Achilles Quote by Zeno of Elea
![“The second [argument about motion] is the so-called Achilles, and it amounts to this, that in a race the quickest runner can never overtake the slowest, since the pursuer must first reach the point whence the pursued started, so that the slower must always hold a lead. Statement of the Achilles…” quote by Zeno of Elea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/814/zeno-of-elea-51778_achilles_the-second-argument-about-motion-is-the_1792000.jpg)
“The second [argument about motion] is the so-called Achilles, and it amounts to this, that in a race the quickest runner can never overtake the slowest, since the pursuer must first reach the point whence the pursued started, so that the slower must always hold a lead. Statement of the Achilles and the Tortoise paradox in the relation of the discrete to the continuous.; perhaps the earliest example of the reductio ad absurdum method of proof.”
About This Quote
Source Philosophy: Paradoxes of Motion, 5th century BC
The fastest cannot overtake the slowest because the pursuer must first reach the starting point, illustrating the paradox of discrete versus continuous motion.
In simple terms: Fast runners can’t overtake slow ones due to infinite steps.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of discrete reasoning.
Themes
paradox
motion
logic
continuity
Mood
analytical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
scientific
When to use this quote
- traffic flow
- project planning
- algorithm design
Key Concepts
philosophy
mathematics
physics
Questions to Reflect On
- Can you think of situations where discrete steps fail to capture reality?
- How do you reconcile discrete and continuous views?
A Different Perspective
Discrete models may oversimplify real continuous processes.
![“[I]t is important to underscore Kant’s basic point that the finitude of the human condition implies a life-long need for concrete moral examples and personal exemplars. With his second argument in defence of examples, we are no longer talking about a strategy of moral education that is to be…” quote by Robert B. Louden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c87/robert-b-louden-83484_abstraction_i-t-is-important-to-underscore-kant-s-ba_2398878.jpg)
![“The [first] argument asserts the non-existence of motion on the ground that that which is in locomotion must arrive at the half-way stage before it arrives at the goal.” quote by Zeno of Elea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e72/zeno-of-elea-51778_argument_the-first-argument-asserts-the-non-exist_722424.jpg)
