Famous quote by Morris Raphael Cohen

"It is not impossible to think that the minds of philosophers sometimes act like those of other mortals, and that, having once been determined by diverse circumstances to adopt certain views, they then look for and naturally find reasons to justify these views"

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Morris Raphael Cohen's quote reflects on the human propensity, consisting of that of thinkers, to develop biases and rationalizations for beliefs they have already adopted. The declaration underscores the non-exceptionality of theorists' idea procedures in contrast to other individuals. It recommends that philosophers, just like other people, can become established in their ideologies due to various life situations or experiences, consequently seeking out validations to strengthen these beliefs.

Firstly, Cohen's remarks acknowledge philosophers as humans initially, indicating that despite their dedication to crucial thinking and factor, they are not immune to the cognitive predispositions and mental tendencies that affect everybody. Philosophers might start with unbiased questions, but once devoted to a specific viewpoint, they might unconsciously focus on info and arguments that verify their pre-existing beliefs-- a phenomenon understood in psychology as confirmation predisposition.

Secondly, the concept of "diverse situations" playing a role in adopting specific views acknowledges that personal history, environment, and social context can heavily affect one's philosophical outlook. Cohen indicates that these factors can skew a theorist's neutrality, aligning with the more comprehensive understanding within cognitive science that human thinking is frequently "motivated", i.e., driven by underlying desires, fears, and needs.

Furthermore, Cohen's assertion that philosophers "naturally find reasons to justify these views" touches upon the idea of justification. Rationalization includes building rational validations for beliefs and actions that might have been at first accepted due to psychological or unreasonable impulses. This process can result in self-deception, where people, including theorists, truly think in their justifications, misinterpreting them for unbiased realities.

In essence, Cohen's quote acts as a tip of the innate fallibility of human cognition. It motivates a continuous self-reflective practice amongst theorists and others to stay watchful about the origins of their beliefs and the prospective biases that might cloud their judgment. By doing so, individuals can aim towards more truly unbiased and insightful understandings of truth, thus preserving the integrity of philosophical questions.

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Russia Flag This quote is written / told by Morris Raphael Cohen between July 25, 1880 and January 28, 1947. He/she was a famous Philosopher from Russia. The author also have 19 other quotes.
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