Accepted Quote by William Barrett
“Since the Greeks, Western man has believed that Being, all Being, is intelligible, that there is a reason for everythingand that the cosmos is, finally, intelligible. The Oriental, on the other hand, has accepted his existence within a universe that would appear to be meaningless, to the rational Western mind, and has lived with this meaninglessness. Hence the artistic form that seems natural to the Oriental is one that is just as formless or formal, as irrational, as life itself.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Meaning of the West, William Barrett, 1963
The passage contrasts Western belief in a rational, intelligible cosmos with Eastern acceptance of apparent meaninglessness, influencing artistic expression.
In simple terms: West sees order; East sees chaos; both shape art.
Key Takeaway
Appreciate cultural perspectives on meaning and creativity.
Themes
philosophy
culture
art
meaning
existentialism
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- cross‑cultural art
- creative practice
- philosophical debate
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
comparative philosophy
aesthetics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does cultural worldview shape your creative work?
- Can you find value in both order and chaos?
A Different Perspective
One view may not fully explain human experience.
![“We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. [This is] mythology rather than science.” quote by Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c31/robert-shapiro-26969_accepted_we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theo_19120.jpg)
