--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no absolute up or down, as…" description: "\"There is no absolute up or down, as Aristotle taught; no absolute position in space; but the position of a body is relative to that of other bodies. Ev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/giordano-bruno-6744_absolutes_there-is-no-absolute-up-or-down-as-arist_1140507.jpg" --- # There is no absolute up or down, as Aristotle taught; no… ![“There is no absolute up or down, as Aristotle taught; no absolute position in space; but the position of a body is relative to that of other bodies. Everywhere there is incessant relative change in position throughout the universe, and the observer is always at the center of things.” quote by Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/giordano-bruno-6744_absolutes_there-is-no-absolute-up-or-down-as-arist_1140507.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/giordano-bruno-6744_absolutes_there-is-no-absolute-up-or-down-as-arist_1140507.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/giordano-bruno-6744_absolutes_there-is-no-absolute-up-or-down-as-arist_1140507.jpg) > “There is no absolute up or down, as Aristotle taught; no absolute position in space; but the position of a body is relative to that of other bodies. Everywhere there is incessant relative change in position throughout the universe, and the observer is always at the center of things.” [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Everything’s location is defined only by its relation to other objects; there is no universal up or down. **In simple terms:** Position is always relative. Key Takeaway Recognize perspective in judgments. Themes relativity philosophy perception Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - navigation - astronomy - social dynamics - conflict resolution Key Concepts Newtonian physics subjectivity Questions to Reflect On - How does changing your reference point alter your view? - Can you identify a situation where “up” and “down” are ambiguous? A Different Perspective Relative frames can shift with new reference points, challenging fixed assumptions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [“Let me summarise our delicate position in this universe: Our every word can be our last word; our every look can be our last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/let-me-summarise-our-delicate-position-in-this-universe-our-every/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I refuse to "look up." Optimism nauseates me. It is perverse. Since man's fall, his proper position in the universe has been one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy-toole/i-refuse-to-look-up-optimism-nauseates-me-it-is-perverse-since-man-s/) [John Kennedy Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy-toole/) > [Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe, are challenged by this point of pale light.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/our-posturings-our-imagined-self-importance-the-delusion-that-we-have-3/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“A house in the middle of nowhere always reminds us our Earth’s position in the universe!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-house-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-always-reminds-us-our-earth-s/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged (...) Our planet is a lonely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/our-posturings-our-imagined-self-importance-the-delusion-that-we-have/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The universe is a million billion light-years wide, and every inch of it would kill you if you went there. This is the position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/the-universe-is-a-million-billion-light-years-wide-and-every-inch-of/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [MR. KHARIS: 'Does Mr. Celine seriously suggest that the United States Government is in need of a guardian?' MR. CELINE: 'I am merely offering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/mr-kharis-does-mr-celine-seriously-suggest-that-the-united-states/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [We live with incessant music, all the time. It's like some weird musical purgatory, there is absolutely no rest for the ears, no space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-blake/we-live-with-incessant-music-all-the-time-it-s-like-some-weird/) [James Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-blake/) > [The mark of genius is an incessant activity of mind. Genius is a spiritual greed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-pritchett/the-mark-of-genius-is-an-incessant-activity-of-mind-genius-is-a/) [V. S. Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-pritchett/) > [What is the world, O soldiers? It is I, I, this incessant snow, This northern sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-de-la-mare/what-is-the-world-o-soldiers-it-is-i-i-this-incessant-snow-this/) [Walter de La Mare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-de-la-mare/) > [You & I, Love, together we ratify the silence, while the sea destroys its perpetual statues, collapses its towers of wild speed and whiteness:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/you-i-love-together-we-ratify-the-silence-while-the-sea-destroys-its/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [I am already sensible of decay in the power of walking, and find my memory not so faithful as it used to be. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-already-sensible-of-decay-in-the-power-of-walking-and-find-my/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Silence? What can New York-noisy, roaring, rumbling, tumbling, bustling, story, turbulent New York-have to do with silence? Amid the universal clatter, the incessant din…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/silence-what-can-new-york-noisy-roaring-rumbling-tumbling-bustling/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-will-be-of-little-avail-to-the-people-that-the-laws-are-made-by/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by Giordano Bruno > [What you receive from others is a testimony to their virtue; but all that you do for others is the sign and clear indication…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/what-you-receive-from-others-is-a-testimony-to-their-virtue-but-all/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [The infinity of All ever bringing forth anew, and even as infinite space is around us, so is infinite potentiality, capacity, reception, malleability, matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/the-infinity-of-all-ever-bringing-forth-anew-and-even-as-infinite/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [Desire urges me on, while fear bridals me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/desire-urges-me-on-while-fear-bridals-me/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [The soul, in its power, is present in some way in the entire universe, because it apprehends substances which are not included in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/the-soul-in-its-power-is-present-in-some-way-in-the-entire-universe/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [Nothing is so good that impious and sacrilegious and wicked