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He walked out into the cold morning asking himself this heretical question: Can you start measuring a minute at any instant you wish?
William Gaddis
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote questions the nature of time and our perception of it.

William Gaddis raises a profound philosophical question about the measurement and perception of time. By suggesting that one can start measuring a minute at any instant, he invites contemplation on the subjective nature of time and how our personal experiences can alter its meaning, emphasizing that time is not merely a fixed framework but rather a fluid concept shaped by individual perspective.

Themes

TimePerceptionPhilosophyQuestionSubjectivity

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about how personal experiences shape our understanding of time.

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Stupidity is the deliberate cultivation of ignorance.
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I see the player piano as the grandfather of the computer, the ancestor of the entire nightmare we live in, the birth of the binary world where there is no option other than yes or no and where there is no refuge.
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How real is any of the past, being every moment revalued to make the present possible.
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