--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can never, never describe all the…" description: "\"“We can never, never describe all the features of the total situation, not only because every situation is infinitely complex, but also because the tot..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/alan-w-watts-9497_infinitely_we-can-never-never-describe-all-the-feat_399611.jpg" --- # We can never, never describe all the features of the total… ![“We can never, never describe all the features of the total situation, not only because every situation is infinitely complex, but also because the total situation is the universe.” quote by Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/alan-w-watts-9497_infinitely_we-can-never-never-describe-all-the-feat_399611.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/alan-w-watts-9497_infinitely_we-can-never-never-describe-all-the-feat_399611.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/alan-w-watts-9497_infinitely_we-can-never-never-describe-all-the-feat_399611.jpg) > ““We can never, never describe all the features of the total situation, not only because every situation is infinitely complex, but also because the total situation is the universe.”” [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The total situation is infinitely complex, making complete description impossible; reality exceeds any single perspective. **In simple terms:** The universe is too complex to fully describe. Key Takeaway Accept limits of understanding; stay curious. Themes philosophy complexity knowledge humility Mood contemplative calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - scientific research - daily decision making - creative problem solving - spiritual practice Key Concepts systems thinking epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How do you navigate complexity without being overwhelmed? - What practices help you stay open to unknowns? A Different Perspective Over‑analysis can lead to paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Every Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-situation/) [Infinitely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinitely/) [Infinitely Complex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinitely-complex-2479465/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Situation Infinitely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation-infinitely-3586717/) [Situation Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation-universe-3586718/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [My art is the result of a deeply personal, infinitely complex, and still essentially mysterious, exploration of experience. No words will ever touch it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brecht/my-art-is-the-result-of-a-deeply-personal-infinitely-complex-and/) [George Brecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brecht/) > [We never know enough about the infinitely complex circumstances of any past event to prophesy the future by analogy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-m-trevelyan/we-never-know-enough-about-the-infinitely-complex-circumstances-of/) [G. M. Trevelyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-m-trevelyan/) > [Life is infinitely complex, and I feel like we live in a culture that really seems to want to simplify it into sound bites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ball/life-is-infinitely-complex-and-i-feel-like-we-live-in-a-culture-that/) [Alan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ball/) > [The challenge is about taking things that are infinitely complex and making them simpler and more understandable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greenberg/the-challenge-is-about-taking-things-that-are-infinitely-complex-and/) [Robert Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greenberg/) > [Books may look like nothing more than words on a page, but they are actually an infinitely complex imaginotransference technology that translates odd, inky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/books-may-look-like-nothing-more-than-words-on-a-page-but-they-are/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“why is it that the simple, abstract language of mathematics can accurately capture so much of our infinitely complex world?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-domingos/why-is-it-that-the-simple-abstract-language-of-mathematics-can/) [Pedro Domingos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-domingos/) > [“So really there's almost no point in planning anything out at all, because life is so infinitely complex that you can almost never just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-blackman/so-really-there-s-almost-no-point-in-planning-anything-out-at-all/) [Andrew Blackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-blackman/) > [The world is infinitely more complex than it appeared to me 15 years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-denton/the-world-is-infinitely-more-complex-than-it-appeared-to-me-15-years/) [Andrew Denton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-denton/) > [“Let it also be borne in mind how infinitely complex and close-fitting are the mutual relations of all organic beings to each other and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/let-it-also-be-borne-in-mind-how-infinitely-complex-and-close-fitting/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [Chess is an infinitely complex game, which one can play in infinitely numerous and varied ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-kramnik/chess-is-an-infinitely-complex-game-which-one-can-play-in-infinitely/) [Vladimir Kramnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-kramnik/) > [I am infinitely strange to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/i-am-infinitely-strange-to-myself/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [Many young people now end a discussion with the supposedly definitive and unanswerable statement that such is their opinion, and their opinion is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dalrymple/many-young-people-now-end-a-discussion-with-the-supposedly-definitive/) [Theodore Dalrymple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dalrymple/) > [“None of it was real; nothing was real. Everything was real; inconceivably real, infinitely dear. These and all things started as nothing, latent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/none-of-it-was-real-nothing-was-real-everything-was-real/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful than we will ever be able to comprehend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-goodness-of-god-is-infinitely-more-wonderful-than-we-will-ever-be/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) ## More by Alan W. Watts > [“This is what is called "honor among thieves," for the really dangerous people are those who do not recognize that they are thieves— the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/this-is-what-is-called-honor-among-thieves-for-the-really-dangerous/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [ “\[T\]he question "What is everything?" has no meaning, even though it seems to be profound. \[...