Enough time Quote by Mortimer J. Adler
““the essence of tragedy is time, or rather the lack of it. There is no problem in any Greek tragedy that could not have been solved if there had been enough time, but there is never enough. Decisions, choices have to be made in a moment, there is no time to think and weigh the consequences; and, since even tragic heroes are fallible—especially fallible, perhaps—the decisions are wrong. It is easy for us to see what should have been done, but would we have been able to see in time? That is the question that you should always ask in reading any Greek tragedy.””
About This Quote
Source Book: “The Great Ideas: A Philosophical Encyclopedia” by Mortimer J. Adler, 1995
Tragedy arises because characters lack sufficient time to make wise choices, leading to irreversible errors.
In simple terms: Time shortage causes poor decisions in tragedy.
Key Takeaway
Recognize time limits when judging actions.
Themes
tragedy
decisionmaking
humanfallibility
time
Greek drama
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- reading Greek plays
- ethical debates
- personal decision pressure
- leadership crises
Key Concepts
philosophy
literary criticism
determinism
Questions to Reflect On
- How would outcomes change with more deliberation?
- Can we ever truly know the right choice in a moment?
A Different Perspective
Time constraints may oversimplify complex causes of tragedy.
