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An inner process stands in need of outward criteria.
Ludwig Wittgenstein
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Interpretation

What this quote means

We often need external indicators to understand our internal thoughts and processes.

This quote by Ludwig Wittgenstein suggests that our inner experiences, thoughts, and feelings are often difficult to comprehend without some form of external reference or validation. It implies that our understanding of ourselves and our internal processes can be enhanced by looking at external signs, criteria, or feedback, indicating a relationship between the subjective inner world and the objective outer world.

Themes

InnerProcessCriteriaOutwardUnderstanding

In practice

Example use cases

In a psychology class discussing the importance of feedback in self-awareness.

More from Ludwig Wittgenstein

If we spoke a different language, we would perceive a somewhat different world.
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Nothing is so difficult as not deceiving oneself.
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My day passes between logic, whistling, going for walks, and being depressed. I wish to God that I were more intelligent and everything would finally become clear to me - or else that I needn't live much longer.
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