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Philosophy Between Quietism and Activism | John Haldane on the Proper Task of Philosophy

Angelicum Conversations

What is philosophy for? Should it simply describe the world as we find it, clarifying our concepts and leaving everything as it is? Or should it unsettle our assumptions, revise our thinking, and aim to change the world? In this episode of Angelicum Conversations, Fr. Adrian McCaffery, O.P., speaks with Professor John Haldane about what he calls philosophy’s via media—a path between quietism and activism. Drawing on figures from classical to modern to contemporary philosophy, Haldane explores competing conceptions of philosophy and their implications for metaphysics, ethics, and political thought. The conversation examines two forms of quietism, which resist revising our ordinary ways of thinking, and two forms of activism, which seek to overturn established concepts and commitments. Against both extremes, Haldane argues that philosophy must remain open to the possibility that our common beliefs are confused or mistaken, while also recognizing that those beliefs place real constraints on philosophical theorizing. 👉 Full transcript & show notes: https://media.angelicum.it/online-series/angelicum-conversations/episode-4-philosophy-between-activism-quietism/ 📖 Angelicum Conversations is a new interview series from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome. Each episode features thoughtful dialogue on theology, philosophy, and culture—conversations that reflect the Angelicum’s mission of serving the Church through study, contemplation, and teaching. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:00 Two Paths for Philosophy 6:54 Two Kinds of Quietism 12:04 Four Oxford Women 19:48 Two Kinds of Activism 33:32 A Middle Path? 38:27 Public Philosophy 40:54 Progress in Philosophy? 49:06 Thomism & Philosophy 57:18 Conclusion