--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes it happens that a man's circle…" description: "\"Sometimes it happens that a man's circle of horizon becomes smaller and smaller, and as the radius approaches zero it concentrates on one point. And th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/david-hilbert-12585_approach_sometimes-it-happens-that-a-man-s-circle_3192768.jpg" --- # Sometimes it happens that a man's circle of horizon… ![“Sometimes it happens that a man's circle of horizon becomes smaller and smaller, and as the radius approaches zero it concentrates on one point. And then that becomes his point of view.” quote by David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/david-hilbert-12585_approach_sometimes-it-happens-that-a-man-s-circle_3192768.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/david-hilbert-12585_approach_sometimes-it-happens-that-a-man-s-circle_3192768.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bce/david-hilbert-12585_approach_sometimes-it-happens-that-a-man-s-circle_3192768.jpg) > “Sometimes it happens that a man's circle of horizon becomes smaller and smaller, and as the radius approaches zero it concentrates on one point. And then that becomes his point of view.” [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When one's perspective narrows to a single point, it defines their entire worldview. **In simple terms:** A narrowed view becomes a fixed viewpoint. Key Takeaway Recognize and broaden your perspective. Themes perception worldview philosophy Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts cognitive bias subjectivity Questions to Reflect On - How does your current focus limit your understanding? - What would happen if you expanded your horizon? A Different Perspective A narrow focus can miss broader context and alternatives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Circles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circles/) [Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horizon/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) ## Related quotes > [Some people have got a mental horizon of radius zero and call it their point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/some-people-have-got-a-mental-horizon-of-radius-zero-and-call-it/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [The eye is the first circle; the horizon which it forms is the second; and throughout nature this primary figure is repeated without end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-eye-is-the-first-circle-the-horizon-which-it-forms-is-the-second/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The horizon of many people is a circle with a radius of zero. They call this their point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-horizon-of-many-people-is-a-circle-with-a-radius-of-zero-they/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Man is not a circle with a single center; he is an ellipse with two focii. Facts are one, ideas are the other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/man-is-not-a-circle-with-a-single-center-he-is-an-ellipse-with-two/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Man is not a circle with a single centre; he is an ellipse with a double focus. Facts form one of these, and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/man-is-not-a-circle-with-a-single-centre-he-is-an-ellipse-with-a/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Born with innocence and grew with curiosity, this is a man's circle of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mega/born-with-innocence-and-grew-with-curiosity-this-is-a-man-s-circle-of/) Mega > [The literary man has a circle of the chosen few who read him and become his only public. . . . What more natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amado-nervo/the-literary-man-has-a-circle-of-the-chosen-few-who-read-him-and/) [Amado Nervo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amado-nervo/) > [In a 50 mile radius around Chicago one can see the red aura of pain, agony, terror, anger from all the animals being butchered there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/in-a-50-mile-radius-around-chicago-one-can-see-the-red-aura-of-pain/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [My father had been in the military and he was a weapons specialist, so he had an affinity for weapons but also for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/my-father-had-been-in-the-military-and-he-was-a-weapons-specialist-so/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [To the pure geometer the radius of curvature is an incidental characteristic - like the grin of the Cheshire cat. To the physicist it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/to-the-pure-geometer-the-radius-of-curvature-is-an-incidental/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [Even before I started going to movies, I loved the idea of them. When I started learning to read as a kid, I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonso-duralde/even-before-i-started-going-to-movies-i-loved-the-idea-of-them-when-i/) [Alonso Duralde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonso-duralde/) > [The culture of New York is just impossible to replicate. Its such an incredible feeling to be walking on the streets of New York.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-schneider/the-culture-of-new-york-is-just-impossible-to-replicate-its-such-an/) [Max Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-schneider/) > [When you live in the projects, everything you need is in a mile radius: a basketball court, an indoor gym, a school, a grocery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheck-wes/when-you-live-in-the-projects-everything-you-need-is-in-a-mile-radius/) [Sheck Wes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheck-wes/) > [The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward, and we want to sit in their radius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-a-menninger/the-friends-who-listen-to-us-are-the-ones-we-move-toward-and-we-want/) [Karl A. Menninger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-a-menninger/) > [In 1966 Rolf Edberg wrote "This is mankind's home", "in the narrow borderland between the deathly heat beneath our feet and the coldness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-wallstrom/in-1966-rolf-edberg-wrote-this-is-mankind-s-home-in-the-narrow/) [Margot Wallstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-wallstrom/) ## More by David Hilbert > [ \[On Cantor's work:\] The finest product of mathematical genius and one of the supreme achievements of purely intellectual human activity. