Philosophy consists very largely of one philosopher arguing that all others are jackasses. He usually proves it, and I should add that he also usually proves that he is one himself.
Interpretation
Philosophy often involves critical arguments against other philosophers, demonstrating self-reflection and irony.
In this quote, H. L. Mencken humorously critiques the nature of philosophical debate, suggesting that philosophers frequently engage in disputes where they label their peers as foolish while simultaneously revealing their own flaws. This self-deprecating observation highlights the contentious and sometimes contradictory nature of philosophical discourse, where the pursuit of truth often involves recognizing one's own biases and shortcomings.
In practice
In a lecture about critical thinking, you could use this quote to illustrate the importance of questioning both others' ideas and your own.
I know a good many men of great learning-that is, men born with an extraordinary eagerness and capacity to acquire knowledge. One and all, they tell me that they can't recall learning anything of any value in school. All that schoolmasters managed to accomplish with them was to test and determine the amount of knowledge that they had already acquired independently-and not infrequently the determination was made clumsily and inaccurately.
It takes a long while for a naturally trustful person to reconcile himself to the idea that after all God will not help him
It is the theory of all modern civilized governments that they protect and foster the liberty of the citizen; it is the practice of all of them to limit its exercise, and sometimes very narrowly.
The central belief of every moron is that he is the victim of a mysterious conspiracy against his common rights and true deserts.
The cure for the evils of democracy is more democracy.
It is my conviction that no normal man ever fell in love, within the ordinary meaning of the term, after the age of thirty.
The material body has a practical reality that is accessible. It is here and now, and we can do something with it. However, we must not forget that the innermost part of our being is also trying to help us. It wants to come out to the surface and express itself.
Isolation is a way to know ourselves.
It's ironic that those who till the soil, cultivate and harvest the fruits, vegetables, and other foods that fill your tables with abundance have nothing left for themselves.
We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves.
The chief danger about Paris is that it is such a strong stimulant.
The totalitarian states can do great things, but there is one thing they cannot do: they cannot give the factory-worker a rifle and tell him to take it home and keep it in his bedroom. That rifle, hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or laborer's cottage, is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there.
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