--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Philosophers have argued for centuries…" description: "\"Philosophers have argued for centuries about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but materialists have always known it depends on whether t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fc/tom-robbins-169_angels_philosophers-have-argued-for-centuries-a_2299886.jpg" --- # Philosophers have argued for centuries about how many… ![“Philosophers have argued for centuries about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but materialists have always known it depends on whether they are jitterbugging or dancing cheek to cheek” quote by Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fc/tom-robbins-169_angels_philosophers-have-argued-for-centuries-a_2299886.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fc/tom-robbins-169_angels_philosophers-have-argued-for-centuries-a_2299886.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fc/tom-robbins-169_angels_philosophers-have-argued-for-centuries-a_2299886.jpg) > “Philosophers have argued for centuries about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but materialists have always known it depends on whether they are jitterbugging or dancing cheek to cheek” [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Debates about trivial details can mask deeper questions about perspective and reality. **In simple terms:** Small debates hide big ideas. Key Takeaway Question assumptions behind seemingly silly arguments. Themes philosophy humor perspective Mood playful thoughtful Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - academic discussions - social media debates - philosophical salons Key Concepts metaphysics skepticism cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - What deeper truth might the debate reveal? - How does humor affect serious inquiry? A Different Perspective May distract from substantive issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angels/) [Angels Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angels-dance-4597762/) [Dancing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dancing/) [Materialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materialism/) [Materialists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materialists/) [Materialists Known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materialists-known-4597760/) [Philosophers Argued](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophers-argued-4597761/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Pin Materialists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pin-materialists-4597759/) ## Related quotes > [Philosophers have argued for centuries about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but materialists have known all along that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/philosophers-have-argued-for-centuries-about-how-many-angels-can/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [We can all be angels to one another. We can choose to obey the still small stirring within, the little whisper that says, 'Go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-anderson/we-can-all-be-angels-to-one-another-we-can-choose-to-obey-the-still/) [Joan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-anderson/) > [Angels dance only with You, Beloved and only before You do I bow in adoration. You may accept me or not but I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/angels-dance-only-with-you-beloved-and-only-before-you-do-i-bow-in/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Because materialists cannot understand Krsna spiritually, they are advised to concentrate the mind on physical things and try to see how Krsna is manifested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhup-da/because-materialists-cannot-understand-krsna-spiritually-they-are/) [A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhup-da/) > [“The problem, however, is that I have yet to meet anyone, materialist or otherwise, who was able to dispense with value judgements. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-ferry/the-problem-however-is-that-i-have-yet-to-meet-anyone-materialist-or/) [Luc Ferry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-ferry/) > [“Abolishers of the soul (materialists) are necessarily abolishers of hell, they, certainly, are interested. At all events, they are people who fear to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/abolishers-of-the-soul-materialists-are-necessarily-abolishers-of/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [Chârvâkas, a very ancient sect in India, were rank materialists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/ch-rv-kas-a-very-ancient-sect-in-india-were-rank-materialists/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Man stands in materialism; you and I are materialists. Our talking about God and Spirit is good; but it is simply the vogue in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/man-stands-in-materialism-you-and-i-are-materialists-our-talking/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [That intense faith in another world, that intense hatred for this world, that intense power of renunciation, that intense faith in God, that intense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/that-intense-faith-in-another-world-that-intense-hatred-for-this/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Neither idealists nor materialists are right; we must take both idea and expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/neither-idealists-nor-materialists-are-right-we-must-take-both-idea/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [In no other field of scientific endeavor do otherwise intelligent people feel free to make public claims based on prejudice and ignorance. Yet in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/in-no-other-field-of-scientific-endeavor-do-otherwise-intelligent/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [Materialists' is a kind of Victorian romance, because it's about the marriage market, the way that they always are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-song/materialists-is-a-kind-of-victorian-romance-because-it-s-about-the/) [Celine Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-song/) > [The overwhelming majority of people, including Christians, are materialists. They do not believe in the power of spirit. They believe only in material power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/the-overwhelming-majority-of-people-including-christians-are/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [“Those who maintain that mind is the reality and matter an evil dream are called "idealists"—a word which has a different meaning in philosophy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-maintain-that-mind-is-the-reality-and-matter-an-evil-dream/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Over-consumption is a cancer eating away at our spiritual vitals. It distances us from the great masses of broken bleeding humanity. It converts us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/over-consumption-is-a-cancer-eating-away-at-our-spiritual-vitals-it/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) ## More by Tom Robbins > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. 