--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All philosophers can do is to abstain…" description: "\"All philosophers can do is to abstain from helping the aggressors and to enjoin social scientists to tell the truth instead of joining the choir of lia..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/mario-bunge-17317_aggressors_all-philosophers-can-do-is-to-abstain-fr_1585450.jpg" --- # All philosophers can do is to abstain from helping the… ![“All philosophers can do is to abstain from helping the aggressors and to enjoin social scientists to tell the truth instead of joining the choir of liars and hypocrites.” quote by Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/mario-bunge-17317_aggressors_all-philosophers-can-do-is-to-abstain-fr_1585450.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/mario-bunge-17317_aggressors_all-philosophers-can-do-is-to-abstain-fr_1585450.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/mario-bunge-17317_aggressors_all-philosophers-can-do-is-to-abstain-fr_1585450.jpg) > “All philosophers can do is to abstain from helping the aggressors and to enjoin social scientists to tell the truth instead of joining the choir of liars and hypocrites.” [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Philosophers should refrain from aiding aggressors and urge scientists to truthfully expose falsehoods. **In simple terms:** Promote truth, avoid supporting aggression. Key Takeaway Encourage honest discourse, reject complicity. Themes ethics truth politics Mood critical concerned Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - academic research - policy making - media - education Key Concepts philosophy of science social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can scientists safely expose falsehoods? - What responsibilities do philosophers have in public debate? A Different Perspective Truth‑telling can be risky in hostile environments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choir/) [Hypocrite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypocrite/) [Liars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liars/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosophers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophers/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Telling the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-the-truth/) ## Related quotes > [The three kinds of people I dislike most are Gossips, Liars, and Hypocrites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-radziwill/the-three-kinds-of-people-i-dislike-most-are-gossips-liars-and/) [Carole Radziwill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-radziwill/) > [It is silly to go on pretending that under the skin we are brothers. The truth is more likely that under the skin we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/it-is-silly-to-go-on-pretending-that-under-the-skin-we-are-brothers/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [I hate liars, hypocrites, and people who take advantage of people who care about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-liars-hypocrites-and-people-who-take-advantage-of-people-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Those who plead their cause in the absence of an opponent can invent to their heart's content, can pontificate without taking into account the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-de-pizan/those-who-plead-their-cause-in-the-absence-of-an-opponent-can-invent/) [Christine de Pizan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-de-pizan/) > [We must prevent a criminal understanding between the Fascist aggressors and the British and French imperialist clique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/we-must-prevent-a-criminal-understanding-between-the-fascist/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [If we as a society want to cure unemployment, raise real wages, and in other ways improve our economy, we will base public policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-block/if-we-as-a-society-want-to-cure-unemployment-raise-real-wages-and-in/) [Walter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-block/) > [Being tolerant does not mean acquiescing to the intolerable; it does not mean covering up disrespect; it does not mean coddling the aggressor or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-acquiescing-to-the-intolerable-it-does/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [Let us not ignore the truth among ourselves ... politically we are the aggressors and they defend themselves... The country is theirs, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/let-us-not-ignore-the-truth-among-ourselves-politically-we-are-the/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [I'm sure if you were a Bosnian during the war, you would wish to kill Serbs. Just because it is the opposite of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/i-m-sure-if-you-were-a-bosnian-during-the-war-you-would-wish-to-kill/) [Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/) > [Could anyone in his right mind speak seriously of any limited nuclear war? It should be quite clear that the aggressor's actions will instantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitriy-ustinov/could-anyone-in-his-right-mind-speak-seriously-of-any-limited-nuclear/) Dmitriy Ustinov > [In my experience of fights and fighting, it is invariably the aggressor who keeps getting everything wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/in-my-experience-of-fights-and-fighting-it-is-invariably-the/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-our-own-native-land-in-defense-of-the-freedom-that-is-our/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A man's excellence is like that of water; It benefits all things without striving; It takes to the low places shunned by men. Water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/a-man-s-excellence-is-like-that-of-water-it-benefits-all-things/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [There is no shame in being a survivor of sexual violence. The shame is on the aggressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/there-is-no-shame-in-being-a-survivor-of-sexual-violence-the-shame-is/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [Azerbaijan unleashed the war, and was defeated in that war; Azerbaijan asked for truce (including from the Commander of Karabakh's forces) and later started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serzh-sargsyan/azerbaijan-unleashed-the-war-and-was-defeated-in-that-war-azerbaijan/) [Serzh Sargsyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serzh-sargsyan/) ## More by Mario Bunge > [Science is morally neutral, but social science shows us that some moral codes are better than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/science-is-morally-neutral-but-social-science-shows-us-that-some/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [Whereas science elicits changes in order to know, technology knows in order to elicit changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/whereas-science-elicits-changes-in-order-to-know-technology-knows-in/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [We deem valuable whatever is likely to meet our needs or wishes (individual values) and whatever is likely to help protect or attain social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/we-deem-valuable-whatever-is-likely-to-meet-our-needs-or-wishes/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [A distinguished cognitive neuroscientist confessed to me that, because of his religious upbringing, he could not get rid of psychoneural dualism. The idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/a-distinguished-cognitive-neuroscientist-confessed-to-me-that-because/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [In the scientific community you find competent teachers and original researchers, just as in the musical community you find many good performers but very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/in-the-scientific-community-you-find-competent-teachers-and-original/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [Of course much remains to know, but we know how to learn: through scientific research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/of-course-much-remains-to-know-but-we-know-how-to-learn-through/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [Most contemporary philosophers are conservative and eager to keep their jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/most-contemporary-philosophers-are-conservative-and-eager-to-keep/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [To