--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Phenomenon of Man stands square in…" description: "\"The Phenomenon of Man stands square in the tradition of Naturphilosophie, a philosophical indoor pastime of German origin which does not seem even by a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f56/peter-medawar-9996_accidents_the-phenomenon-of-man-stands-square-in-t_794101.jpg" --- # The Phenomenon of Man stands square in the tradition of… ![“The Phenomenon of Man stands square in the tradition of Naturphilosophie, a philosophical indoor pastime of German origin which does not seem even by accident (though there is a great deal of it) to have contributed anything of permanent value to the storehouse of human thought.” quote by Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f56/peter-medawar-9996_accidents_the-phenomenon-of-man-stands-square-in-t_794101.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f56/peter-medawar-9996_accidents_the-phenomenon-of-man-stands-square-in-t_794101.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f56/peter-medawar-9996_accidents_the-phenomenon-of-man-stands-square-in-t_794101.jpg) > “The Phenomenon of Man stands square in the tradition of Naturphilosophie, a philosophical indoor pastime of German origin which does not seem even by accident (though there is a great deal of it) to have contributed anything of permanent value to the storehouse of human thought.” [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the German Naturphilosophie tradition as a largely unproductive intellectual pastime that has contributed little lasting value to human thought. **In simple terms:** German philosophical tradition seen as largely unproductive. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of ideas with lasting impact. Themes philosophy history of ideas critique intellectual trends Mood critical skeptical Type analytical critical When to use this quote - academic research - philosophy curricula - intellectual discourse - public policy on education Key Concepts epistemology cultural criticism Questions to Reflect On - What criteria determine lasting intellectual value? - How can we better assess philosophical contributions? A Different Perspective Its influence may be overstated in some circles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Human thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-thought/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Tradition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [The everlasting universe of things Flows through the mind, and rolls its rapid waves, Now dark--now glittering--now reflecting gloom-- Now lending splendour, where from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-everlasting-universe-of-things-flows-through-the-mind-and-rolls/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Human thought elaborates itself with the progress of intelligence. Speech is the harvest of thought,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grenville-kleiser/human-thought-elaborates-itself-with-the-progress-of-intelligence/) [Grenville Kleiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grenville-kleiser/) > [As soon as the printing press started flooding Europe with books, people were complaining that there were too many books and that it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gleick/as-soon-as-the-printing-press-started-flooding-europe-with-books/) [James Gleick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gleick/) > [Along with the idea of romantic love, she was introduced to another--physical beauty. Probably the most destructive ideas in the history of human thought.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/along-with-the-idea-of-romantic-love-she-was-introduced-to-another/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Mind is the great lever of all things; human thought is the process by which human ends are ultimately answered; and the diffusion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/mind-is-the-great-lever-of-all-things-human-thought-is-the-process-by/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [There are no hierarchies in nature other than those imposed by hierarchical modes of human thought, but rather differences merely in function between and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/there-are-no-hierarchies-in-nature-other-than-those-imposed-by/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [The publication in 1859 of the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin made a marked epoch in my own mental development, as it did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/the-publication-in-1859-of-the-origin-of-species-by-charles-darwin/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [Today, when you combine the web with the iPad, you have the most advanced medium for human thought and communication ever created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccue/today-when-you-combine-the-web-with-the-ipad-you-have-the-most/) [Mike McCue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccue/) > [Just as a pool of water cannot reflect the sky overhead when it is restless and disturbed, so we can never get a perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hegan-rice/just-as-a-pool-of-water-cannot-reflect-the-sky-overhead-when-it-is/) [Alice Hegan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hegan-rice/) > [ \[One task of intellectuals is\] to break down the stereotypes and reductive categories that are . . . limiting to human thought and communication. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/one-task-of-intellectuals-is-to-break-down-the-stereotypes-and/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [Never yet has a God been defined in terms which were not palpably self-contradictory and absurd; never yet has a God been described so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/never-yet-has-a-god-been-defined-in-terms-which-were-not-palpably/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [Spirit of BEAUTY, that dost consecrate With thine own hues all thou dost shine upon Of human thought or form, where art thou gone?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/spirit-of-beauty-that-dost-consecrate-with-thine-own-hues-all-thou/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The velocity of light occupies an extraordinary place in modern physics. It is lèse-majesté to make any criticism of the velocity of light. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-standen/the-velocity-of-light-occupies-an-extraordinary-place-in-modern/) [Anthony Standen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-standen/) > [When it comes to explaining human thought and behavior, the possibility that heredity plays any role at all still has the power to shock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/when-it-comes-to-explaining-human-thought-and-behavior-the/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [ Far from being the crown of human thought and religion as its supporters have claimed for several bloody millennia, \[monotheism\] is in fact a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bonewits/far-from-being-the-crown-of-human-thought-and-religion-as-its/) [Isaac Bonewits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bonewits/) ## More by Peter Medawar > [The USA is so enormous, and so numerous are its schools, colleges and religious seminaries, many devoted to special religious beliefs ranging from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/the-usa-is-so-enormous-and-so-numerous-are-its-schools-colleges-and/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [Innocent, unbiased observation is a myth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/innocent-unbiased-observation-is-a-myth/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [An experiment not worth doing is not worth doing well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/an-experiment-not-worth-doing-is-not-worth-doing-well/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [Science is the art of the solvable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/science-is-the-art-of-the-solvable/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [ \[A certain class of explanations in science are\] analgesics that dull the ache of incomprehension without removing the cause. