Full Idea
Shall I tell you what philosophy holds out for humanity? Counsel.
Gist of Idea
What philosophy offers humanity is guidance
Source
Seneca the Younger (Letters from a Stoic [c.60], 048)
Book Reference
Seneca: 'Letters from a Stoic (Selections)', ed/tr. Campbell,Robin [Penguin 1969], p.98
A Reaction
See Quine for a flat modern denial of this claim (Idea 9764). There is a modern tendency to see ethics and political thought operating at a meta- or metameta- level. I take the main ethical theories to be very illuminating of real life.
Related Idea
Idea 9764 Inspiration and social improvement need wisdom, but not professional philosophy [Quine]