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As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/anyone-who-maintains-absolute-standards-of-good-and-evil-is-dangerous/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“I believe in everything; nothing is sacred. I believe in nothing; everything is sacred. Ha Ha Ho Ho Hee Hee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/i-believe-in-everything-nothing-is-sacred-i-believe-in-nothing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [A sense of humor...is superior to any religion so far devised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/a-sense-of-humor-is-superior-to-any-religion-so-far-devised/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/love-is-the-ultimate-outlaw-it-just-won-t-adhere-to-any-rules-the-2/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“The glue that holds the natural world together appears to be a harmonious balance of opposites: day and night, light and dark, winter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-glue-that-holds-the-natural-world-together-appears-to-be-a/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Zippers are primal and modern at the very same time. On the one hand, your zipper is primitive and reptilian, on the other, mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/zippers-are-primal-and-modern-at-the-very-same-time-on-the-one-hand/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“religion is a paramount contributor to human misery. It is not merely the opium of the masses, it is the cyanide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/religion-is-a-paramount-contributor-to-human-misery-it-is-not-merely/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [She continued weeping until the heat of her tear water, the sheer velocity of its flow, finally obscured the already vague circumstances of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/she-continued-weeping-until-the-heat-of-her-tear-water-the-sheer/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The bottom line is that (a) people are never perfect, but love can be, (b) that is the one and only way that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-bottom-line-is-that-a-people-are-never-perfect-but-love-can-be-b/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Virtually every advancement made by our species since civilization first peeked out of its nest of stone has been initiated by lone individuals, mavericks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/virtually-every-advancement-made-by-our-species-since-civilization/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [When we accept small wonders, we qualify ourselves to imagine great wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/when-we-accept-small-wonders-we-qualify-ourselves-to-imagine-great/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Explore all 994 Tom Robbins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## More Angels quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [“ Around our pillows golden ladders rise, And up and down the skies, With winged sandals shod, The angels come, and go, the Messengers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/around-our-pillows-golden-ladders-rise-and-up-and-down-the-skies-with/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [I'll always be a member of the Rays in my heart, absolutely. Just like with the Angels. It's no different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-maddon/i-ll-always-be-a-member-of-the-rays-in-my-heart-absolutely-just-like/) [Joe Maddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-maddon/) > [“Unfortunately for you love, I take my pleasure with a shot of pain”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keri-lake/unfortunately-for-you-love-i-take-my-pleasure-with-a-shot-of-pain/) [Keri Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keri-lake/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Be careful who you might trust the Devil was once an angel too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-careful-who-you-might-trust-the-devil-was-once-an-angel-too/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Thank You for bringing me to a place and situation where even Angels in heaven have to move aside and give way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jefferson/thank-you-for-bringing-me-to-a-place-and-situation-where-even-angels/) [Mark Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jefferson/) > [May god bless u](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoinette/may-god-bless-u/) [Antoinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoinette/) > [The entire hierarchy of angels can best be described as an endlessly vast sphere of beings, who surround an unknowable centre-point, which is called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-godwin/the-entire-hierarchy-of-angels-can-best-be-described-as-an-endlessly/) [Malcolm Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-godwin/) > [“She lay there like a beautiful lace covered present for the troll with her sweet hands wrapped up in the red bow of Lilith’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-swann/she-lay-there-like-a-beautiful-lace-covered-present-for-the-troll/) [Bella Swann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-swann/) > [“Intellectualism is a poor master over passion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twe-stephens/intellectualism-is-a-poor-master-over-passion/) [Twe Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twe-stephens/) > [Those clouds are angels' robes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kingsley/those-clouds-are-angels-robes/) [Charles Kingsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kingsley/) > [“Well, the only reason we’re friends is because you can rock a tweed suit,” she informed, tone mock serious. “So if you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-kreitzer/well-the-only-reason-we-re-friends-is-because-you-can-rock-a-tweed/) [Laura Kreitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-kreitzer/) > [You men find so many angels in your travels. 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