--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Academic philosophers in the English…" description: "\"“Academic philosophers in the English speaking world still regard philosophy as Locke defined it in the 17th century, as “the handmaiden of the science..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/roger-scruton-971_english-speaking_academic-philosophers-in-the-english-spe_162922.jpg" --- # Academic philosophers in the English speaking world still… ![“Academic philosophers in the English speaking world still regard philosophy as Locke defined it in the 17th century, as “the handmaiden of the sciences”: it doesn’t explore the world beyond science but the limits of science, with the result that philosophy doesnt really intrude into the public…” quote by Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/roger-scruton-971_english-speaking_academic-philosophers-in-the-english-spe_162922.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/roger-scruton-971_english-speaking_academic-philosophers-in-the-english-spe_162922.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/roger-scruton-971_english-speaking_academic-philosophers-in-the-english-spe_162922.jpg) > ““Academic philosophers in the English speaking world still regard philosophy as Locke defined it in the 17th century, as “the handmaiden of the sciences”: it doesn’t explore the world beyond science but the limits of science, with the result that philosophy doesnt really intrude into the public world. In the early 20th century were were caught up by the movement to form analytical philosophy, based in the study of logic, the foundations of mathematics, the syntax of ordinary language, the validity of arguments, something very formal. So when people have a big question, especially now since the decline of the orthodox religions, they don’t turn to philosophy for the answer but try to formulate it in whatever technical words have been bequeathed to them, and when a scientist comes along and says “I have the answer”, or even “there is no question”, they think “this guy knows what he’s talking about, I’d better lean on him”.”” [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Philosophy is seen as a subsidiary to science, focusing on scientific limits rather than public issues, leading people to favor technical answers over philosophical inquiry. **In simple terms:** Philosophy is treated as secondary to science, limiting its public impact. Key Takeaway Recognize philosophy’s broader relevance beyond scientific boundaries. Themes philosophy science public discourse analytical tradition religious decline Mood reflective critical inquisitive Type analytical commentary philosophical When to use this quote - academic debate - policy making - education reform - media commentary Key Concepts epistemology methodology public engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can philosophy re‑enter public debates? - What questions are science unable to answer? A Different Perspective Philosophy can still address existential questions despite scientific dominance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Academic Philosophers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academic-philosophers-1781797/) [English speaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-speaking/) [Philosophers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophers/) [Philosophers English](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophers-english-1781798/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy Based](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-based-929691/) [Philosophy Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-locke-1781796/) ## Related quotes > [The American Revolution was, in fact, a battle against the philosophy of Locke and the English utilitarians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-trout/the-american-revolution-was-in-fact-a-battle-against-the-philosophy/) [Robert Trout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-trout/) > [Any religion or philosophy which is not based on a respect for life is not a true religion or philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/any-religion-or-philosophy-which-is-not-based-on-a-respect-for-life/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [No philosophy based on an incorrect view of the nature of man is likely to produce social good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/no-philosophy-based-on-an-incorrect-view-of-the-nature-of-man-is/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) > [“...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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-jules-ayer/) > [“A strong philosophy based on what’s true in the Universe will save you from playing the role of the victim—a person who’s been ill-used,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-strong-philosophy-based-on-what-s-true-in-the-universe-will-save/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And what is shamanism but philosophy with a hands-on attitude. Philosophy not made around the camp fire, but philosophy based on the acquisition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/and-what-is-shamanism-but-philosophy-with-a-hands-on-attitude/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I have presented principles of philosophy that are not, however, philosophical but strictly mathematical-that is, those on which the study of philosophy can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-have-presented-principles-of-philosophy-that-are-not-however/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [Philosophy is based on speculation, on logic, on thought, on the synthesis of what we know and on the analysis of what we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-ouspensky/philosophy-is-based-on-speculation-on-logic-on-thought-on-the/) [P.D. Ouspensky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-ouspensky/) > [Optimism is a philosophy based on the belief that basically life is good, that, in the long run, the good in life overbalances the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/optimism-is-a-philosophy-based-on-the-belief-that-basically-life-is/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [One thing we do know is that mass literacy is a product of the 19th century, at least in English-speaking cultures - Ireland, England,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/one-thing-we-do-know-is-that-mass-literacy-is-a-product-of-the-19th/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [The