“I shall be ambitious to have it said of me, that I have brought Philosophy out of Closets and Libraries, Schools and Colleges, to dwell in Clubs and Assemblies, at Tea-Tables, and in Coffee- Houses.”

To whom do you attribute this famous statement?

The correct option is Joseph Addison.

This famous quote is attributed to the English essayist, poet, and playwright Joseph Addison. It appears in Spectator No. 10, published on March 12, 1711. The Spectator was a highly influential daily periodical founded by Joseph Addison and Richard Steele in 18th-century England.

During this era, intellectual discourse, philosophy, and scholarly debates were typically confined to formal institutions such as universities, private libraries, and aristocratic circles. Addison and Steele sought to break this barrier. Through their essays, they aimed to democratize knowledge and refine the manners of the rising middle class by making philosophy, literature, and moral instruction accessible and enjoyable.
By bringing these discussions to popular social hubs of the day—such as coffee houses, clubs, assemblies, and family tea tables—Addison succeeded in integrated philosophical thinking into everyday public conversation.