--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Above all else, philosophy ought to aim…" description: "\"Above all else, philosophy ought to aim for clarification - of the self, one's place in the world, and the ways we make meaning. Philosophy, when pract..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/peg-o-connor-47487_aim_above-all-else-philosophy-ought-to-aim-f_1426684.jpg" --- # Above all else, philosophy ought to aim for clarification… ![“Above all else, philosophy ought to aim for clarification - of the self, one's place in the world, and the ways we make meaning. Philosophy, when practiced well, can be useful. It can enable us to grapple in productive ways with questions about the meaning of life and who I am and how I want to be…” quote by Peg O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/peg-o-connor-47487_aim_above-all-else-philosophy-ought-to-aim-f_1426684.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/peg-o-connor-47487_aim_above-all-else-philosophy-ought-to-aim-f_1426684.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/peg-o-connor-47487_aim_above-all-else-philosophy-ought-to-aim-f_1426684.jpg) > “Above all else, philosophy ought to aim for clarification - of the self, one's place in the world, and the ways we make meaning. Philosophy, when practiced well, can be useful. It can enable us to grapple in productive ways with questions about the meaning of life and who I am and how I want to be in the world.” [Peg O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-o-connor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Philosophy should clarify self‑identity, purpose, and meaning, making existential questions useful and actionable. **In simple terms:** Philosophy clarifies who we are and why we act. Key Takeaway Use philosophy to examine your values and direction. Themes self‑knowledge purpose meaning clarification Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal decision‑making - career planning - counseling - education Key Concepts existential inquiry critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does clarifying your purpose affect daily choices? - What meaning do you find in ordinary tasks? A Different Perspective Philosophy alone cannot resolve practical constraints without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Clarification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clarification/) [Clarification Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clarification-self-5068247/) [Meaning life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-life/) [Meaning of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-of-life/) [Meaning Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-philosophy-4666180/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-ought-2848120/) [Philosophy Practiced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-practiced-4708795/) [Places in the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/places-in-the-world/) [Productive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productive/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Who i am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who-i-am/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Never interpret wrong! If you couldn't understand the actual meaning of my philosophy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashid-jorvee/never-interpret-wrong-if-you-couldn-t-understand-the-actual-meaning/) [Rashid Jorvee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashid-jorvee/) > [The only philosophy that can be practiced responsibly in the face of despair is the attempt to contemplate all things as they would present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-adorno/the-only-philosophy-that-can-be-practiced-responsibly-in-the-face-of/) [Theodor Adorno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-adorno/) > [Yoga, as a way of life and a philosophy, can be practiced by anyone with inclination to undertake it, for yoga belongs to humanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-pattabhi-jois/yoga-as-a-way-of-life-and-a-philosophy-can-be-practiced-by-anyone/) [K. Pattabhi Jois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-pattabhi-jois/) > [Philosophy ought to question the basic assumptions of the age. Thinking through, critically and carefully, what most of us take for granted is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/philosophy-ought-to-question-the-basic-assumptions-of-the-age/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“Philosophy ought really to be written only as a form of poetry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/philosophy-ought-really-to-be-written-only-as-a-form-of-poetry/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [Philosophy ought to be able to give an account of rationality that is not wholly detached from science's account of nature, even if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-brassier/philosophy-ought-to-be-able-to-give-an-account-of-rationality-that-is/) [Ray Brassier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-brassier/) > [Since only an individual man can possess rights, the expression "individual rights"? is a redundancy (which one has to use for purposes of clarification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/since-only-an-individual-man-can-possess-rights-the-expression/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [One of the main tasks of adolescence is to achieve an identity--not necessarily a knowledge of who we are, but a clarification ofthe range…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-main-tasks-of-adolescence-is-to-achieve-an-identity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Philosophy aims at the logical clarification of thoughts. Philosophy is not a body of doctrine but an activity. A philosophical work consists essentially of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/philosophy-aims-at-the-logical-clarification-of-thoughts-philosophy/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [“Hey—let’s get something straight. It’s a vampire/alien/zombie/warlock hybrid flick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/hey-let-s-get-something-straight-it-s-a-vampire-alien-zombie-warlock/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [“QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION What do you mean by…? What is your main point? How does \_\_\_\_\_\_ relate to \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_? Could you put that another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brock/questions-for-clarification-what-do-you-mean-by-what-is-your-main/) [David Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brock/) > [“An extraordinary claim requires extraordinary proof. ('On the Extraordinary: An Attempt at Clarification", Zetetic Scholar, Vol. 1, No. 1, p. 11, 1978)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcello-truzzi/an-extraordinary-claim-requires-extraordinary-proof-on-the/) [Marcello Truzzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcello-truzzi/) > [“If you have feelings for someone, let them know. It doesn’t matter if they can be in your life or not. Maybe, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/if-you-have-feelings-for-someone-let-them-know-it-doesn-t-matter-if/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [If there is something I don't know and I suspect that I need clarification and so does the viewer, I just ask for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harris-faulkner/if-there-is-something-i-don-t-know-and-i-suspect-that-i-need/) [Harris Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harris-faulkner/) > [“Payne sought clarification. “Vertical or horizontal?” “Horizontal, of course.” “Sorry but I can’t help you.” “Will you pipe down for a minute? Naturally she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-lynskey/payne-sought-clarification-vertical-or-horizontal-horizontal-of/) [Ed Lynskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-lynskey/) ## More by Peg O'Connor > [The narrative that each person tells herself and others is a big part of how we construct our self-identities. It's one of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-o-connor/the-narrative-that-each-person-tells-herself-and-others-is-a-big-part/) [Peg O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-o-connor/) > [In constructing our narratives, we identify which particular events or experiences were formative or transformative. In telling our stories, we also claim some authority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-o-connor/in-constructing-our-narratives-we-identify-which-particular-events-or/) [Peg O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-o-connor/) > [The world we all share is the same in important respects. But in some deep ways, the lived world and its meanings are radically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-o-connor/the-world-we-all-share-is-the-same-in-important-respects-but-in-some/) [Peg O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-o-connor/) > [An evolutionary biologist and a fundamentalist may see the same chimpanzee sitting in a cage, but in another important way, they do not. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-o-connor/an-evolutionary-biologist-and-a-fundamentalist-may-see-the-same/) [Peg O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-o-connor/) > [I can't overrule gravity or turn away an approaching hurricane. I'm powerless over those things, yet this doesn't mean that I can't act with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-o-connor/i-can-t-overrule-gravity-or-turn-away-an-approaching-hurricane-i-m/) [Peg O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-o-connor/) > [Anxiety is the dizziness we experience when we recognize we hold the freedom and responsibility for our life choices. More than anyone, alcoholics have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-o-connor/anxiety-is-the-dizziness-we-experience-when-we-recognize-we-hold-the/) [Peg O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-o-connor/) > [The acknowledgment of powerlessness does empower. We humans are powerless over a whole host of factors and conditions in the world, and mostly we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-o-connor/the-acknowledgment-of-powerlessness-does-empower-we-humans-are/) [Peg O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-o-connor/) [Explore all 8 Peg O'Connor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-o-connor/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Above all else, philosophy ought to aim for clarification - of the self, one's place in the world, and the ways we make meaning. Philosophy, when practiced well, can be useful. 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