“Western Civ,” p. 18.
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There are two threats to reason, the opinion that one knows the truth about the most important things and the opinion that there is no truth about them. Both of these opinions are fatal to philosophy; the first asserts that the quest for truth is unnecessary, while the second asserts that it is impossible. The Socratic knowledge of ignorance, which I take to be the beginning point of all philosophy, defines the sensible middle ground between two extremes.
— Allan Bloom
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "There are two threats to reason, the opinion that one knows the truth about the most important things and the opinion that there is no truth about them. Both of these opinions are fatal to philosophy; the first asserts that the quest for truth is unnecessary, while the second asserts that it is impossible. The Socratic knowledge of ignorance, which I take to be the beginning point of all philosophy, defines the sensible middle ground between two extremes." in the context of "“Western Civ,” p. 18." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Allan Bloom" (Quotes, Giants and Dwarfs (1990))
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Allan Bloom
Allan David Bloom (14 September, 1930 in Indianapolis, Indiana – 7 October, 1992 in Chicago, Illinois) was an American philosopher, essayist and academic. Bloom championed education based on the study of 'Great Books', as did his mentor Leo Strauss. He criticised contemporary American higher education in his 1987 book, The Closing of the American Mind, which became a bestseller.
About Allan Bloom
Allan David Bloom (14 September, 1930 in Indianapolis, Indiana – 7 October, 1992 in Chicago, Illinois) was an American philosopher, essayist and academic. Bloom championed education based on the study of 'Great Books', as did his mentor Leo Strauss. He criticised contemporary American higher education in his 1987 book, The Closing of the American Mind, which became a bestseller.
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