--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The amateur study of philosophy is like…" description: "\"“The amateur study of philosophy is like taking a few laps with a NASCAR driver. You’re not qualified to do it on your own, you have no business behind..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b13/michael-perry-14580_amateur_the-amateur-study-of-philosophy-is-like_526033.jpg" --- # The amateur study of philosophy is like taking a few laps… ![“The amateur study of philosophy is like taking a few laps with a NASCAR driver. You’re not qualified to do it on your own, you have no business behind the wheel, but for a few laps or paragraphs, you’re right in there with ‘em, and when it’s all over, you’ve learned something. Or, as my local fire…” quote by Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b13/michael-perry-14580_amateur_the-amateur-study-of-philosophy-is-like_526033.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b13/michael-perry-14580_amateur_the-amateur-study-of-philosophy-is-like_526033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b13/michael-perry-14580_amateur_the-amateur-study-of-philosophy-is-like_526033.jpg) > ““The amateur study of philosophy is like taking a few laps with a NASCAR driver. You’re not qualified to do it on your own, you have no business behind the wheel, but for a few laps or paragraphs, you’re right in there with ‘em, and when it’s all over, you’ve learned something. Or, as my local fire chief once said, you’ve simply exasperated the situation.”” [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Studying philosophy without expertise is like briefly riding with a pro; you gain insight but risk misusing the knowledge. **In simple terms:** Amateur study offers limited insight. Key Takeaway Learn wisely. Themes learning humility expertise Mood cautionary humorous Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - self‑education - public speaking - critical thinking - creative writing Key Concepts epistemology risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - How can novices gain deeper understanding? - When is it safe to share learned insights? A Different Perspective Depth requires proper guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amateur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amateur/) [Amateur Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amateur-study-4428869/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-like-621835/) [Study Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study-philosophy-247885/) [Taking Laps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-laps-4428870/) [Truck-a-love-story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truck-a-love-story-194746/) ## Related quotes > [“From the get-go, my hair was programmed to fall out. One is grateful this so rarely happens with the pancreas or the eyeballs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/from-the-get-go-my-hair-was-programmed-to-fall-out-one-is-grateful/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [“In 1951, a man bought a pickup truck because he needed to load things up and move them. Things like bricks and bags of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/in-1951-a-man-bought-a-pickup-truck-because-he-needed-to-load-things/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [“It’s hard to talk about guns without sounding defensive or blustery. I’m pro-gun the same way I’m pro-potato fork. I use them both to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/it-s-hard-to-talk-about-guns-without-sounding-defensive-or-blustery-i/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [“I’ll save a spot for you on the hood of my truck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-miller/i-ll-save-a-spot-for-you-on-the-hood-of-my-truck/) [Laura Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-miller/) > [The Study of philosophy is not that we may know what men have thought, but what the truth of things is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-study-of-philosophy-is-not-that-we-may-know-what-men-have-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In practice people who study philosophy too long become very odd birds, not to say thoroughly vicious; while even those who are the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/in-practice-people-who-study-philosophy-too-long-become-very-odd/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I didn't understand how you could be an actor if you didn't also study philosophy and study political science, astronomy. And also just go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brit-marling/i-didn-t-understand-how-you-could-be-an-actor-if-you-didn-t-also/) [Brit Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brit-marling/) > [“We dont study philosophy, we rather do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lawhead/we-dont-study-philosophy-we-rather-do-it/) [William Lawhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lawhead/) > [Is it not evident, in these last hundred years (when the Study of Philosophy has been the business of all the Virtuosi in Christendome)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/is-it-not-evident-in-these-last-hundred-years-when-the-study-of/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Let no one delay the study of philosophy while young nor weary of it when old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/let-no-one-delay-the-study-of-philosophy-while-young-nor-weary-of-it/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [In many ways, the effort to study philosophy was my rebellion away from medicine. I'm the son of two Indian immigrant physicians, so the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/in-many-ways-the-effort-to-study-philosophy-was-my-rebellion-away/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [To study philosophy is nothing but to prepare one’s self to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/to-study-philosophy-is-nothing-but-to-prepare-one-s-self-to-die/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Wonder... and not any expectation of advantage from its discoveries, is the first principle which prompts mankind to the study of Philosophy, of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/wonder-and-not-any-expectation-of-advantage-from-its-discoveries-is/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [I want to study philosophy. That fascinates me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-simmonds/i-want-to-study-philosophy-that-fascinates-me/) [Millicent Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millicent-simmonds/) > [Any time and any place can be used to study: his room, a garden, is table, his bed; when alone or in company; morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/any-time-and-any-place-can-be-used-to-study-his-room-a-garden-is/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## More by Michael Perry > [“Over the years, I have developed a visceral reaction to families and victims expressing surprise at tragedy. Why are we surprised? