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The Ph.D is one of the chosen who know that some things…

“The Ph.D is one of the chosen who know that some things can never be fathomed, no matter how hard you try. What good are explanations? There is no possibility of explaining how such a work [Mozart's Requiem, in the instance] could ever have come into being. (The same holds true for certain poems…” quote by Elfriede Jelinek
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““The Ph.D is one of the chosen who know that some things can never be fathomed, no matter how hard you try. What good are explanations? There is no possibility of explaining how such a work [Mozart's Requiem, in the instance] could ever have come into being. (The same holds true for certain poems, which should not be analyzed either.)””

Elfriede Jelinek

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Some works are beyond rational explanation; their mystery resists analysis.

In simple terms: Art can be unknowable.

Key Takeaway

Accept mystery, avoid over‑analysis.

Themes

art mystery limits of knowledge

Mood

contemplative skeptical

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

  • literary criticism
  • music appreciation
  • philosophical debate

Key Concepts

aesthetic experience ineffability

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why do we seek to explain the inexplicable?
  • Can mystery be valuable?
A Different Perspective

Attempting to explain may diminish wonder.

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