--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But this quantum only takes on its full…" description: "\"“But this quantum only takes on its full significance when we try to define it with regard to a concrete natural movement — that is to say, in duration..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b39/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin-134_physics_but-this-quantum-only-takes-on-its-full_1592690.jpg" --- # But this quantum only takes on its full significance when… ![“But this quantum only takes on its full significance when we try to define it with regard to a concrete natural movement — that is to say, in duration.” quote by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b39/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin-134_physics_but-this-quantum-only-takes-on-its-full_1592690.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b39/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin-134_physics_but-this-quantum-only-takes-on-its-full_1592690.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b39/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin-134_physics_but-this-quantum-only-takes-on-its-full_1592690.jpg) > ““But this quantum only takes on its full significance when we try to define it with regard to a concrete natural movement — that is to say, in duration.”” [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Significance emerges when abstract ideas are tied to concrete, measurable change over time. **In simple terms:** Ideas need real-world context to matter. Key Takeaway Link theory to observable duration. Themes meaning time science Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - research - education - technology development Key Concepts philosophy quantum theory measurement Questions to Reflect On - What concrete example illustrates this idea? - How does duration affect your understanding? A Different Perspective Abstract concepts can stay vague without temporal grounding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Natural Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-movement-1963415/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Quantum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quantum/) [Quantum Takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quantum-takes-6039716/) [Significance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance/) [Takes Significance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes-significance-6039715/) ## Related quotes > [“Natalie was one of the confident skaters weaving in and out of bodies, natural movement that succeeded because there wasn’t too much thought put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-drinkwater/natalie-was-one-of-the-confident-skaters-weaving-in-and-out-of-bodies/) [Karl Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-drinkwater/) > [Every natural movement is graceful. Did you ever watch a kitten at play?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-cora-mowatt/every-natural-movement-is-graceful-did-you-ever-watch-a-kitten-at-play/) [Anna Cora Mowatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-cora-mowatt/) > [Natural movement is the shortest way to an effective result. Like the way the water runs, it always finds the right way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-vasiliev/natural-movement-is-the-shortest-way-to-an-effective-result-like-the/) [Vladimir Vasiliev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-vasiliev/) > [“Hence there is more action or natural movement in describing, for example, a God who walks in the garden in the cool of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-l-lowry/hence-there-is-more-action-or-natural-movement-in-describing-for/) [Eugene L. Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-l-lowry/) > [The Theory of Relativity confers an absolute meaning on a magnitude which in classical theory has only a relative significance: the velocity of light.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-planck/the-theory-of-relativity-confers-an-absolute-meaning-on-a-magnitude/) [Max Planck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-planck/) > [“Quantum physics speaks in chance, with the syntax of uncertainty. You can know the position of an electron but you cannot know where its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/quantum-physics-speaks-in-chance-with-the-syntax-of-uncertainty-you/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [Interference between universes at the quantum level means that information transfer takes place between them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-hogan/interference-between-universes-at-the-quantum-level-means-that/) [James P. Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-hogan/) > [A popular feel for scientific endeavors should, if possible, be restored given the needs of the twenty-first century. This does not mean that every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/a-popular-feel-for-scientific-endeavors-should-if-possible-be/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“in experimental quantum mechanics we have run right up against what was previously perceived to be a purely philosophical barrier. The experiments are telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-baggott/in-experimental-quantum-mechanics-we-have-run-right-up-against-what/) [Jim Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-baggott/) > [“The world of quantum mechanics is not a world of objects: it is a world of events.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-rovelli/the-world-of-quantum-mechanics-is-not-a-world-of-objects-it-is-a/) [Carlo Rovelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-rovelli/) > [After 'Quantum Leap,' a lot of sci-fi things came my way, and I had to say, 'I can't do that right now.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-bakula/after-quantum-leap-a-lot-of-sci-fi-things-came-my-way-and-i-had-to/) [Scott Bakula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-bakula/) > [“All creativity is based on quantum leaps and uncertainty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/all-creativity-is-based-on-quantum-leaps-and-uncertainty/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [We are the product of quantum fluctuations in the very early universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-are-the-product-of-quantum-fluctuations-in-the-very-early-universe/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Trying to understand the way nature works involves a most terrible test of human reasoning ability. It involves subtle trickery, beautiful tightropes of logic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/trying-to-understand-the-way-nature-works-involves-a-most-terrible/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## More by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin > [Long before the awakening of thought on earth, manifestations of cosmic energy must have been produced which have no parallel today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/long-before-the-awakening-of-thought-on-earth-manifestations-of/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [The longer I live, the more I feel that true repose consists in 'renouncing' one's own self, by which I mean making up one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/the-longer-i-live-the-more-i-feel-that-true-repose-consists-in/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [Today, something is happening to the whole structure of human consciousness. A fresh kind of life is starting. Driven by the forces of love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/today-something-is-happening-to-the-whole-structure-of-human/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [“We, mankind, contain the possibilities of the earth's immense future, and can realise more and more of them on condition that we increase our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/we-mankind-contain-the-possibilities-of-the-earth-s-immense-future/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [I think that man has a fundamental obligation to extract from himself and from the earth all that it can give; and this