An extravagance is something that your spirit thinks is a necessity.
Bernard WilliamsRead
The majority of philosophers are totally humorless. That's part of their trouble.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Philosophers often lack a sense of humor, which can hinder their work and perspective.
In this quote, Bernard Williams suggests that many philosophers approach their inquiries and beliefs with such seriousness that they miss a crucial element of human experience: humor. This lack of lightheartedness can lead to overly rigid thinking and a disconnect from the joyful aspects of life, indicating that a balance between seriousness and humor is essential for a more holistic understanding of philosophy.
Themes
PhilosophyHumorSeriousnessHuman Experience
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a lecture about the importance of humor in philosophical discourse.
More from Bernard Williams
All quotes βThere was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.
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Contemporary moral philosophy has found an original way of being boring, which is by not discussing moral issues at all.
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People have been predicting the death of philosophy since the 17th century. When I was a student, people were saying, 'We're in the last days of philosophy.' Then we were told in the '60s it would be replaced by sociology, then by literary criticism.
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Virtually the only subject in which one could ever get a scholarship to Oxford or Cambridge was classics. So I went to Oxford to study classics and, unlike Cambridge, it had a philosophy component, and I became completely transported by it.
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If we try and fail, we have temporary disappointments. But if we do not try at all, we have permanent regrets.
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