--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And what avails it that science has come…" description: "\"And what avails it that science has come to treat space and time as simply forms of thought, and the material world as hypothetical, and withal our pre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_ascension_and-what-avails-it-that-science-has-come_2878780.jpg" --- # And what avails it that science has come to treat space… ![“And what avails it that science has come to treat space and time as simply forms of thought, and the material world as hypothetical, and withal our pretension of property and even of self-hood are fading with the rest, if, at last, even our thoughts are not finalities, but the incessant flowing…” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_ascension_and-what-avails-it-that-science-has-come_2878780.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_ascension_and-what-avails-it-that-science-has-come_2878780.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_ascension_and-what-avails-it-that-science-has-come_2878780.jpg) > “And what avails it that science has come to treat space and time as simply forms of thought, and the material world as hypothetical, and withal our pretension of property and even of self-hood are fading with the rest, if, at last, even our thoughts are not finalities, but the incessant flowing and ascension reach these also, and each thought which yesterday was a finality, to-day is yielding to a larger generalization?” [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thoughts evolve; even our concepts of self and property are provisional. **In simple terms:** Ideas and identities are constantly changing. Key Takeaway Embrace intellectual flexibility. Themes philosophy metaphysics impermanence Mood thoughtful provocative Type philosophical introspective When to use this quote - education - creative writing - personal reflection Key Concepts conceptual fluidity self‑identity property theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay open to new ideas? - What does it mean to let go of fixed identities? A Different Perspective Rigid beliefs can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ascension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ascension/) [Fading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fading/) [Finality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finality/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Forms Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forms-thought-364155/) [Generalization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generalization/) [Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hood/) [Hypothetical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypothetical/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Incessant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incessant/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Material world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material-world/) [Materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials/) [Our thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-thoughts/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Pretension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretension/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space and time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-and-time/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-material-3977784/) [Thought Yesterday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-yesterday-615519/) [Thoughtful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughtful/) [Thoughts Finalities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-finalities-3977783/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time and space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-and-space/) [Treats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treats/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Yesterday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yesterday/) ## Related quotes > [Time and space are only forms of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-nesbit/time-and-space-are-only-forms-of-thought/) [E. Nesbit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-nesbit/) > [“Ego is the complete identification with form. Physical forms, thought forms, emotional forms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/ego-is-the-complete-identification-with-form-physical-forms-thought/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [The interpretation of thought as ""inner speech" has taken different forms, and has been used to clarify a variety of problems--thus problems pertaining to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfrid-sellars/the-interpretation-of-thought-as-inner-speech-has-taken-different/) [Wilfrid Sellars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfrid-sellars/) > [Although the formulations of science now offer the most advanced knowledge of nature, men continue to use obsolete forms of thought long discarded by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-horkheimer/although-the-formulations-of-science-now-offer-the-most-advanced/) [Max Horkheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-horkheimer/) > [“I don't want the universe broken up just yet," drawled the Marquis. "I want to do a lot of beastly things before I die.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/i-don-t-want-the-universe-broken-up-just-yet-drawled-the-marquis-i/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Do as little harm to others as you can; make any sacrifice for your true friends; be responsible for yourself and ask nothing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/do-as-little-harm-to-others-as-you-can-make-any-sacrifice-for-your/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Today I saw a red and yellow sunset and thought, how insignificant I am! Of course, I thought that yesterday too, and it rained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/today-i-saw-a-red-and-yellow-sunset-and-thought-how-insignificant-i/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [I thought of you today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday and days before that too. I think of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/i-thought-of-you-today-but-that-is-nothing-new-i-thought-about-you-2/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [I thought yesterday was the first day of the rest of my life but it turns out today is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-thought-yesterday-was-the-first-day-of-the-rest-of-my-life-but-it/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I thought of you today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too. I think of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-thought-of-you-today-but-that-is-nothing-new-i-thought-about-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I thought yesterday would never end. There was over me a yearning for sleep in some sort of blind belief that to wake would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/i-thought-yesterday-would-never-end-there-was-over-me-a-yearning-for/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [If you realize you aren't so wise today as you thought you were yesterday, you're wiser today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olin-miller/if-you-realize-you-aren-t-so-wise-today-as-you-thought-you-were/) [Olin Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olin-miller/) > [Change your mind as often as possible. Just because you thought something yesterday doesn't mean you have to think it today. Don't ever become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-fierstein/change-your-mind-as-often-as-possible-just-because-you-thought/) [Harvey Fierstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-fierstein/) > [Thought of you today, That's not new, Thought of you yesterday + the day before too, I will think of you tomorrow & my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/move-on07/thought-of-you-today-that-s-not-new-thought-of-you-yesterday-the-day/) [Move-on07](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/move-on07/) > [Do