Single Idea 24032

[catalogued under 1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 7. Despair over Philosophy]

Full Idea

Scholars are usually ingenious enough to find ways of spreading darkness even in things which are obvious by themselves, and which the peasants are not ignorant of.

Gist of Idea

Clever scholars can obscure things which are obvious even to peasants

Source

René Descartes (Rules for the Direction of the Mind [1628], 12)

Book Reference

Descartes,René: 'Rules for the Direction of the Mind' [Newcomb Library 2023], p.42


A Reaction

Wonderful! I see it everywhere in philosophy. It is usually the result of finding ingenious and surprising grounds for scepticism. The amazing thing is not their lovely arguments, but that fools then take their conclusions seriously. Modus tollens.