Quote by Leo Tolstoy
But what is ? What is ?The words and do not denote any really existing thing and therefore cannot be defined. Those words only denote a certain stage of understanding of phenomena. I do not know why a certain event occurs; I think that I cannot know it; so I do not try to know it and I talk about . I see a force producing effects beyond the scope of ordinary human agencies; I do not understand why this occurs and I talk of .To a heard of rams, that ram the herdsman dries each evening into a special enclosure to feed, and that becomes twice as fat as the others, must seem to be a genius.
Summary
This quote suggests that there are certain phenomena or events that cannot be fully understood or defined by words alone. The author acknowledges their lack of knowledge or understanding regarding these events and chooses not to attempt to comprehend them. Instead, the author acknowledges a force at work that produces effects beyond typical human capabilities and refers to it as genius. The analogy of a herdsman separating a particularly well-fed ram from the rest highlights the limited perspective of the other rams who might perceive this separation as a display of exceptional intelligence.
Topics
Perspective
By Leo Tolstoy
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