as little harm to others as you can; make any sacrifice for your true friends; be responsible for yourself and ask nothing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/do-as-little-harm-to-others-as-you-can-make-any-sacrifice-for-your-2/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## More by Ralph Waldo Emerson > [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/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“There is then creative reading as well as creative writing. When the mind is braced by labor and invention, the page of whatever book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-then-creative-reading-as-well-as-creative-writing-when-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The order of things consents to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-order-of-things-consents-to-virtue/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Life only avails, not the having lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/life-only-avails-not-the-having-lived/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/another-success-is-the-post-office-with-its-educating-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-child-reminds-us-that-playtime-is-an-essential-part-of-our-daily/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I am; therefore, I had nothing better to do than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-am-therefore-i-had-nothing-better-to-do-than-to-think/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Explore all 4,802 Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More Ascension quotes > [Love your country. Your country is the land where your parents sleep, where is spoken that language in which the chosen of your heart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-mazzini/love-your-country-your-country-is-the-land-where-your-parents-sleep/) [Giuseppe Mazzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-mazzini/) > [Our life is what we make it. An insignificant game or a noble trial; a dream or a reality; a play of the senses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/our-life-is-what-we-make-it-an-insignificant-game-or-a-noble-trial-a/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [If you believe in the existence of fairies at the bottom of the garden you are deemed fit for the bin. If you believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-meades/if-you-believe-in-the-existence-of-fairies-at-the-bottom-of-the/) [Jonathan Meades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-meades/) > [“We are all just playing some stupid role in a stupid movie that we all wrote.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-freestone/we-are-all-just-playing-some-stupid-role-in-a-stupid-movie-that-we/) [Jack Freestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-freestone/) > [“I don't want to be around people who accept me as is, in my unrefined state of becoming. I consistently want people around me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/i-don-t-want-to-be-around-people-who-accept-me-as-is-in-my-unrefined/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [Christ is already in that place of peace, which is all in all. He is on the right hand of God. He is hidden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/christ-is-already-in-that-place-of-peace-which-is-all-in-all-he-is-on/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [“What we can imagine we can make real”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-may/what-we-can-imagine-we-can-make-real/) [Nadine May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-may/) > [Show me thy feet, show me thy legs, thy thighs Show me those fleshy principalities; Show me that hill where smiling love doth sit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-herrick/show-me-thy-feet-show-me-thy-legs-thy-thighs-show-me-those-fleshy/) [Robert Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-herrick/) > [“Drama does not just walk into our lives. Either we create it, invite it, or associate with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/drama-does-not-just-walk-into-our-lives-either-we-create-it-invite-it/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“He turned back to her stomach and got very close. She thought he meant to kiss her again and prepared to enjoy his lips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caris-roane/he-turned-back-to-her-stomach-and-got-very-close-she-thought-he-meant/) [Caris Roane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caris-roane/) > [“Living as an entity under a filled with stars sky and seeking for intuition, a voice whispers from your heart, for soul is unchained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katerina-kostaki/living-as-an-entity-under-a-filled-with-stars-sky-and-seeking-for/) [Katerina Kostaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katerina-kostaki/) > [“I have now gone through the examination of the four books ascribed to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; and when it is considered that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/i-have-now-gone-through-the-examination-of-the-four-books-ascribed-to/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“Don’t pass along the beliefs and actions you disapprove of to your children. Loving-kindness is potent even when displayed during the so-called mundane tasks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-bradford/don-t-pass-along-the-beliefs-and-actions-you-disapprove-of-to-your/) [Hope Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-bradford/) > [“Your Medicine is within. Are you ready to discover it?" — Gaitana Yantal, The Child, The Master, and The Inner God”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaitana-yantal/your-medicine-is-within-are-you-ready-to-discover-it-gaitana-yantal/) [Gaitana Yantal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaitana-yantal/) > [“The term Christ means “the True Self of all of God’s children.” Yearning to remember who we “really are” is the motivation behind everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mirdad/the-term-christ-means-the-true-self-of-all-of-god-s-children-yearning/) [Michael Mirdad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mirdad/) [Browse all 89 Ascension quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ascension/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And what avails it that science has come to treat space and time as simply forms of thought, and the material world as hypothetical, and withal our pretension of property and even of self-hood are fading with the rest, if, at last, even our thoughts are not finalities, but the incessant flowing and ascension reach these also, and each thought which yesterday was a finality, to-day is yielding to a larger generalization?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Waldo Emerson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/and-what-avails-it-that-science-has-come-to-treat-space-and-time-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ascension" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/and-what-avails-it-that-science-has-come-to-treat-space-and-time-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_ascension_and-what-avails-it-that-science-has-come_2878780.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_ascension_and-what-avails-it-that-science-has-come_2878780.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6a/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_ascension_and-what-avails-it-that-science-has-come_2878780.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And what avails it that science has come to treat space and time as simply forms of thought, and the…” — Ralph Waldo Emerson", "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": "Ralph Waldo Emerson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "And what avails it that science...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/and-what-avails-it-that-science-has-come-to-treat-space-and-time-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/and-what-avails-it-that-science-has-come-to-treat-space-and-time-as/#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 } } ] } ```