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Philosophy is based on speculation, on logic, on thought, on the synthesis of what we know and on the analysis of what we do not know. Philosophy must include within its confines the whole content of science, religion and art. But where can such a philosophy be found? All that we know in our times by the name of philosophy is not philosophy, but merely 'critical literature' or the expression of personal opinions, mainly with the aim of overthrowing and destroying other personal opinions. Or, which is still worse, philosophy is nothing but self-satisfied dialetic surrounding itself with an impenetrable barrier of terminology unintelligible to the uninitiated and solving for itself all the problems of the universe without any possibliity of proving these explanations or making them intelligible to ordinary mortals.

P. D. Ouspensky#4

PhilosophyKnowledgeBarriersCritiqueEducationScience

About this quote

What does it mean?
True philosophy should synthesize knowledge and unknown, but current philosophy is often opinion or opaque terminology.
In plain terms
Philosophy should include science, religion, and art, but today it is just opinions or hard terms.
What can you take from it?
Real philosophy integrates all knowledge, but much of it is shallow or inaccessible.

Where it applies

  • academic critique
  • personal study
  • interdisciplinary work

Putting it to work

  • demand clarity
  • seek integration

Questions to consider

  • Is philosophy accessible to you?
  • What should philosophy include?

Another view

It critiques all contemporary philosophy without citing exceptions.

More from P. D. Ouspensky

  1. It is only when we realize that life is taking us nowhere that it begins to have meaning.

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  2. The number of laws is constantly growing in all countries and, owing to this, what is called crime is very often not a crime at all, for it contains no element…

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  3. Two things can get people to make efforts: if people want to get something, or if they want to get rid of something. Only, in ordinary conditions, without know…

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