Philosophy is perfectly right in saying that life must be understood backward. But then one forgets the other clause - that it must be lived forward. The more one thinks through this clause, the more one concludes that life in temporality never becomes properly understandable, simply because never at any time does one get perfect repose to take the stance - backward.

Summary

This quote highlights the idea that while philosophy emphasizes the importance of understanding life by reflecting on the past, it also acknowledges that life is meant to be experienced and lived forwards. The quote suggests that true comprehension of life's meaning is elusive because one can never have the luxury of perfect rest to fully analyze and understand it from a backward perspective. It implies that there will always be a sense of incompleteness in understanding life due to the constant progression of time and the inability to fully detach oneself from the ongoing flow of existence.

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