The quote "To think with the great philosophers is more important than to read them" is attributed to Walter Kaufmann, a German-American philosopher, translator, and poet. Born in 1921 in Germany and later emigrating to the United States, Kaufmann is perhaps best known for his translations and interpretations of Friedrich Nietzsche's works. He was a prolific scholar whose writings spanned subjects such as existentialism, theology, and literature.
Kaufmann's statement captures the essence of an active engagement with philosophy, as opposed to a passive consumption of philosophical texts. Reading philosophers might give you access to their ideas, but thinking with them allows you to internalize these ideas, challenge them, and possibly even extend them. Kaufmann encourages readers not just to understand the content but also to critically engage with it, thereby making philosophy a living discourse.
The notion that it is more important to think with philosophers rather than merely read them supports the idea of philosophy as a practice rather than a body of knowledge to be passively absorbed. When you think with a philosopher, you're doing more than comprehending their arguments; you're grappling with the underlying questions that motivated those arguments in the first place. This engagement not only enhances your understanding of the specific ideas in question but also hones your ability to think critically and independently.
For Kaufmann, this is particularly important because he was deeply concerned with the ethical and existential implications of philosophy. He believed that philosophy should be a transformative experience that has a direct impact on how one lives one's life. Reading philosophers without thinking critically about their ideas risks turning philosophy into a purely academic exercise, devoid of real-world relevance.
In Kaufmann's own works, such as "Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist" and "Critique of Religion and Philosophy," he models this active engagement by not only explicating the texts he is discussing but also offering critiques, questions, and extensions of those texts. He invites the reader to join him in a form of intellectual partnership, which aligns with his view encapsulated in the quote.
Walter Kaufmann's statement has broad implications beyond the study of philosophy. It applies to any intellectual pursuit where critical thinking and active engagement are key to deeper understanding and application. It encourages an approach to learning that is dynamic, critical, and deeply personal, advocating for a form of intellectual engagement that is both rigorous and transformative.
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