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/on-cantor-s-work-the-finest-product-of-mathematical-genius-and-one-of/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Geometry is the most complete science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/geometry-is-the-most-complete-science/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Who of us would not be glad to lift the veil behind which the future lies hidden; to cast a glance at the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/who-of-us-would-not-be-glad-to-lift-the-veil-behind-which-the-future/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [How thoroughly it is ingrained in mathematical science that every real advance goes hand in hand with the invention of sharper tools and simpler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/how-thoroughly-it-is-ingrained-in-mathematical-science-that-every/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Galileo was no idiot. Only an idiot could believe that science requires martyrdom - that may be necessary in religion, but in time a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/galileo-was-no-idiot-only-an-idiot-could-believe-that-science/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [If I were to awaken after having slept for a thousand years, my first question would be: Has the Riemann hypothesis been proven?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/if-i-were-to-awaken-after-having-slept-for-a-thousand-years-my-first/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Geometry, like arithmetic, requires for its logical development only a small number of simple, fundamental principles. These fundamental principles are called the axioms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/geometry-like-arithmetic-requires-for-its-logical-development-only-a/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [A mathematical theory is not to be considered complete until you have made it so clear that you can explain it to the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/a-mathematical-theory-is-not-to-be-considered-complete-until-you-have/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Besides it is an error to believe that rigour is the enemy of simplicity. On the contrary we find it confirmed by numerous examples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/besides-it-is-an-error-to-believe-that-rigour-is-the-enemy-of/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [Is mathematics doomed to suffer the same fate as other sciences that have split into separate branches?... Mathematics is, in my opinion, an indivisible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/is-mathematics-doomed-to-suffer-the-same-fate-as-other-sciences-that/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [One must be able to say at all times--instead of points, straight lines, and planes--tables, chairs, and beer mugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/one-must-be-able-to-say-at-all-times-instead-of-points-straight-lines/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [I have tried to avoid long numerical computations, thereby following Riemann's postulate that proofs should be given through ideas and not voluminous computations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/i-have-tried-to-avoid-long-numerical-computations-thereby-following/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [I do not want to presuppose anything as known. I see in my explanation in section 1 the definition of the concepts point, straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/i-do-not-want-to-presuppose-anything-as-known-i-see-in-my-explanation/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [No other question has ever moved so profoundly the spirit of man; no other idea has so fruitfully stimulated his intellect; yet no other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/no-other-question-has-ever-moved-so-profoundly-the-spirit-of-man-no/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) > [The further a mathematical theory is developed, the more harmoniously and uniformly does its construction proceed, and unsuspected relations are disclosed between hitherto separated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hilbert/the-further-a-mathematical-theory-is-developed-the-more-harmoniously/) [David Hilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) [Explore all 53 David Hilbert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hilbert/) ## More Approach quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [I don't have any particular method, my approach is very simple. I try to understand the emotional graph of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratik-gandhi/i-don-t-have-any-particular-method-my-approach-is-very-simple-i-try/) [Pratik Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratik-gandhi/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything, every part that you approach has to be somehow rooted in yourself. You have to somehow root everything so that it's not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/everything-every-part-that-you-approach-has-to-be-somehow-rooted-in/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. What has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/like-a-morning-dream-life-becomes-more-and-more-bright-the-longer-we/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [What begins as a Utopian vision, always - always - ends in bloodshed. 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