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An animal that embarks on forming states without greatly restricting egoism will perish.
Erwin Schrodinger
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Egoism without limitation leads to failure in societal organization.

This quote by Erwin SchrΓΆdinger reflects on the idea that if individuals prioritize their own interests (egoism) over communal well-being, societies will struggle to thrive. It suggests that for any group or community to survive and flourish, there must be a balance between personal desires and collective responsibility, implying that unchecked selfishness can lead to societal downfall.

Themes

EgoismSocietyBalanceCollectiveResponsibility

In practice

Example use cases

During a seminar on ethics, this quote could be highlighted to discuss the importance of community over self-interest.

More from Erwin Schrodinger

Quantum physics thus reveals a basic oneness of the universe.
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A careful analysis of the process of observation in atomic physics has shown that the subatomic particles have no meaning as isolated entities, but can only be understood as interconnections between the preparation of an experiment and the subsequent measurement.
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I am very astonished that the scientific picture of the real world around me is deficient. It gives a lot of factual information, puts all our experience in a magnificently consistent order, but it is ghastly silent about all and sundry that is really near to our heart, that really matters to us. It cannot tell us a word about red and blue, bitter and sweet, physical pain and physical delight; it knows nothing of beautiful and ugly, good or bad, God and eternity.
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There is no kind of framework within which we can find consciousness in the plural; this is simply something we construct because of the temporal plurality of individuals, but it is a false construction... The only solution to this conflict insofar as any is available to us at all lies in the ancient wisdom of the Upanishad.
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Vedanta teaches that consciousness is singular, all happenings are played out in one universal consciousness and there is no multiplicity of selves.
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Consciousness is a singular for which there is no plural.
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Quote by Erwin Schrodinger | QuoteProject