\] The point is, perhaps, that I am not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/t-he-question-what-is-everything-has-no-meaning-even-though-it-seems/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [“contrite, and in love with God. You can’t make”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/contrite-and-in-love-with-god-you-can-t-make/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [“Those who speak, do not know; those who know, do not speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/those-who-speak-do-not-know-those-who-know-do-not-speak/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [“In knowing the world we humanize it, and if, as we discover it, we are astonished at its dimensions and its complexity, we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/in-knowing-the-world-we-humanize-it-and-if-as-we-discover-it-we-are/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [“Who wants to serve in a police vice squad, spending hours peeking into men’s johns to detect acts of homosexuality? Who wants a job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/who-wants-to-serve-in-a-police-vice-squad-spending-hours-peeking-into/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [ “\[T\]he world as described is included in but is not the same as the world as it is. As a way of contemplation, it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/t-he-world-as-described-is-included-in-but-is-not-the-same-as-the/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [ “\[S\]een as a whole the universe is a harmony or symbiosis of patterns which cannot exist without each other.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/s-een-as-a-whole-the-universe-is-a-harmony-or-symbiosis-of-patterns/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [“The Book I am thinking about would not be religious in the usual sense, but it would have to discuss many things with which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/the-book-i-am-thinking-about-would-not-be-religious-in-the-usual/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [“Great power is worry, and total power is boredom, such that even God renounces it and pretends, instead, that he is people and fish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/great-power-is-worry-and-total-power-is-boredom-such-that-even-god/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [“The human organism has the same kind of innate intelligence as the ecosystems of nature, and the wisdom of the nerves and senses must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/the-human-organism-has-the-same-kind-of-innate-intelligence-as-the/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [“When there is a crack in the Cosmic Egg, Buddha is about to be born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/when-there-is-a-crack-in-the-cosmic-egg-buddha-is-about-to-be-born/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [“...he will accompany us on a hike in the hills, leaping and whizzing back and forth, and coming when called as well as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/he-will-accompany-us-on-a-hike-in-the-hills-leaping-and-whizzing-back/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [ “\[T\]he chances of survival are best when there is no anxiety to survive, and \[...\] the greatest power is available to those who do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/t-he-chances-of-survival-are-best-when-there-is-no-anxiety-to-survive/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [“This willful, compulsive, moralistic approach to man’s transformation always obstructs it—for it still implies that very illusion of self-mastery which stands in the way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/this-willful-compulsive-moralistic-approach-to-man-s-transformation/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) [Explore all 72 Alan W. Watts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) ## More Infinitely quotes > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I am infinitely strange to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/i-am-infinitely-strange-to-myself/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“None of it was real; nothing was real. Everything was real; inconceivably real, infinitely dear. These and all things started as nothing, latent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/none-of-it-was-real-nothing-was-real-everything-was-real/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Many young people now end a discussion with the supposedly definitive and unanswerable statement that such is their opinion, and their opinion is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dalrymple/many-young-people-now-end-a-discussion-with-the-supposedly-definitive/) [Theodore Dalrymple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dalrymple/) > [The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful than we will ever be able to comprehend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-goodness-of-god-is-infinitely-more-wonderful-than-we-will-ever-be/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [We are infinitely more than our limitations and afflictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/we-are-infinitely-more-than-our-limitations-and-afflictions/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [“With a little effort, anything can be shown to connect with anything else: existence is infinitely cross-referenced. And everything has more than one definition. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-cooley/with-a-little-effort-anything-can-be-shown-to-connect-with-anything/) [Martha Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-cooley/) > [Our Heavenly Father is far more merciful, infinitely more charitable, than even the best of his servants, and the Everlasting Gospel is mightier in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-f-whitney/our-heavenly-father-is-far-more-merciful-infinitely-more-charitable/) [Orson F. Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-f-whitney/) > [I was an infinitely hot and dense dot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leyner/i-was-an-infinitely-hot-and-dense-dot/) [Mark Leyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leyner/) > [Books are in no hurry. An act of creation is in no hurry; it reads us, it privileges us infinitely. The notion that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steiner/books-are-in-no-hurry-an-act-of-creation-is-in-no-hurry-it-reads-us/) [George Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steiner/) > [Since we are an inextricable part of the field of consciousness, we are also infinitely creative, unbounded, and eternal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/since-we-are-an-inextricable-part-of-the-field-of-consciousness-we/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The work of acting, in and of itself, is something that is infinitely enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/the-work-of-acting-in-and-of-itself-is-something-that-is-infinitely/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [no matter how happy we are, no matter how much we want our night to stretch out infinitely, sleep is inevitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/no-matter-how-happy-we-are-no-matter-how-much-we-want-our-night-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Be infinitely flexible and constantly amazed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-infinitely-flexible-and-constantly-amazed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [From the director's point of view, it's infinitely easier to do violence than to do a good dramatic scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-cukor/from-the-director-s-point-of-view-it-s-infinitely-easier-to-do/) [George Cukor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-cukor/) [Browse all 164 Infinitely quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infinitely/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We can never, never describe all the features of the total situation, not only because every situation is infinitely complex, but also because the total situation is the universe.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan W. 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