Q0638
“To philosophize soberly and accurately is to distinguish carefully what belongs to…” — Anton Wilhelm Amo (Tractatus de arte sobrie et accurate…)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Tractatus de arte sobrie et accurate philosophandi (1738), related. Theme: method.
English
To philosophize soberly and accurately is to distinguish carefully what belongs to the mind from what belongs to the living body.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Tractatus de arte sobrie et accurate philosophandi (1738), related and files it under Africana Philosophy. 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 Anton Wilhelm Amo
Anton Wilhelm Amo (c. 1703–c.
How to read this passage
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably William of Ockham and Kwasi Wiredu), method is framed through Africana Philosophy and Scholasticism. Some passages define method; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through method, mind.
Concepts in this quote
- Method
- Method appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat method as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Mind
- Philosophy of mind asks what consciousness, thought, and mental life are—and how they relate to body and world.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Anton Wilhelm Amo. (n.d.). To philosophize soberly and accurately is to distinguish carefully what belongs to the mind from what belongs to the living body. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0638
MLA: Anton Wilhelm Amo. “To philosophize soberly and accurately is to distinguish….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0638.
Chicago: Anton Wilhelm Amo. “To philosophize soberly and accurately is to distinguish….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0638.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “To philosophize soberly and accurately is to distinguish…”?
The passage is attributed to Anton Wilhelm Amo, Tractatus de arte sobrie et accurate philosophandi (1738), related. The archive attributes this English wording to Tractatus de arte sobrie et accurate philosophandi (1738), related and files it under Africana Philosophy. 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 Anton Wilhelm Amo mean by method?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably William of Ockham and Kwasi Wiredu), method is framed through Africana Philosophy and Scholasticism. Some passages define method; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through method, mind.