For the liberal state to accommodate a diversity of beliefs while having few positive convictions is one of the more admirable achievements of civilization. Terry Eagleton accommodateachievementadmirable Change image and share on social
Real men study law and engineering, while ideas and values are for sissies. The humanities should constitute the core of any university worth the name. Terry Eagleton constitutecoreengineer Change image and share on social
It is in Rousseau's writing above all that history begins to turn from upper-class honour to middle-class humanitarianism. Pity, sympathy and compassion lie at the centre of his moral vision. Values associated with the feminine begin to infiltrate social existence as a whole, rather than being confined to the domestic sphere. Terry Eagleton begincentreclass share on social
The German philosopher Walter Benjamin had the curious notion that we could change the past. For most of us, the past is fixed while the future is open. Terry Eagleton benjaminchangecurious Change image and share on social
We face a conflict between civilisation and culture, which used to be on the same side. Civilisation means rational reflection, material wellbeing, individual autonomy and ironic self-doubt; culture means a form of life that is customary, collective, passionate, spontaneous, unreflective and irrational. Terry Eagleton autonomycivilisationcollective share on social
I enjoy popularisation and I think I'm reasonably good at it. I also think it's a duty. It's just so pedagogically stupid to forget how difficult one found these ideas oneself to begin with. Terry Eagleton begindifficultduty Change image and share on social
Evil is unintelligible. It is just a thing in itself, like boarding a crowded commuter train wearing only a giant boa constrictor. There is no context which would make it explicable. Terry Eagleton boaboardcommuter Change image and share on social