Flatland Quote by Edwin Abbott
““If our sides were unequal our angles might be unequal. Instead of its being sufficient to feel, or estimate by sight, a single angle in order to determine the form of an individual, it would be necessary to ascertain each angle by the experiment of Feeling. But life would be too short for such a tedious groping. The whole science and art of Sight Recognition would at once perish; Feeling, so far as it is an art, would not long survive; intercourse would become perilous or impossible; there would be an end to all confidence, all forethought; no one would be safe in making the most simple social arrangements; in a word, civilization would relapse into barbarism.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Flatland, by Edwin Abbott, 1884
If we relied solely on feeling to judge others, society would collapse into chaos and mistrust.
In simple terms: Feeling alone can't replace rational assessment.
Key Takeaway
Balance intuition with reason in judgments.
Themes
trust
reason
social order
Mood
cautionary
thought‑provoking
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- legal decisions
- friendship
- teamwork
- conflict resolution
- leadership
Key Concepts
epistemology
human interaction
Questions to Reflect On
- How much should intuition influence our decisions?
- What risks arise from ignoring rational analysis?
A Different Perspective
Pure feeling may miss objective facts, leading to errors.