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/over-the-years-i-have-developed-a-visceral-reaction-to-families-and/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [“In specific moments of ground-level clarity, I recognize the dumbing down of the nation for what it is: an act of charity committed specifically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/in-specific-moments-of-ground-level-clarity-i-recognize-the-dumbing/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [“Inevitably, our children come to see us as we are. Not as we wish we were, or even as we should be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/inevitably-our-children-come-to-see-us-as-we-are-not-as-we-wish-we/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [“... Tom got to rattling off the pranks he and his school boy buddies pulled ... and what I saw wasn't an old man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/tom-got-to-rattling-off-the-pranks-he-and-his-school-boy-buddies/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [“Alice once told me artistry does not reside in motivation but rather stems from showing up, with the intent to be honest. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/alice-once-told-me-artistry-does-not-reside-in-motivation-but-rather/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [“Sleeping in the same bed with someone to whom you can admit your failings is a lasting comfort indeed. 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She reads for pleasure, she reads to edify herself, but more often than not, she reads because she can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/mom-is-a-compulsive-reader-she-reads-for-pleasure-she-reads-to-edify/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [“I understand that what you're doing when you call 911--it sounds so perfunctory--is announcing to strangers that you are losing the battle. I no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/i-understand-that-what-you-re-doing-when-you-call-911-it-sounds-so/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [“The pesto and angel hair are warm in the bowl on my lap, the fragrances of olive oil and basil blending the exotic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/the-pesto-and-angel-hair-are-warm-in-the-bowl-on-my-lap-the/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [“It’s hard to talk about guns without sounding defensive or blustery. 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My father was a bit of a storyteller, but the acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/my-father-was-a-gp-my-mother-was-a-teacher-and-amateur-actress-my/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I did a musical when I was 17, an amateur show, and I loved it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taron-egerton/i-did-a-musical-when-i-was-17-an-amateur-show-and-i-loved-it/) [Taron Egerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taron-egerton/) > [Every artist was first an amateur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/every-artist-was-first-an-amateur/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“The definition of a professional is one who does a job well even when they don't like it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-sheinwald/the-definition-of-a-professional-is-one-who-does-a-job-well-even-when/) [Alan Sheinwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-sheinwald/) > [I think most amateurs dread playing a 180-plus-yard par 3 even more than a hard par 4. Part of it is psychological: You think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-els/i-think-most-amateurs-dread-playing-a-180-plus-yard-par-3-even-more/) [Ernie Els](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-els/) > [I read a lot of 'Nancy Drew' books as a kid and considered myself a bit of an amateur detective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-cain/i-read-a-lot-of-nancy-drew-books-as-a-kid-and-considered-myself-a-bit/) [Chelsea Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-cain/) > [Professionalism is environmental. Amateurism is anti-environmental. Professionalism merges the individual into patterns of total environment. Amateurism seeks the development of the total awareness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/professionalism-is-environmental-amateurism-is-anti-environmental/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [You count a man's U.S. Amateur titles after he starts winning professional majors. That's something any intelligent golf writer with a sense of history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-jenkins/you-count-a-man-s-u-s-amateur-titles-after-he-starts-winning/) [Dan Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-jenkins/) > [Most amateurs are so worried about mis-hitting the shot or hitting it off line, they don't make an aggressive move. You'd be surprised how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-bradley/most-amateurs-are-so-worried-about-mis-hitting-the-shot-or-hitting-it/) [Keegan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-bradley/) > [Amateur boxing is one of the safest sports around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-calzaghe/amateur-boxing-is-one-of-the-safest-sports-around/) [Joe Calzaghe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-calzaghe/) > [“Amateur: One reckless enough to risk being interesting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-barringer/amateur-one-reckless-enough-to-risk-being-interesting/) [David Barringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-barringer/) > [Time management is probably the biggest thing I've had to learn to deal with being on the PGA Tour, whether it be media or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickie-fowler/time-management-is-probably-the-biggest-thing-i-ve-had-to-learn-to/) [Rickie Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickie-fowler/) > [When people buy, rescue, or otherwise acquire a dog from unscrupulous breeders or amateur rescue groups, they are making a decision with ethical consequences.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/when-people-buy-rescue-or-otherwise-acquire-a-dog-from-unscrupulous/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) [Browse all 352 Amateur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amateur/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The amateur study of philosophy is like taking a few laps with a NASCAR driver. 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