only way I thought I could do a greatest hits album is to do it in a prison where they have no f\*\*king…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/the-only-way-i-thought-i-could-do-a-greatest-hits-album-is-to-do-it/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [Who'd want to be a modernist writer in the English-speaking world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-self/who-d-want-to-be-a-modernist-writer-in-the-english-speaking-world/) [Will Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-self/) > [There were a lot of unique challenges in producing the film, such as the logistical issues inherent in producing a long-term verite film in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/there-were-a-lot-of-unique-challenges-in-producing-the-film-such-as/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [I would love to occasionally do English-speaking films, but the script is as important for me as the director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-tautou/i-would-love-to-occasionally-do-english-speaking-films-but-the-script/) [Audrey Tautou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-tautou/) > [In 1965, when great young white artists in the English-speaking world were successfully re-channeling hillbilly and black music - you know Bob Dylan, Ray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/in-1965-when-great-young-white-artists-in-the-english-speaking-world/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) ## More by Roger Scruton > [Beauty is vanishing from our world because we live as though it does not matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/beauty-is-vanishing-from-our-world-because-we-live-as-though-it-does/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“So conceived, the English police force served to emphasize a fundamental truth about the English law, which is that it exists not to control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/so-conceived-the-english-police-force-served-to-emphasize-a/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [My 2018 ended with a hate storm, in response to my appointment as chair of the government's Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/my-2018-ended-with-a-hate-storm-in-response-to-my-appointment-as/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [I've never been an optimist, but that's fine because pessimists have the possibility of being agreeably surprised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-ve-never-been-an-optimist-but-that-s-fine-because-pessimists-have/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Unlike every other product that is now manufactured for the table, wine exists in as many varieties as there are people who produce it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/unlike-every-other-product-that-is-now-manufactured-for-the-table/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [The abstract, unreal freedom of the liberal intellect was really nothing more than childish disobedience, amplified into anarchy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/the-abstract-unreal-freedom-of-the-liberal-intellect-was-really/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“I think we can all see the force of the idea that there are certain things that cannot be done to human beings –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-think-we-can-all-see-the-force-of-the-idea-that-there-are-certain/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [When art becomes merely shock value, our sense of humanity is slowly degraded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/when-art-becomes-merely-shock-value-our-sense-of-humanity-is-slowly/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“Western democracies did not create the virtue of citizenship; on the contrary, they grew from it. Nothing is more evident in The Federalist than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/western-democracies-did-not-create-the-virtue-of-citizenship-on-the/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“If one looks back to the French Revolution, one sees just how easy it is for the doctrine of “human rights” to become an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/if-one-looks-back-to-the-french-revolution-one-sees-just-how-easy-it/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“I say it was immediately apparent, but it was not apparent to the intellectual class, which has remained largely wedded to the post-war consensus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/i-say-it-was-immediately-apparent-but-it-was-not-apparent-to-the/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Conservatives hold on to things not only because they are attached to them, but also because they do not see the sense in radical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/conservatives-hold-on-to-things-not-only-because-they-are-attached-to/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Delia Smith is, actually, my bete noire. I consider her a most pernicious influence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/delia-smith-is-actually-my-bete-noire-i-consider-her-a-most/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Modern art was born from a desire to destroy kitsch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/modern-art-was-born-from-a-desire-to-destroy-kitsch/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“Jack regarded himself as locked in a lifelong struggle with this establishment, on behalf of the Anglo-Saxon peasantry whose birthright had been stolen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/jack-regarded-himself-as-locked-in-a-lifelong-struggle-with-this/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) [Explore all 317 Roger Scruton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) ## More English speaking quotes > [In 1965, when great young white artists in the English-speaking world were successfully re-channeling hillbilly and black music - you know Bob Dylan, Ray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/in-1965-when-great-young-white-artists-in-the-english-speaking-world/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [I would love to occasionally do English-speaking films, but the script is as important for me as the director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-tautou/i-would-love-to-occasionally-do-english-speaking-films-but-the-script/) [Audrey Tautou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-tautou/) > [There