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The influence of the senses have in men overpowered the thought to the degree that the walls of time and space have come to look solid, real and insurmountable. .. Yet time and space are but inverse measures of the power of the mind. Man is capable of abolishing them both.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes that our perception limits our understanding of time and space, which can be transcended by the power of the mind.

Ralph Waldo Emerson asserts that human senses can dominate thought so intensely that we come to regard time and space as concrete barriers. However, he suggests that these notions are merely reflections of our mental capabilities, implying that the mind has the potential to transcend these limitations. This invites us to reconsider our relationship with reality and the bounds we perceive in our existence.

Themes

PerceptionMindTimeSpaceReality

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about the limitations of human understanding in a philosophy class.

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