Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing.
We live not, in reality, on the summit of a solid earth but at the bottom of an ocean of air
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that our perception of reality is shaped by the layers of atmosphere around us, emphasizing the importance of perspective.
Thales' quote reflects on the idea that our existence is not rooted in a singular, fixed reality but rather influenced by the vast and dynamic environment that surrounds us. By comparing the ground we stand on to the bottom of an ocean of air, he highlights the layers of perception and the fluidity of our understanding of the world. It encourages us to consider how our surroundings and the atmosphere we live in shape our experiences and beliefs.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture about the importance of perspective in understanding scientific phenomena.
More from Thales
All quotes βNecessity is the strongest of things, for it rules everything.
Nothing is more active than thought, for it travels over the universe, and nothing is stronger than necessity for all must submit to it.
Hope is the only good that is common to all men; those who have nothing else possess hope still.
Time is the wisest of all things that are; for it brings everything to light.
All things are from water and all things are resolved into water.
Similar quotes
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I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong.
Far too many young people today have no spiritual roots. The've been deprived of values by an agnostic, contemporary culture.
You never know who it's going to be, or what they'll bring, but whatever it is, it's always exactly what is needed.
Has not the experience of two centuries shown that gradualism in theory is perpetuity in practice? Is there an instance, in the history of the world, where slaves have been educated for freedom by their task-masters?