The Greeks possessed a knowledge of human nature we seem hardly able to attain to without passing through the strengthening hibernation of a new barbarism.
Georg C. LichtenbergRead
We cannot remember too often that when we observe nature, and especially the ordering of nature, it is always ourselves alone we are observing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Observing nature reflects our own inner selves and thoughts.
This quote highlights the idea that when we look at the natural world, we are not just observing external phenomena but are also reflecting on our own thoughts, feelings, and the essence of our humanity. It suggests a deep connection between ourselves and the environment, indicating that understanding nature can lead to self-discovery and insight into our own existence.
Themes
NatureSelf-ReflectionObservationHumanityEnvironment
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about conservation to emphasize the connection between humans and nature.
More from Georg C. Lichtenberg
All quotes βMany things about our bodies would not seem to us so filthy and obscene if we did not have the idea of nobility in our heads.
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Food probably has a very great influence on the condition of men. Wine exercises a more visible influence, food does it more slowly but perhaps just as surely. Who knows if a well-prepared soup was not responsible for the pneumatic pump or a poor one for a war?
Georg C. LichtenbergRead
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