---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Intellectualism—the conception of man as…"
description: "\"“Intellectualism—the conception of man as above all a thinking animal, consciously adapting means to rationally chosen ends—fell sick with Rousseau, to..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/will-durant-948_schopenhauer_intellectualism-the-conception-of-man-as_95016.png"
---

#  Intellectualism—the conception of man as above all a…

![“Intellectualism—the conception of man as above all a thinking animal, consciously adapting means to rationally chosen ends—fell sick with Rousseau, took to its bed with Kant, and died with Schopenhauer.” quote by Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/will-durant-948_schopenhauer_intellectualism-the-conception-of-man-as_95016.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/will-durant-948_schopenhauer_intellectualism-the-conception-of-man-as_95016.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/971/will-durant-948_schopenhauer_intellectualism-the-conception-of-man-as_95016.png)

> ““Intellectualism—the conception of man as above all a thinking animal, consciously adapting means to rationally chosen ends—fell sick with Rousseau, took to its bed with Kant, and died with Schopenhauer.””

[Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Intellectualism, once a lofty view of humanity as rational beings, has been eroded by successive philosophers, ending in pessimism.

**In simple terms:** Intellectualism's decline

Key Takeaway

Rational idealism waned

Themes

philosophy intellectual history rationalism pessimism

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

quote historical commentary

When to use this quote

- academic curricula
- cultural criticism
- personal worldview

Key Concepts

intellectualism Rousseau Kant Schopenhauer

Practical Applications

- teaching the evolution of ideas
- informing debates on rationality

Questions to Reflect On

- What does the decline of intellectualism imply for modern society?
- Can rationalism be revived?

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[Died Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/died-schopenhauer-1169752/) [Intellectualism Conception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectualism-conception-1169758/) [Kant Died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kant-died-1169754/) [Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schopenhauer/) [Sick Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick-rousseau-1169756/)

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