Q0313
“Philosophy is the cultivation of the soul.” — Cicero (Tusculan Disputations)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Tusculan Disputations. Theme: cultivation.
English
Philosophy is the cultivation of the soul.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Tusculan Disputations and files it under Stoicism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BCE) was Rome’s greatest orator and a statesman who transmitted Greek philosophy into Latin prose. Caught in the Republic’s death throes, he opposed Caesar’s assassins’ enemies and was killed in the proscriptions.
How to read this passage
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Mencius and Al-Ghazali), cultivation is framed through Confucianism and Islamic Philosophy. Some passages define cultivation; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through cultivation.
Concepts in this quote
- Cultivation
- Cultivation appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat cultivation as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Cicero. (n.d.). Philosophy is the cultivation of the soul. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0313
MLA: Cicero. “Philosophy is the cultivation of the soul..” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0313.
Chicago: Cicero. “Philosophy is the cultivation of the soul..” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0313.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Philosophy is the cultivation of the soul.”?
The passage is attributed to Cicero, Tusculan Disputations. The archive attributes this English wording to Tusculan Disputations and files it under Stoicism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Cicero mean by cultivation?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Mencius and Al-Ghazali), cultivation is framed through Confucianism and Islamic Philosophy. Some passages define cultivation; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through cultivation.