--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That makes me think, my friend, as I have…" description: "\"That makes me think, my friend, as I have often done before, how natural it is that those who have spent a long time in the study of philosophy appear ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/plato-103_breeding_that-makes-me-think-my-friend-as-i-have_2551034.jpg" --- # That makes me think, my friend, as I have often done… ![“That makes me think, my friend, as I have often done before, how natural it is that those who have spent a long time in the study of philosophy appear ridiculous when they enter the courts of law as speakers. Those who have knocked about in courts and the like from their youth up seem to me, when…” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/plato-103_breeding_that-makes-me-think-my-friend-as-i-have_2551034.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/plato-103_breeding_that-makes-me-think-my-friend-as-i-have_2551034.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/plato-103_breeding_that-makes-me-think-my-friend-as-i-have_2551034.jpg) > “That makes me think, my friend, as I have often done before, how natural it is that those who have spent a long time in the study of philosophy appear ridiculous when they enter the courts of law as speakers. Those who have knocked about in courts and the like from their youth up seem to me, when compared with those who have been brought up in philosophy and similar pursuits, to be as slaves in breeding compared with freemen.” [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Philosophers seem absurd in courts, while lawyers appear free compared to scholars. **In simple terms:** Philosophical training may seem impractical in law. Key Takeaway Bridge theory and practice. Themes philosophy law education Mood analytical thoughtful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - legal practice - academic teaching - public policy Key Concepts Socratic method legal rhetoric practical wisdom Questions to Reflect On - How can philosophers contribute to law? - What value does legal experience bring to philosophy? A Different Perspective Practical constraints can limit philosophical depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breeding/) [Brought Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brought-philosophy-1521770/) [Compared Freemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compared-freemen-1521773/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freeman/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [My friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-friends/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy Appear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-appear-1521771/) [Philosophy Similar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-similar-1521772/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plato/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Ridiculous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ridiculous/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) [Speakers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speakers/) [Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study/) [Study Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study-philosophy-247885/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [My parents brought me up with this philosophy. You must do things. You mustn't watch what other people are doing. You must not listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/my-parents-brought-me-up-with-this-philosophy-you-must-do-things-you/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“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/) > [In a democracy only will the freeman of nature design to dwell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/in-a-democracy-only-will-the-freeman-of-nature-design-to-dwell/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Freedom in a democracy is the glory of the state, and, therefore, in a democracy only will the freeman of nature deign to dwell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/freedom-in-a-democracy-is-the-glory-of-the-state-and-therefore-in-a/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-perry/the-amateur-study-of-philosophy-is-like-taking-a-few-laps-with-a/) [Michael Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-perry/) > [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 Plato > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [You may be sure, dear Crito, that inaccurate language is not only in itself a mistake: it implants evil in men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/you-may-be-sure-dear-crito-that-inaccurate-language-is-not-only-in/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“If men learn this, it will implant forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/if-men-learn-this-it-will-implant-forgetfulness-in-their-souls-they/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/knowledge-which-is-acquired-under-compulsion-obtains-no-hold-on-the/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I do not think it is permitted that a better man be harmed by a worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-do-not-think-it-is-permitted-that-a-better-man-be-harmed-by-a-worse/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-as-nobody-may-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The love of man to woman is a thing common and of course, and at first partakes more of instinct and passion than of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-love-of-man-to-woman-is-a-thing-common-and-of-course-and-at-first/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Strange times are these in which we live when old and young are taught in falsehood's school, and the one man that dares to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/strange-times-are-these-in-which-we-live-when-old-and-young-are/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“He was a wise man who invented God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/he-was-a-wise-man-who-invented-god/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [For let me tell you, that the more the pleasures of the body fade away, the greater to me is the pleasure and charm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-let-me-tell-you-that-the-more-the-pleasures-of-the-body-fade-away/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“What shall we say about those spectators, then, who can see a plurality of beautiful things, but not beauty itself, and who are incapable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/what-shall-we-say-about-those-spectators-then-who-can-see-a-plurality/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Geometry existed before creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/geometry-existed-before-creation/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so that nobody will believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-that-nobody-will-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [We must, if we are to be consistent, and if we re to have a real pedigree herd, mate the best of our men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/we-must-if-we-are-to-be-consistent-and-if-we-re-to-have-a-real/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) [Explore all 1,278 Plato quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More Breeding quotes > [“Galton’s gospel of eugenics found fertile soil in Britain, in the intellectual salons of Europe, and in the United States. Beginning in the early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-loconte/galton-s-gospel-of-eugenics-found-fertile-soil-in-britain-in-the/) [Joseph Loconte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-loconte/) > [Eugenic goals are most likely to be attained under another name than eugenics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-osborn/eugenic-goals-are-most-likely-to-be-attained-under-another-name-than/) [Frederick Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-osborn/) > [There are few defects in our nature so glaring as not to be veiled from observation by politeness and good-breeding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/there-are-few-defects-in-our-nature-so-glaring-as-not-to-be-veiled/) [Stanisław I Leszczyński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/) > [There is no society or conversation to be kept up in the world without good-nature, or something which must bear its appearance and supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-is-no-society-or-conversation-to-be-kept-up-in-the-world/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Exchange of breeding individuals between two populations tends to homogenize their gene pools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-r-grant/exchange-of-breeding-individuals-between-two-populations-tends-to/) [Peter R. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-r-grant/) > [Good-breeding is not confined to externals, much less to any particular dress or attitude of the body; it is the art of pleasing, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/good-breeding-is-not-confined-to-externals-much-less-to-any/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [The right to live does not connote the right of each man to reproduce his kind ... As we lessen the stringency of natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pearson/the-right-to-live-does-not-connote-the-right-of-each-man-to-reproduce/) [Karl Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pearson/) > [Growing up in that fashion is a breeding ground for insecurity and doubt; it also leaves you questioning motives. It took me a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-runyon/growing-up-in-that-fashion-is-a-breeding-ground-for-insecurity-and/) [Damon Runyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-runyon/) > [Easy writing's curst hard reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/easy-writing-s-curst-hard-reading/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [No parent can consistently teach faith in Christ who profanes the name of Deity. Profanity is never heard in the well-ordered home. Swearing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/no-parent-can-consistently-teach-faith-in-christ-who-profanes-the/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [In a way, human beings have never been part of the natural order; we're not biological in the normal sense. Normal biological animals stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-keen/in-a-way-human-beings-have-never-been-part-of-the-natural-order-we-re/) [Sam Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-keen/) > [Compliments of congratulation are always kindly taken, and cost nothing but pen, ink and paper. I consider them as draughts upon good breeding, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/compliments-of-congratulation-are-always-kindly-taken-and-cost/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Organized charity itself is. . . the surest sign that our civilization has bred, is breeding and is perpetuating constantly increasing numbers of defectives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-sanger/organized-charity-itself-is-the-surest-sign-that-our-civilization-has/) [Margaret Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-sanger/) > [I think it is more of an intuitive, circular kind of personality, for starters. And, as I say of horses, the secret to breeding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walton/i-think-it-is-more-of-an-intuitive-circular-kind-of-personality-for/) [Alice Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walton/) > [Well, puppy mills are - it's just a name given to really, really bad dog breeding facilities and sadly, we have a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-trump/well-puppy-mills-are-it-s-just-a-name-given-to-really-really-bad-dog/) [Lara Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-trump/) [Browse all 411 Breeding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breeding/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That makes me think, my friend, as I have often done before, how natural it is that those who have spent a long time in the study of philosophy appear ridiculous when they enter the courts of law as speakers. Those who have knocked about in courts and the like from their youth up seem to me, when compared with those who have been brought up in philosophy and similar pursuits, to be as slaves in breeding compared with freemen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Plato" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/that-makes-me-think-my-friend-as-i-have-often-done-before-how-natural/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breeding" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/that-makes-me-think-my-friend-as-i-have-often-done-before-how-natural/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/plato-103_breeding_that-makes-me-think-my-friend-as-i-have_2551034.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/plato-103_breeding_that-makes-me-think-my-friend-as-i-have_2551034.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e2/plato-103_breeding_that-makes-me-think-my-friend-as-i-have_2551034.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That makes me think, my friend, as I have often done before, how natural it is that those who have spent a…” — Plato", "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": "Plato", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That makes me think, my friend,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/that-makes-me-think-my-friend-as-i-have-often-done-before-how-natural/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/that-makes-me-think-my-friend-as-i-have-often-done-before-how-natural/#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 } } ] } ```