Morris Raphael Cohen Quotes

Philosophy is like trying to open a safe with a combination lock: each little adjustment of the dials seems to achieve nothing, only when everything is in place does the door open.

Socrates: So even our walks are dangerous here. But you seem to have avoided the most dangerous thing of all. Bertha: What's that? Socrates: Philosophy. Bertha: Oh, we have philosophers here. Socrates: Where are they? Bertha: In the philosophy department. Socrates: Philosophy is not department. Bertha: Well, we have philosophers. Socrates: Are they dangerous? Bertha: Of course not. Socrates: Then they are not true philosophers.

I preferred the weapons of dialectic to all the other teachings of philosophy, and armed with these, I chose the conflicts of disputation rather than the trophies of war.

You know, I've taught philosophy for years and one argues in the hypothetical all the time.

A philosopher once said, 'Half of good philosophy is good grammar.'

Dialectic thought is an attempt to break through the coercion of logic by its own means.

Philosophy is a battle against the bewitchment of our intelligence by means of language.

When we reason upon general subjects, one may justly affirm, that our speculations can scarce ever be too fine, provided they be just.

We should follow the facts wherever they lead us.

That's one thing I learned in my philosophy training - if you're writing a paper on Aristotle, you have to first show that you understand him. Then you can make your counterargument.

Men who are lovers of wisdom [i.e., philosophers] must be inquirers into many things.

Philosophy is "an unusually stubborn attempt to think clearly.

Philosophy may describe unreasoning, as it may describe force; it cannot hope to refute them.

Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered.

The first cause of Absurd conclusions I ascribe to the want of Method.

The philosopher creates, he doesn't reflect.

There's simply no philosophizing without a love of wisdom, absolutely.

In fact, philosophy is universal in scope. No man can live without a world view; therefore, there is no man who is not a philosopher.

What makes philosophy so tedious is not the profundity of philosophers, but their lack of art; they are like physicians who soughtto cure a slight hyperacidity by prescribing a carload of burned oyster-shells.

Only he who finds empiricism irksome is driven to method.

Philosophy is not politics, and we do our best, within our all-too-human limitations, to seek the truth, not to score points against opponents. There is little satisfaction in gaining an easy triumph over a weak opponent while ignoring better arguments against your views.

A man becomes a philosopher by reason of a certain perplexity, from which he seeks to free himself.

You must look at facts, because they look at you.

Philosophy means the complete liberty of the mind, and therefore independence of all social, political or religious prejudice... It loves one thing only... truth.