--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So this is my attempt to give a…" description: "\"So this is my attempt to give a preliminary - probably far too crude - account of how philosophy by showing can really teach us. The attempts we make t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/philip-kitcher-4028_accounts_so-this-is-my-attempt-to-give-a-prelimin_689985.jpg" --- # So this is my attempt to give a preliminary - probably far… ![“So this is my attempt to give a preliminary - probably far too crude - account of how philosophy by showing can really teach us. The attempts we make to work through problems by reasoning always presuppose starting points, and even the most self-critical philosophers adopt some of those starting…” quote by Philip Kitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/philip-kitcher-4028_accounts_so-this-is-my-attempt-to-give-a-prelimin_689985.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/philip-kitcher-4028_accounts_so-this-is-my-attempt-to-give-a-prelimin_689985.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/philip-kitcher-4028_accounts_so-this-is-my-attempt-to-give-a-prelimin_689985.jpg) > “So this is my attempt to give a preliminary - probably far too crude - account of how philosophy by showing can really teach us. The attempts we make to work through problems by reasoning always presuppose starting points, and even the most self-critical philosophers adopt some of those starting points simply by picking them up from the social environments in which they grow up.” [Philip Kitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kitcher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Philosophical reasoning is grounded in social and cultural starting points, even when philosophers claim objectivity. **In simple terms:** Philosophy builds on social foundations. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden assumptions in arguments. Themes philosophy social influence assumptions Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type academic philosophical When to use this quote - academic research - policy making - personal belief formation Key Concepts Epistemology cultural conditioning critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - What are your own hidden assumptions? - How can we test the universality of a premise? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on social roots may downplay logical rigor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accounts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accounts/) [Critical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical/) [Critical Philosophers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical-philosophers-5484682/) [Crude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crude/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosophers Adopt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophers-adopt-5484683/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy Showing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-showing-497211/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Reasoning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasoning/) [Reasoning Presuppose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasoning-presuppose-5484685/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-environment/) [Starting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting/) [Starting point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-point/) [Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach/) [Teach Attempts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-attempts-5484684/) ## Related quotes > [In elaborating how "philosophy by showing" works, and in defending the idea that literature and music can contribute to philosophical "showing", I am also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kitcher/in-elaborating-how-philosophy-by-showing-works-and-in-defending-the/) [Philip Kitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kitcher/) > [One of the things I want to do in the book is to explore how philosophy can be done in literature. 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