--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would say to anybody who thinks that…" description: "\"I would say to anybody who thinks that all the problems in philosophy can be translated into empirically verifiable answers - whether it be a Lawrence ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/rebecca-goldstein-4026_answers_i-would-say-to-anybody-who-thinks-that-a_2369605.jpg" --- # I would say to anybody who thinks that all the problems in… ![“I would say to anybody who thinks that all the problems in philosophy can be translated into empirically verifiable answers - whether it be a Lawrence Krauss thinking that physics is rendering philosophy obsolete or a Sam Harris thinking that neuroscience is rendering moral philosophy obsolete…” quote by Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/rebecca-goldstein-4026_answers_i-would-say-to-anybody-who-thinks-that-a_2369605.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/rebecca-goldstein-4026_answers_i-would-say-to-anybody-who-thinks-that-a_2369605.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/rebecca-goldstein-4026_answers_i-would-say-to-anybody-who-thinks-that-a_2369605.jpg) > “I would say to anybody who thinks that all the problems in philosophy can be translated into empirically verifiable answers - whether it be a Lawrence Krauss thinking that physics is rendering philosophy obsolete or a Sam Harris thinking that neuroscience is rendering moral philosophy obsolete - that it takes an awful lot of philosophy - philosophy of science in the first case, moral philosophy in the second - even to demonstrate the relevance of these empirical sciences.” [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It argues that philosophy remains essential because empirical sciences alone cannot fully address philosophical questions, especially in science and morality. **In simple terms:** Philosophy is still needed despite scientific advances. Key Takeaway Integrate philosophical thinking with science. Themes philosophy science ethics Mood thoughtful analytical Type academic philosophical When to use this quote - academic research - public policy - technology ethics Key Concepts epistemology meta‑ethics Questions to Reflect On - What philosophical questions does modern science leave unresolved? - How can philosophers collaborate with scientists? A Different Perspective Philosophy can be abstract and less actionable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-philosophy/) [Neuroscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neuroscience/) [Obsolete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsolete/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy of science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-science/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Relevance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relevance/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Mann's Death in Venice actually contains a snippet of philosophy about the second question, when Aschenbach, collapsed in the plaza, engages in his quasi-Socratic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kitcher/mann-s-death-in-venice-actually-contains-a-snippet-of-philosophy/) [Philip Kitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kitcher/) > [“Not only are there meaningless questions, but many of the problems with which the human intellect has tortured itself turn out to be only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-williams-bridgman/not-only-are-there-meaningless-questions-but-many-of-the-problems/) [Percy Williams Bridgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-williams-bridgman/) > [I don't feel proprietorial about the problems of philosophy. History has taught us that many philosophical issues can grow up, leave home and live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/i-don-t-feel-proprietorial-about-the-problems-of-philosophy-history/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [“...His argument, as set out in The Problems of Philosophy, was based on the empirical fact that we are not only aware of things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-jules-ayer/his-argument-as-set-out-in-the-problems-of-philosophy-was-based-on/) Alfred Jules Ayer > [“One can speculate that the tardiness and wobbliness of humanity's progress on many of the "eternal problems" of philosophy are due to the unsuitability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bostrom/one-can-speculate-that-the-tardiness-and-wobbliness-of-humanity-s/) [Nick Bostrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bostrom/) > [The problems of philosophy and the systems designed to solve them are formulated in terms which tend to refer, not to the realm of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/the-problems-of-philosophy-and-the-systems-designed-to-solve-them-are/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Philosophy is this amazing technique we've devised for getting reality to answer us back when we're getting it wrong. Science itself can't make those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/philosophy-is-this-amazing-technique-we-ve-devised-for-getting/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [Philosophy of science is about as useful to scientists as ornithology is to birds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/philosophy-of-science-is-about-as-useful-to-scientists-as-ornithology/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“One may take the line that metaphorical devices are inevitable in the early stages of any science and that although we may look with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/one-may-take-the-line-that-metaphorical-devices-are-inevitable-in-the/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“When air becomes breath, and cells become sentient, Words become poetry, and facts become science.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/when-air-becomes-breath-and-cells-become-sentient-words-become-poetry/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-kelvin/i-often-say-that-when-you-can-measure-what-you-are-speaking-about-and/) [Lord Kelvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-kelvin/) > [My research career has been devoted to understanding human decision-making and problem-solving processes. The pursuit of this goal has led me into the fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-a-simon/my-research-career-has-been-devoted-to-understanding-human-decision/) [Herbert A. Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-a-simon/) > [“It isn't the sort of argument Pointsman relishes either. But he glances sharply at this young anarchist in his red scarf. "Pavlov believed that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/it-isn-t-the-sort-of-argument-pointsman-relishes-either-but-he/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [I'm a geophysicist who has conducted and published climate studies in top-rank scientific journals. My perspective on Mr. Inhofe and the issue of global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deming/i-m-a-geophysicist-who-has-conducted-and-published-climate-studies-in/) David Deming > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More by Rebecca Goldstein > [Youth is not an essential, but rather an accidental property. Nobody is in essence young. One either ceases to be or ceases to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/youth-is-not-an-essential-but-rather-an-accidental-property-nobody-is/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [Plato dramatically puts the detachment of the philosopher from his time this way: to philosophize is to prepare to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/plato-dramatically-puts-the-detachment-of-the-philosopher-from-his/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [When you ask why did some particular question occur to a scientist or philosopher for the first time, or why did this particular approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/when-you-ask-why-did-some-particular-question-occur-to-a-scientist-or/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [“Freedom for me is a pain in the Buridan's ass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/freedom-for-me-is-a-pain-in-the-buridan-s-ass/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [Those who share my heroes are, in the deepest sense, of my own kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/those-who-share-my-heroes-are-in-the-deepest-sense-of-my-own-kind/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [“one evangelical scientist who had felt his doubts falling away from him when he was hiking in the mountains and came upon a frozen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/one-evangelical-scientist-who-had-felt-his-doubts-falling-away-from/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [Because of the failure of religion to offer satisfying answers to an increasing number of people, it's time for philosophy to address forcefully these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/because-of-the-failure-of-religion-to-offer-satisfying-answers-to-an/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [If we look at our attitudes consistently and work out the logical implications we're on the road to moral progress, moral understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/if-we-look-at-our-attitudes-consistently-and-work-out-the-logical/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [We may not need God to tell us where the world came from, but we need God to be able to live moral lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/we-may-not-need-god-to-tell-us-where-the-world-came-from-but-we-need/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [In order to refute a conclusion, you have to put forth the best possible argument for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/in-order-to-refute-a-conclusion-you-have-to-put-forth-the-best/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [Philosophical progress changes what we take to be "intuitively" obvious, and this change covers up the tracks of the laborious arguments that preceded the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/philosophical-progress-changes-what-we-take-to-be-intuitively-obvious/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [What one tries to force into a child against its own nature will never come to good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/what-one-tries-to-force-into-a-child-against-its-own-nature-will/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [Thinking is the soul speaking to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/thinking-is-the-soul-speaking-to-itself/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [What is remarkable about the Greeks - even pre-philosophically - is that despite the salience of religious rituals in their lives, when it came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/what-is-remarkable-about-the-greeks-even-pre-philosophically-is-that/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) > [In fact, it’s the very impersonality of impersonal knowledge that renders such knowledge the most ethically potent of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/in-fact-it-s-the-very-impersonality-of-impersonal-knowledge-that/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) [Explore all 116 Rebecca Goldstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. 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