-is-simply-one-way-of-being-afraid-a-cowardly-pretense/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“We just philosophize, complain of boredom, or drink vodka. It's so clear, you see, that if we're to begin living in the present, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/we-just-philosophize-complain-of-boredom-or-drink-vodka-it-s-so-clear/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Plato dramatically puts the detachment of the philosopher from his time this way: to philosophize is to prepare to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/plato-dramatically-puts-the-detachment-of-the-philosopher-from-his/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [They who depend upon manifest observations will philosophize better than those who persist in opinions repugnant to the senses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/they-who-depend-upon-manifest-observations-will-philosophize-better/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [Whoever does not philosophize for the sake of philosophy, but rather uses philosophy as a means, is a sophist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-wilhelm-friedrich-schlegel/whoever-does-not-philosophize-for-the-sake-of-philosophy-but-rather/) [Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Schlegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-wilhelm-friedrich-schlegel/) > [To philosophize with open eyes is to philosophize in the dark. Only the blind can look straight at the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-althusser/to-philosophize-with-open-eyes-is-to-philosophize-in-the-dark-only/) [Louis Althusser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-althusser/) > [To philosophize is nothing else than to prepare oneself for death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/to-philosophize-is-nothing-else-than-to-prepare-oneself-for-death/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [In Russia there is no philosophy, but philosophize everything, even the small fry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/in-russia-there-is-no-philosophy-but-philosophize-everything-even-the/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [The world exists to let Man philosophize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/the-world-exists-to-let-man-philosophize/) [Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/) > [“To philosophize truth is unphilosophy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/to-philosophize-truth-is-unphilosophy/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Whether we will philosophize or we won't philosophize, we must philosophize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/whether-we-will-philosophize-or-we-won-t-philosophize-we-must/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [I won't try to philosophize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boys-like-girls/i-won-t-try-to-philosophize/) [Boys Like Girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boys-like-girls/) ## More by Louis-Ferdinand Celine > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“All our misery comes from wanting at all costs to go on being Tom, Dick, or Harry, year in, year out. This body of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/all-our-misery-comes-from-wanting-at-all-costs-to-go-on-being-tom/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“Now I know... we have at least two friends!... Cillie von Leiden and the hunchback... not bad in our situation... or, come right down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/now-i-know-we-have-at-least-two-friends-cillie-von-leiden-and-the/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [I hadn't found out yet that mankind consists of two very different races, the rich and the poor. It took me ... and plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/i-hadn-t-found-out-yet-that-mankind-consists-of-two-very-different/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“Lie, copulate, and die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/lie-copulate-and-die/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Since life consists of madness spiked with lies, the farther you are from each other the more lies you can put into it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/since-life-consists-of-madness-spiked-with-lies-the-farther-you-are/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [In my room I'd barely closed my eyes when the blonde from the movie house came along and sang her whole song of sorrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/in-my-room-i-d-barely-closed-my-eyes-when-the-blonde-from-the-movie/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [There's a point of poverty at which the spirit isn't with the body all the time. It finds the body really too unbearable. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/there-s-a-point-of-poverty-at-which-the-spirit-isn-t-with-the-body/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“You can be a virgin in horror the same as in sex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/you-can-be-a-virgin-in-horror-the-same-as-in-sex/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [You can lose your way groping among the shadows of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/you-can-lose-your-way-groping-among-the-shadows-of-the-past/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“People cling to their rotten memories, to all their misfortunes, and you can't pry them loose. These things keep them busy. They avenge themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/people-cling-to-their-rotten-memories-to-all-their-misfortunes-and/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“He couldn't have explained this misery of his, it exceeded his education.