It wasn’t that they didn’t take an interest in the world around them. On the contrary, they had a deep, personal and passionate involvement in it, but instead of asking, ‘Why are we here?’ they asked, 'Is it going to rain before the harvest?’ A philosopher might have deplored this lack of mental ambition, but only if he was really certain about where his next meal was coming from.
– Terry Pratchett - Carpe Jugulum