people cannot contort its proper benefit into evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/nothing-is-so-good-that-impious-and-sacrilegious-and-wicked-people/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/truth-does-not-change-because-it-is-or-is-not-believed-by-a-majority/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [“There is no top or bottom, no absolute positioning in space. There are only positions that are relative to the others. There is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/there-is-no-top-or-bottom-no-absolute-positioning-in-space-there-are/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [I consider that all which lives must feed itself and nourish itself in a manner suitable to the way in which it lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/i-consider-that-all-which-lives-must-feed-itself-and-nourish-itself/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [This whole which is visible in different ways in bodies, as far as formation, constitution, appearance, colors and other properties and common qualities, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/this-whole-which-is-visible-in-different-ways-in-bodies-as-far-as/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [Perhaps your fear in passing judgement is greater than mine in receiving it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/perhaps-your-fear-in-passing-judgement-is-greater-than-mine-in/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [I beg you, reject antiquity, tradition, faith, and authority! Let us begin anew by doubting everything we assume has been proven!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/i-beg-you-reject-antiquity-tradition-faith-and-authority-let-us-begin/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [“Its a poor mind that would think with the multitude, because it is multitude. Truth is not altered by the opinions of the vulgar,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/its-a-poor-mind-that-would-think-with-the-multitude-because-it-is/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [Everything that makes diversity of kinds, of species, differences, properties... everything that consists in generation, decay, alteration and change is not an entity, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/everything-that-makes-diversity-of-kinds-of-species-differences/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [Why, I say, do so few understand and apprehend the internal power?... He who in himself sees all things, is all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/why-i-say-do-so-few-understand-and-apprehend-the-internal-power-he/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [There is a single general space, a single vast immensity which we may freely call void: in it are unnumerable globes like this on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/there-is-a-single-general-space-a-single-vast-immensity-which-we-may/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) [Explore all 97 Giordano Bruno quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) ## More Absolutes quotes > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. But there is perfect injustice, and we know it when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/there-is-no-perfect-justice-just-as-there-is-no-absolute-in-ethics/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [So many times we come to Jesus in worship and ask Him for things that He already IS and has already done... What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-nockels/so-many-times-we-come-to-jesus-in-worship-and-ask-him-for-things-that/) Christy Nockels > [Those are decisions only the Lord will make. I believe the love of God is absolute. He said he gave his son for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/those-are-decisions-only-the-lord-will-make-i-believe-the-love-of-god/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“The Gods know what it is to be eternal, and they love to toy with mortals who use absolutes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/the-gods-know-what-it-is-to-be-eternal-and-they-love-to-toy-with/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I was asked the other day if I would be interested in the Nobel Prize, but I think that for me it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-was-asked-the-other-day-if-i-would-be-interested-in-the-nobel-prize/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [The only "definitive truth" for Buddhism is the absolute negation of any one truth as the Definitive Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-only-definitive-truth-for-buddhism-is-the-absolute-negation-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The nature of the Absolute is neither perceptible nor imperceptible; and with phenomena it is just the same. But to one who has discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huangbo-xiyun/the-nature-of-the-absolute-is-neither-perceptible-nor-imperceptible/) [Huangbo Xiyun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huangbo-xiyun/) > [Joining a company is an act that calls for absolute loyalty in big matters and little ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/joining-a-company-is-an-act-that-calls-for-absolute-loyalty-in-big/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [In fine, a life of good or evil, the hope of Heaven or the despair of Hell, Faustus stands as a reminder that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-fine-a-life-of-good-or-evil-the-hope-of-heaven-or-the-despair-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,016 Absolutes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no absolute up or down, as Aristotle taught; no absolute position in space; but the position of a body is relative to that of other bodies. Everywhere there is incessant relative change in position throughout the universe, and the observer is always at the center of things.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Giordano Bruno" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/there-is-no-absolute-up-or-down-as-aristotle-taught-no-absolute/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absolutes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/there-is-no-absolute-up-or-down-as-aristotle-taught-no-absolute/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/giordano-bruno-6744_absolutes_there-is-no-absolute-up-or-down-as-arist_1140507.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/giordano-bruno-6744_absolutes_there-is-no-absolute-up-or-down-as-arist_1140507.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/giordano-bruno-6744_absolutes_there-is-no-absolute-up-or-down-as-arist_1140507.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is no absolute up or down, as Aristotle taught; no absolute position in space; but the position of a…” — Giordano Bruno", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Giordano Bruno", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is no absolute up or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/there-is-no-absolute-up-or-down-as-aristotle-taught-no-absolute/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/there-is-no-absolute-up-or-down-as-aristotle-taught-no-absolute/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```