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/he-couldn-t-have-explained-this-misery-of-his-it-exceeded-his/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“Hurry hurry, cram yourself full of dreams to carry you through the life that's waiting for you outside, when you leave here, to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/hurry-hurry-cram-yourself-full-of-dreams-to-carry-you-through-the/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [The poetry of heroism appeals irresistibly to those who don't go to a war, and even more to those whom the war is making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-poetry-of-heroism-appeals-irresistibly-to-those-who-don-t-go-to-a/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“While he was cautiously preambling, I tried to form a picture of all he did each day to earn his calories, all his grimaces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/while-he-was-cautiously-preambling-i-tried-to-form-a-picture-of-all/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) [Explore all 212 Louis-Ferdinand Celine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) ## More Being afraid quotes > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“Because once you're afraid of one thing, you can get scared of a lot of stuff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-dellaira/because-once-you-re-afraid-of-one-thing-you-can-get-scared-of-a-lot/) [Ava Dellaira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-dellaira/) > [As a child there was no place for adventure or experimentation. I guess that kind of freedom started in high school with punk rock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcnairy/as-a-child-there-was-no-place-for-adventure-or-experimentation-i/) [Mark McNairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcnairy/) > [The terrible thing about free soloing difficult routes that are within one's capacity, is the chance that faced with ultimate danger and need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royal-robbins/the-terrible-thing-about-free-soloing-difficult-routes-that-are/) [Royal Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/royal-robbins/) > [Not to be content with Life is the unsatisfactory state of those which destroy themselves; who being afraid to live, run blindly upon their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/not-to-be-content-with-life-is-the-unsatisfactory-state-of-those/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [Having limits to push against is how you find out what you can do. I have always been full of contradictions. I am shy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/having-limits-to-push-against-is-how-you-find-out-what-you-can-do-i/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) > [If you really stop resisting someone or stop judging them or stop being afraid of them or stop imagining they're going to do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/if-you-really-stop-resisting-someone-or-stop-judging-them-or-stop/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [It's different being afraid when there's the hope it will amount to something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cronin/it-s-different-being-afraid-when-there-s-the-hope-it-will-amount-to/) [Justin Cronin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cronin/) > [How tragic that the very thing that could set us free-playing the fool-is the thing we will not do. When we're afraid to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mason/how-tragic-that-the-very-thing-that-could-set-us-free-playing-the/) [Mike Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mason/) > [To be a champion, I think you have to see the big picture. It's not about winning and losing; it's about every day hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-sanders/to-be-a-champion-i-think-you-have-to-see-the-big-picture-it-s-not/) [Summer Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-sanders/) > [I hate when somebody says, "This may not work." You'll never get anywhere with that. I've pushed a lot of people out of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/i-hate-when-somebody-says-this-may-not-work-you-ll-never-get-anywhere/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [I'd rather sing one wild song and burst my heart with it, than live a thousand years watching my digestion and being afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/i-d-rather-sing-one-wild-song-and-burst-my-heart-with-it-than-live-a/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [The American people are sick and tired of being afraid to speak their minds lest they be politically smeared as 'Communists' or 'Fascists' by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/the-american-people-are-sick-and-tired-of-being-afraid-to-speak-their/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [Anxiety is not fear, being afraid of this or that definite object, but the uncanny feeling of being afraid of nothing at all. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/anxiety-is-not-fear-being-afraid-of-this-or-that-definite-object-but/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [The first step to believing something is true is wanting to believe it is true... or being afraid it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-first-step-to-believing-something-is-true-is-wanting-to-believe/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) [Browse all 234 Being afraid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-afraid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To philosophize is only another way of being afraid and leads hardly anywhere but to cowardly make-believe.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Louis-Ferdinand Celine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/to-philosophize-is-only-another-way-of-being-afraid-and-leads-hardly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/to-philosophize-is-only-another-way-of-being-afraid-and-leads-hardly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_being-afraid_to-philosophize-is-only-another-way-of-b_1432294.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_being-afraid_to-philosophize-is-only-another-way-of-b_1432294.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_being-afraid_to-philosophize-is-only-another-way-of-b_1432294.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To philosophize is only another way of being afraid and leads hardly anywhere but to cowardly make-believe.” — Louis-Ferdinand Celine", "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": "Louis-Ferdinand Celine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To philosophize is only another way...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/to-philosophize-is-only-another-way-of-being-afraid-and-leads-hardly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/to-philosophize-is-only-another-way-of-being-afraid-and-leads-hardly/#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 } } ] } ```