The sociologist Frank Furedi said that “Intellectuals are not defined according to the jobs they do, but the manner in which they act, the way they see themselves, and the [social and political values that they uphold.
Václav Havel je dejal, da se lahko politiki in intelektualci povezujejo, ampak da odgovornost za svoje ideje, četudi jih zagovarja politik, prevzame intelektualec.