Behind it all is surely an idea so simple, so beautiful, that when we grasp it - in a decade, a century, or a millennium - we will all say to each other, how could it have been otherwise? How could we have been so stupid?
John Archibald WheelerRead
No phenomenon is a real phenomenon until it is an observed phenomenon.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Observation is crucial for defining and understanding phenomena in the universe.
This quote by John Archibald Wheeler emphasizes the fundamental role of observation in the realm of science and physics. It suggests that a phenomenon only gains significance and reality when it is observed, highlighting the interplay between measurement and existence in scientific inquiry. This reflects a philosophical understanding that our perceptions and interactions with the universe shape our knowledge of it.
Themes
ObservationPhenomenonScienceRealityExistence
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on quantum mechanics, one might point out this quote to illustrate the significance of measurement.
More from John Archibald Wheeler
All quotes βIn order to more fully understand this reality, we must take into account other dimensions of a broader reality.
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The universe gives birth to consciousness, and consciousness gives meaning to the universe.
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