A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
The student is half afraid to meet one of the great philosophers face to face. He feels himself inadequate and thinks he will not understand him. But if he only knew, the great man, just because of his greatness, is much more intelligible than his modern commentator. The simplest student will be able to understand, if not all, yet a very great deal of what Plato said; but hardly anyone can understand some modern books on Platonism.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Great thinkers can be more accessible than their interpreters, allowing even simple students to grasp profound ideas.
In this quote, C. S. Lewis reflects on the perceived intimidation that students might feel when facing great philosophers like Plato. He emphasizes that the original ideas and essence of these thinkers are often clearer and more profound than the convoluted interpretations presented by modern scholars, suggesting that true wisdom is inherently understandable, transcending complexities introduced in contemporary discussions.
Themes
PhilosophyEducationUnderstandingGreatnessIntimidationWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
During an academic lecture on philosophy to illustrate the accessibility of classical thought.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes →I enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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