were a lot of unique challenges in producing the film, such as the logistical issues inherent in producing a long-term verite film in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/there-were-a-lot-of-unique-challenges-in-producing-the-film-such-as/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [Who'd want to be a modernist writer in the English-speaking world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-self/who-d-want-to-be-a-modernist-writer-in-the-english-speaking-world/) [Will Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-self/) > [The only way I thought I could do a greatest hits album is to do it in a prison where they have no f\*\*king…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/the-only-way-i-thought-i-could-do-a-greatest-hits-album-is-to-do-it/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [One thing we do know is that mass literacy is a product of the 19th century, at least in English-speaking cultures - Ireland, England,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/one-thing-we-do-know-is-that-mass-literacy-is-a-product-of-the-19th/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [It is always a taut moment in a foreign country waiting to see if your English-speaking guide speaks English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/it-is-always-a-taut-moment-in-a-foreign-country-waiting-to-see-if/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [The idea of sovereignty current in the English speaking world of the 1760's was scarcely more than a century old. It had first emerged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-bailyn/the-idea-of-sovereignty-current-in-the-english-speaking-world-of-the/) [Bernard Bailyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-bailyn/) > [When an international news organization covers a story in Somalia, Yemen, Sudan or wherever, they will fly a crew to go there, spend a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/when-an-international-news-organization-covers-a-story-in-somalia/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [Most English-speaking people, for instance, will admit that cellar door is 'beautiful', especially if dissociated from its sense (and its spelling). More beautiful than,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/most-english-speaking-people-for-instance-will-admit-that-cellar-door/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [I hope the English-speaking world can see that I'm not only an Israeli actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hani-furstenberg/i-hope-the-english-speaking-world-can-see-that-i-m-not-only-an/) [Hani Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hani-furstenberg/) > [James Joyce's English was based on the rhythm of the Irish language. He wrote things that shocked English language speakers but he was thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-ni-mhaonaigh/james-joyce-s-english-was-based-on-the-rhythm-of-the-irish-language/) [Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-ni-mhaonaigh/) > [The time given to athletic contests and the injuries incurred on the playing field are part of the price which the English-speaking race has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cabot-lodge/the-time-given-to-athletic-contests-and-the-injuries-incurred-on-the/) [Henry Cabot Lodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cabot-lodge/) > [It's a beautiful city, and the waterfront area is fantastic. I haven't had time to visit the theatre, but I find it remarkable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/it-s-a-beautiful-city-and-the-waterfront-area-is-fantastic-i-haven-t/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [When people stop some film from being shot or burn a book, it's not just that they are saying, this is against Indian culture.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/when-people-stop-some-film-from-being-shot-or-burn-a-book-it-s-not/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) [Browse all 70 English speaking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english-speaking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Academic philosophers in the English speaking world still regard philosophy as Locke defined it in the 17th century, as “the handmaiden of the sciences”: it doesn’t explore the world beyond science but the limits of science, with the result that philosophy doesnt really intrude into the public world. In the early 20th century were were caught up by the movement to form analytical philosophy, based in the study of logic, the foundations of mathematics, the syntax of ordinary language, the validity of arguments, something very formal. So when people have a big question, especially now since the decline of the orthodox religions, they don’t turn to philosophy for the answer but try to formulate it in whatever technical words have been bequeathed to them, and when a scientist comes along and says “I have the answer”, or even “there is no question”, they think “this guy knows what he’s talking about, I’d better lean on him”.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger Scruton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/academic-philosophers-in-the-english-speaking-world-still-regard/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "English speaking" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/academic-philosophers-in-the-english-speaking-world-still-regard/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/roger-scruton-971_english-speaking_academic-philosophers-in-the-english-spe_162922.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/roger-scruton-971_english-speaking_academic-philosophers-in-the-english-spe_162922.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a6/roger-scruton-971_english-speaking_academic-philosophers-in-the-english-spe_162922.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Academic philosophers in the English speaking world still regard philosophy as Locke defined it in the 17th…” — Roger Scruton", "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": "Roger Scruton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Academic philosophers in the English speaking...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/academic-philosophers-in-the-english-speaking-world-still-regard/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/academic-philosophers-in-the-english-speaking-world-still-regard/#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 } } ] } ```