Philosophy Thinkers Definitions

The Philosopher (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠superior to adversity mainly in his books, where he does not have to suffer it.

A Philosopher (n.) would ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠prefer his own lie to a truth another had discovered — among believers an atheist, among atheists a believer.

Philosopher (n.) idly ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠disputing about the sovereign good were judged by simple peoples not by their arguments but by their morals, and so the people learnt what to think of their learning.

Philosopher (n.) pictured ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠as a nation of good ones are wrongly set against a nation of bad Christians, as if a nation of good philosophers were the easier thing to make.

Philosopher (n.) are ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠braggarts in attack and weaklings in defence: their arguments are all destructive, and they agree only in arguing with each other — the one point on which they are right.

A Philosopher (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠let a murder be committed under his window: he has only to put his hands over his ears and argue a little with himself to keep nature from identifying with the victim.

Philosopher (n.) are ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠mountebanks crying "Here, come to me, I am the only true doctor!" — one says matter does not exist, another that only matter does, a third that virtue is a chimera, a fourth that men may devour one another.

A Philosopher (n.) knows ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠men least, through his preconceived ideas: aware of his own vices he says "We are all bad alike"; the savage looks at us unmoved and says "You are mad" — and he is right.