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/a-certain-class-of-explanations-in-science-are-analgesics-that-dull/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [Twice in my life I have spent two weary and scientifically profitless years seeking evidence to corroborate dearly loved hypotheses that later proved to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/twice-in-my-life-i-have-spent-two-weary-and-scientifically-profitless/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [If politics is the art of the possible, research is surely the art of the soluble. Both are immensely practical-minded affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/if-politics-is-the-art-of-the-possible-research-is-surely-the-art-of/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [Ask a scientist what he conceives the scientific method to be and he will adopt an expression that is at once solemn and shifty-eyed:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/ask-a-scientist-what-he-conceives-the-scientific-method-to-be-and-he/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [The human mind treats a new idea the way the body treats a strange protein; it rejects it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/the-human-mind-treats-a-new-idea-the-way-the-body-treats-a-strange/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [I once spoke to a human geneticist who declared that the notion of intelligence was quite meaningless, so I tried calling him unintelligent. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/i-once-spoke-to-a-human-geneticist-who-declared-that-the-notion-of/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [I reckon that for all the use it has been to science about four-fifths of my time has been wasted, and I believe this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/i-reckon-that-for-all-the-use-it-has-been-to-science-about-four/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [We shall not read it for its sociological insights, which are non-existent, nor as science fiction, because it has a general air of implausibility;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/we-shall-not-read-it-for-its-sociological-insights-which-are-non/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [If a person is A) poorly, B) receives treatment intended to make him better, and C) gets better, then no power of reasoning known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/if-a-person-is-a-poorly-b-receives-treatment-intended-to-make-him/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [We cannot point to a single definitive solution of any one of the problems that confront us — political, economic, social or moral, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/we-cannot-point-to-a-single-definitive-solution-of-any-one-of-the/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) > [It is high time that laymen abandoned the misleading belief that scientific enquiry is a cold dispassionate enterprise, bleached of imaginative qualities, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/it-is-high-time-that-laymen-abandoned-the-misleading-belief-that/) [Peter Medawar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) [Explore all 68 Peter Medawar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/) ## More Accidents quotes > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/no-i-think-most-astronauts-recognize-that-the-space-shuttle-program/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-only-way-to-have-a-funeral-is-to-invite-everyone-who-ever-knew/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [By education I am an Englishman, by views an internationalist, by culture a Muslim and a Hindu only by accident of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/by-education-i-am-an-englishman-by-views-an-internationalist-by/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I made out with a homeless guy by accident. I had no idea -- he was really tan, he had no shoes on. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-made-out-with-a-homeless-guy-by-accident-i-had-no-idea-he-was/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [Naturally I feel no shame in writing these things because of the time which separates the moment when they are written--when only I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ernaux/naturally-i-feel-no-shame-in-writing-these-things-because-of-the-time/) [Annie Ernaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ernaux/) > [In a city where you walk around, it's impossible to plan your day and your life as accidents will happen, you'll overhear things, bump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schwartzman/in-a-city-where-you-walk-around-it-s-impossible-to-plan-your-day-and/) [Jason Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schwartzman/) > [I don't think it's by accident that I was first attracted to translating two French women poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/i-don-t-think-it-s-by-accident-that-i-was-first-attracted-to/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Dont stand outside in a lightning shower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padraig/dont-stand-outside-in-a-lightning-shower/) [Padraig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padraig/) > [In the eyes of those lovers of perfection, a work is never finished a word that for them has no sense but abandoned; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/in-the-eyes-of-those-lovers-of-perfection-a-work-is-never-finished-a/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) [Browse all 1,971 Accidents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Phenomenon of Man stands square in the tradition of Naturphilosophie, a philosophical indoor pastime of German origin which does not seem even by accident (though there is a great deal of it) to have contributed anything of permanent value to the storehouse of human thought.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Medawar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/the-phenomenon-of-man-stands-square-in-the-tradition-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accidents" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/the-phenomenon-of-man-stands-square-in-the-tradition-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f56/peter-medawar-9996_accidents_the-phenomenon-of-man-stands-square-in-t_794101.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f56/peter-medawar-9996_accidents_the-phenomenon-of-man-stands-square-in-t_794101.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f56/peter-medawar-9996_accidents_the-phenomenon-of-man-stands-square-in-t_794101.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Phenomenon of Man stands square in the tradition of Naturphilosophie, a philosophical indoor pastime of…” — Peter Medawar", "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": "Peter Medawar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-medawar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Phenomenon of Man stands square...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/the-phenomenon-of-man-stands-square-in-the-tradition-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-medawar/the-phenomenon-of-man-stands-square-in-the-tradition-of/#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 } } ] } ```