None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
Observation is so wide awake, and facts are being so rapidly added to the sum of human experience, that it appears as if the theorizer would always be in arrears, and were doomed forever to arrive at imperfect conclusion; but the power to perceive a law is equally rare in all ages of the world, and depends but little on the number of facts observed.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Observation and understanding often lag behind the accumulation of facts, highlighting the rarity of true insight.
In this quote, Thoreau reflects on the relationship between empirical observation and the development of theory. He suggests that while facts about the world are constantly being gathered, the ability to truly perceive and understand underlying laws or principles is much rarer. This underscores a philosophical stance that mere data collection is not sufficient for comprehensive understanding; rather, it requires deeper insight that is independent of the quantity of facts observed. Thus, it invites us to consider how wisdom and discernment are crucial in making sense of the world.
Themes
ObservationFactsTheoryLawUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on science and philosophy, this quote can emphasize the importance of critical thinking beyond mere data.
More from Henry David Thoreau
All quotes →Through want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
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Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
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As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
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That grand old poem called Winter
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