---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For conclusion, I say the philosopher…"
description: "\"For conclusion, I say the philosopher teacheth, but he teacheth obscurely, so as the learned only can understand him; that is to say, he teacheth them ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/philip-sidney-2095_conclusion_for-conclusion-i-say-the-philosopher-tea_830987.png"
---

#  For conclusion, I say the philosopher teacheth, but he…

![“For conclusion, I say the philosopher teacheth, but he teacheth obscurely, so as the learned only can understand him; that is to say, he teacheth them that are already taught.” quote by Philip Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/philip-sidney-2095_conclusion_for-conclusion-i-say-the-philosopher-tea_830987.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/philip-sidney-2095_conclusion_for-conclusion-i-say-the-philosopher-tea_830987.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01d/philip-sidney-2095_conclusion_for-conclusion-i-say-the-philosopher-tea_830987.png)

> “For conclusion, I say the philosopher teacheth, but he teacheth obscurely, so as the learned only can understand him; that is to say, he teacheth them that are already taught.”

[Philip Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-sidney/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Philosophers teach obscurely, so only those already learned can understand; they repeat what is already known.

**In simple terms:** Philosophers speak in a way that only the educated grasp, reinforcing known ideas.

Key Takeaway

Seek clarity in teaching.

Themes

philosophy education communication

Mood

analytical serious

Type

didactic critical

When to use this quote

- academic lectures
- public speaking
- writing
- mentoring

Key Concepts

epistemology pedagogy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can complex ideas be made accessible?
- What role does prior knowledge play?

A Different Perspective

Complex language can alienate novices.

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[Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/him/) [Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned/) [Obscurely Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obscurely-learned-559050/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosopher Teacheth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher-teacheth-559047/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Say Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-philosopher-559048/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) [Teacheth Obscurely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacheth-obscurely-559046/) [Teacheth Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacheth-taught-559049/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand/)

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## More by Philip Sidney

> [Laws are not made like lime-twigs or nets, to catch everything that toucheth them; but rather like sea-marks, to guide from shipwreck the ignorant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-sidney/laws-are-not-made-like-lime-twigs-or-nets-to-catch-everything-that/)

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> [I'm not going to be part of looking at information only partially. I'm not going to be part of just coming to quick conclusions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-cleland/i-m-not-going-to-be-part-of-looking-at-information-only-partially-i-m/)

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