--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The value of a philosopher’s thought is…" description: "\"“The value of a philosopher’s thought is not in its answers—no philosopher has any that are more helpful than saying nothing at all—but in how well the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adb/thomas-ligotti-2073_philosopher_the-value-of-a-philosopher-s-thought-is_1652578.png" --- # The value of a philosopher’s thought is not in its… ![“The value of a philosopher’s thought is not in its answers—no philosopher has any that are more helpful than saying nothing at all—but in how well they speak to the prejudgments of their consumers. Such is the importance—and the nullity—of rhetoric. Ask any hard-line pessimist, but do not expect…” quote by Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adb/thomas-ligotti-2073_philosopher_the-value-of-a-philosopher-s-thought-is_1652578.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adb/thomas-ligotti-2073_philosopher_the-value-of-a-philosopher-s-thought-is_1652578.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adb/thomas-ligotti-2073_philosopher_the-value-of-a-philosopher-s-thought-is_1652578.png) > ““The value of a philosopher’s thought is not in its answers—no philosopher has any that are more helpful than saying nothing at all—but in how well they speak to the prejudgments of their consumers. Such is the importance—and the nullity—of rhetoric. Ask any hard-line pessimist, but do not expect him to expect you to take his words seriously.”” [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Philosophical ideas matter for how they influence audiences, not for definitive answers; rhetoric shapes perception. **In simple terms:** Ideas matter for their impact, not certainty. Key Takeaway Focus on persuasive communication. Themes philosophy rhetoric communication Mood analytical critical Type philosophical essay When to use this quote - debates - public speaking - critical analysis Key Concepts influence skepticism interpretation Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess the usefulness of a philosopher’s words? - When is silence more powerful than speech? A Different Perspective Rhetoric can be manipulative or empty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answers Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers-philosopher-668750/) [Nullity Rhetoric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nullity-rhetoric-668747/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosopher Helpful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher-helpful-668748/) [Philosopher Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher-thought-668749/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) ## Related quotes > [I could identify for virtually every important figure in the history of modern continental philosophy an idea (or more than one) absolutely central to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/i-could-identify-for-virtually-every-important-figure-in-the-history/) [Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/) > [The idea that God resides in the unknown is what philosophers call the God of the gaps. 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Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) ## More by Thomas Ligotti > [“Subsequently there ensues an epoch of complex, proliferating intrigues and conspiracies among the ranks of double agents, whose agendas become so densely intertwined that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/subsequently-there-ensues-an-epoch-of-complex-proliferating-intrigues/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [“The point that in the absence of birth nobody exists who can be deprived of happiness is terribly conspicuous. 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Posters, signs, billboards, and leaflets of various sorts are scattered around like playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/the-dismembered-limbs-of-dolls-and-puppets-are-strewn-about/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [“As I drifted along with my bodiless invisibility, I felt myself more and more becoming an empty, floating shape, seeing without being seen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/as-i-drifted-along-with-my-bodiless-invisibility-i-felt-myself-more/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [“The lessons in measurement of cloacal forces. Time as a flow of sewage. The excrement of space, scatology of creation. 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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/) > [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Since Pawlow and his pupils have succeeded in causing the secretion of saliva in the dog by means of optic and acoustic signals, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-loeb/since-pawlow-and-his-pupils-have-succeeded-in-causing-the-secretion/) [Jacques Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-loeb/) > [To become a philosopher, start by walking very slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/to-become-a-philosopher-start-by-walking-very-slowly/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [“Mr. Pickwick was a philosopher, but philosophers are only men in armour, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mr-pickwick-was-a-philosopher-but-philosophers-are-only-men-in-armour/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [And that, in a way, was the burden of being a philosopher: one knew what one had to do, but it was so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-that-in-a-way-was-the-burden-of-being-a-philosopher-one-knew-what/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [As our domestic fowls are said to have their original in the wild pheasant of India, so our domestic thoughts have their prototypes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-our-domestic-fowls-are-said-to-have-their-original-in-the-wild/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. 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And we have this thing called science,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-idea-that-god-resides-in-the-unknown-is-what-philosophers-call/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) [Browse all 2,194 Philosopher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The value of a philosopher’s thought is not in its answers—no philosopher has any that are more helpful than saying nothing at all—but in how well they speak to the prejudgments of their consumers. Such is the importance—and the nullity—of rhetoric. 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