obligation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/i-think-that-man-has-a-fundamental-obligation-to-extract-from-himself/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [At the age when other children, I imagine, experience their first 'feeling' for a person, or for art, or for religion, I was affectionate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/at-the-age-when-other-children-i-imagine-experience-their-first/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [The most empowering relationships are those in which each partner lifts the other to a higher possession of their own being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/the-most-empowering-relationships-are-those-in-which-each-partner/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/we-are-not-human-beings-having-a-spiritual-experience-we-are/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [“In the shadow of death may we not look back to the past, but seek in utter darkness the dawn of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/in-the-shadow-of-death-may-we-not-look-back-to-the-past-but-seek-in/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [The stars are laboratories in which the evolution of matter proceeds in the direction of large molecules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/the-stars-are-laboratories-in-which-the-evolution-of-matter-proceeds/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [It is not our heads or our bodies which we must bring together, but our hearts. . . . Humanity. . . is building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/it-is-not-our-heads-or-our-bodies-which-we-must-bring-together-but/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [Each elect soul ... possesses God directly and finds in that unique possession the fulfillment of his own individuality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/each-elect-soul-possesses-god-directly-and-finds-in-that-unique/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [You have told me, O God, to believe in hell. But you have forbidden me to think...of any man as damned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/you-have-told-me-o-god-to-believe-in-hell-but-you-have-forbidden-me/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [In the final analysis, the questions of why bad things happen to good people transmutes itself into some very different questions, no longer asking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/in-the-final-analysis-the-questions-of-why-bad-things-happen-to-good/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [When humans truly discover the power of love, it will prove more important than the harnessing of fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/when-humans-truly-discover-the-power-of-love-it-will-prove-more/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) [Explore all 253 Pierre Teilhard de Chardin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) ## More Physics quotes > [“The universe is not punishing you or blessing you. The universe is simply responding to the vibrational attitude that you are emitting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-hicks/the-universe-is-not-punishing-you-or-blessing-you-the-universe-is/) [Abraham Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-hicks/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“The generalized theory of relativity has furnished still more remarkable results. This considers not only uniform but also accelerated motion. In particular, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-michelson/the-generalized-theory-of-relativity-has-furnished-still-more/) [A.A. Michelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-michelson/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [. . . to know the order of nature, and regard the universe as orderly is the highest function of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/to-know-the-order-of-nature-and-regard-the-universe-as-orderly-is-the/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [A monkey is unaware that atoms exist. Likewise, our brainpower may not stretch to the deepest aspects of reality. The bedrock nature of space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/a-monkey-is-unaware-that-atoms-exist-likewise-our-brainpower-may-not/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [Worship isn't destructive, Martin. I know that. I don't. I only know it's the core of his life. What else has he got? He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/worship-isn-t-destructive-martin-i-know-that-i-don-t-i-only-know-it-s/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [“the new theory of matter has entirely over thrown the old conception of the unchanging atoms, and they are now regarded to be composed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/the-new-theory-of-matter-has-entirely-over-thrown-the-old-conception/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [In this other dimension I feel tension surrounding my every move. You and I are together at last. We are captive in our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-elektricity/in-this-other-dimension-i-feel-tension-surrounding-my-every-move-you/) [London Elektricity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-elektricity/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) [J. Willard Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-willard-gibbs/) > [Geometry, which should only obey Physics, when united with it sometimes commands it. If it happens that the question which we wish to examine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-le-rond-d-alembert/geometry-which-should-only-obey-physics-when-united-with-it-sometimes/) [Jean le Rond d'Alembert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-le-rond-d-alembert/) > [The strongest force in the universe is Compound Interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-strongest-force-in-the-universe-is-compound-interest/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [“Science is progressive and self-correcting: no significantly erroneous conclusions or false hypotheses can be sustained for long, as newer observations will ultimately knock down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-s-collins/science-is-progressive-and-self-correcting-no-significantly-erroneous/) [Francis S. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-s-collins/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) [Browse all 4,299 Physics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But this quantum only takes on its full significance when we try to define it with regard to a concrete natural movement — that is to say, in duration.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pierre Teilhard de Chardin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/but-this-quantum-only-takes-on-its-full-significance-when-we-try-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Physics" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/but-this-quantum-only-takes-on-its-full-significance-when-we-try-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b39/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin-134_physics_but-this-quantum-only-takes-on-its-full_1592690.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b39/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin-134_physics_but-this-quantum-only-takes-on-its-full_1592690.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b39/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin-134_physics_but-this-quantum-only-takes-on-its-full_1592690.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But this quantum only takes on its full significance when we try to define it with regard to a concrete…” — Pierre Teilhard de Chardin", "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": "Pierre Teilhard de Chardin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But this quantum only takes on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/but-this-quantum-only-takes-on-its-full-significance-when-we-try-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/but-this-quantum-only-takes-on-its-full-significance-when-we-try-to/#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 } } ] } ```