We seem gradually to be groping toward an understanding of the world of subatomic particles, but we really do not know how far we have yet to go in this task.
Richard P. FeynmanRead
The philosophical question before us is, when we make an observation of our track in the past, does the result of our observation become real in the same sense that the final state would be defined if an outside observer were to make the observation?
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the nature of reality and observation, questioning how our perceptions of the past shape our understanding of what is real.
Richard P. Feynman's quote delves into the relationship between observation and reality, suggesting that our understanding of past events may differ from an objective perspective. It challenges us to consider whether our interpretations of experiences truly capture the essence of those moments, or if they are merely subjective constructs shaped by our minds, thus raising deeper philosophical questions about existence and knowledge.
Themes
ObservationRealityPhilosophyPerceptionTruth
In practice
Example use cases
Discussing the nature of reality in a philosophy class.
More from Richard P. Feynman
All quotes →The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.
Richard P. FeynmanRead
It has not yet become obvious to me that there's no real problem. I cannot define the real problem; therefore, I suspect there's no real problem, but I'm not sure there's no real problem.
Richard P. FeynmanRead
For far more marvelous is the truth than any artists of the past imagined it. Why do the poets of the present not speak of it? What men are poets who can speak of Jupiter if he were a man, but if he is an immense spinning sphere of methane and ammonia must be silent?
Richard P. FeynmanRead
Science is a way to teach how something gets to be known, what is not known, to what extent things are known (for nothing is known absolutely), how to handle doubt and uncertainty, what the rules of evidence are, how to think about things so that judgments can be made, how to distinguish truth from fraud, and from show.
Richard P. FeynmanRead
We do not know what the rules of the game are; all we are allowed to do is to watch the playing. Of course, if we watch long enough, we may eventually catch on to a few of the rules. The rules of the game are what we mean by fundamental physics.
Richard P. FeynmanRead
Similar quotes
You are living in a dream of your own creation. Let it be the dream of a lifetime, for that is exactly what it is.
Neale Donald WalschRead
What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.
AristotleRead
I was not born for one corner. The whole world is my native land.
Seneca The YoungerRead
I think that if you were to probe a lot of people's religious opinions, they would not be as religious as the numbers would suggest.
Steven PinkerRead
I did once seriously think of embracing the Christian faith. The gentle figure of Christ, so full of forgiveness that he taught his followers not to retaliate when abused or struck, but to turn the other cheek - I thought it was a beautiful example of the perfect man.
Mahatma GandhiRead
Say what you want about it, Hell is story-friendly... The mechanisms of hell are nicely attuned to the mechanisms of narrative. Not so the pleasures of Paradise. Paradise is not a story. It's about what happens when the stories are over.
Charles BaxterRead