Astronomy Quote by David Bentley Hart
““All things are subject to time, moreover: they possess no complete identity in themselves, but are always in the process of becoming something else, and hence also in the process of becoming nothing at all. There is a pure fragility and necessary incompleteness to any finite thing; nothing has its actuality entirely in itself, fully enjoyed in some impregnable present instant, but must always receive itself from beyond itself, and then only by losing itself at the same time. Nothing within the cosmos contains the ground of its own being. To use an old terminology, every finite thing is the union of an essence (its “what it is”) with a unique existence (its “that it is”), each of which is utterly impotent to explain the other, or to explain itself for that matter, and neither of which can ever be wholly or permanently possessed by anything.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Beauty of the Infinite, David Bentley Hart, 2003
Finite things are always becoming something else, never fully complete; they depend on something beyond themselves, revealing inherent fragility and incompleteness.
In simple terms: Things are always changing and incomplete, relying on something beyond.
Key Takeaway
Accept impermanence and interdependence.
Themes
philosophy
impermanence
ontology
Mood
contemplative
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal development
- spiritual practice
- scientific inquiry
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
process philosophy
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does it mean to find identity in a constantly changing world?
- How can we balance acceptance of incompleteness with the desire for certainty?
A Different Perspective
Emphasizing change may overlook stability and continuity.
