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There is also a keen pleasure (and after all, what else…

“There is also a keen pleasure (and after all, what else should the pursuit of science produce?) in meeting the riddle of the initial blossoming of man's mind by postulating a voluptuous pause in the growth of the rest of nature, a lolling and loafing which allowed first of all the formation of…” quote by Vladimir Nabokov
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““There is also a keen pleasure (and after all, what else should the pursuit of science produce?) in meeting the riddle of the initial blossoming of man's mind by postulating a voluptuous pause in the growth of the rest of nature, a lolling and loafing which allowed first of all the formation of Homo poeticus -- without which sapiens could not have been evolved. "Struggle for life" indeed! The curse of battle and toil leads man back to the boar, to the grunting beast's crazy obsession with the search for food. You and I have frequently remarked upon that maniacal glint in a housewife's scheming eye as it roves over food in a grocery or about the morgue of a butcher's shop. Toilers of the world, disband! Old books are wrong. The world was made on a Sunday. ””

Vladimir Nabokov

About This Quote

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

Science’s joy lies in pausing to contemplate nature’s mysteries, which fuels poetic imagination and drives human evolution.

In simple terms: Science pauses to wonder, sparking poetry and progress.

Key Takeaway

Embrace curiosity and reflection.

Themes

science philosophy creativity

Mood

contemplative inquisitive

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • academic research
  • artistic creation
  • personal reflection
  • education

Key Concepts

wonder pause evolution human nature

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does curiosity shape your work?
  • When is reflection more valuable than action?
A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on pause can stall action.

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