me, work is not a burden but my main hobby. This is why I always take work with me when I go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/to-me-work-is-not-a-burden-but-my-main-hobby-this-is-why-i-always/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [A democratic state will protect the freedom to hold any beliefs other than those that harm others, such as racism. In particular, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/a-democratic-state-will-protect-the-freedom-to-hold-any-beliefs-other/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [The motto of science is not just Pauca but rather Plurima ex paucissimis - the most out of the least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/the-motto-of-science-is-not-just-pauca-but-rather-plurima-ex/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [It is scandalous the way some scientists accept uncritically some of the most ridiculous speculations, such as the plurality of worlds, the opinion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/it-is-scandalous-the-way-some-scientists-accept-uncritically-some-of/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [In any event, I don't believe in instant philosophy, because interesting problems take a long time to understand and work out. Just think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/in-any-event-i-don-t-believe-in-instant-philosophy-because/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [Only the stupid and the wicked can fear rational criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/only-the-stupid-and-the-wicked-can-fear-rational-criticism/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [The fact is that all the important political philosophers and scientists from the great Aristotle on, with the exception of those of the French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/the-fact-is-that-all-the-important-political-philosophers-and/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) > [Philosophy can help laymen spot and reject the numerous pseudoscientific beliefs that survive in the media, such as the fantasies of psychoanalysts, evolutionary psychologists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/philosophy-can-help-laymen-spot-and-reject-the-numerous/) [Mario Bunge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) [Explore all 35 Mario Bunge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/) ## More Aggressors quotes > [Azerbaijan unleashed the war, and was defeated in that war; Azerbaijan asked for truce (including from the Commander of Karabakh's forces) and later started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serzh-sargsyan/azerbaijan-unleashed-the-war-and-was-defeated-in-that-war-azerbaijan/) [Serzh Sargsyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serzh-sargsyan/) > [There is no shame in being a survivor of sexual violence. The shame is on the aggressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/there-is-no-shame-in-being-a-survivor-of-sexual-violence-the-shame-is/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [A man's excellence is like that of water; It benefits all things without striving; It takes to the low places shunned by men. Water…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/a-man-s-excellence-is-like-that-of-water-it-benefits-all-things/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [In our own native land, in defense of the freedom that is our birthright and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/in-our-own-native-land-in-defense-of-the-freedom-that-is-our/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [In my experience of fights and fighting, it is invariably the aggressor who keeps getting everything wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/in-my-experience-of-fights-and-fighting-it-is-invariably-the/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [Could anyone in his right mind speak seriously of any limited nuclear war? It should be quite clear that the aggressor's actions will instantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitriy-ustinov/could-anyone-in-his-right-mind-speak-seriously-of-any-limited-nuclear/) Dmitriy Ustinov > [I'm sure if you were a Bosnian during the war, you would wish to kill Serbs. Just because it is the opposite of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/i-m-sure-if-you-were-a-bosnian-during-the-war-you-would-wish-to-kill/) [Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/) > [Let us not ignore the truth among ourselves ... politically we are the aggressors and they defend themselves... The country is theirs, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/let-us-not-ignore-the-truth-among-ourselves-politically-we-are-the/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [Being tolerant does not mean acquiescing to the intolerable; it does not mean covering up disrespect; it does not mean coddling the aggressor or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-acquiescing-to-the-intolerable-it-does/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [If we as a society want to cure unemployment, raise real wages, and in other ways improve our economy, we will base public policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-block/if-we-as-a-society-want-to-cure-unemployment-raise-real-wages-and-in/) [Walter Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-block/) > [We must prevent a criminal understanding between the Fascist aggressors and the British and French imperialist clique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/we-must-prevent-a-criminal-understanding-between-the-fascist/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [Those who plead their cause in the absence of an opponent can invent to their heart's content, can pontificate without taking into account the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-de-pizan/those-who-plead-their-cause-in-the-absence-of-an-opponent-can-invent/) [Christine de Pizan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-de-pizan/) > [Our arms must be mighty ... ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/our-arms-must-be-mighty-ready-for-instant-action-so-that-no-potential/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [At the U.N., any nation that fights back is censored as an "aggressor."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levenson/at-the-u-n-any-nation-that-fights-back-is-censored-as-an-aggressor/) [Sam Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levenson/) > [In the end, the aggressors always destroy themselves, making way for others who know how to cooperate and get along. Life is much less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritjof-capra/in-the-end-the-aggressors-always-destroy-themselves-making-way-for/) [Fritjof Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fritjof-capra/) Browse all 89 Aggressors quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All philosophers can do is to abstain from helping the aggressors and to enjoin social scientists to tell the truth instead of joining the choir of liars and hypocrites.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mario Bunge" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/all-philosophers-can-do-is-to-abstain-from-helping-the-aggressors-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aggressors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/all-philosophers-can-do-is-to-abstain-from-helping-the-aggressors-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/mario-bunge-17317_aggressors_all-philosophers-can-do-is-to-abstain-fr_1585450.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/mario-bunge-17317_aggressors_all-philosophers-can-do-is-to-abstain-fr_1585450.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e31/mario-bunge-17317_aggressors_all-philosophers-can-do-is-to-abstain-fr_1585450.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All philosophers can do is to abstain from helping the aggressors and to enjoin social scientists to tell…” — Mario Bunge", "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": "Mario Bunge", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-bunge/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "All philosophers can do is to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/all-philosophers-can-do-is-to-abstain-from-helping-the-aggressors-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-bunge/all-philosophers-can-do-is-to-abstain-from-helping-the-aggressors-and/#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 } } ] } ```