APAD: On the shoulders of giants

Meaning: Each generation builds on the knowledge of the one before

 

Background: This phrase is often attributed to Isaac Newton but it was Bernard

de Chartres (10??-1130) who said something similar:

 

    "We are like dwarves sitting on the shoulders of giants. We see more, and

    things that are more distant, than they did, not because our sight is

    superior or because we are taller than they, but because they raise us up,

    and by their great stature add to ours."

 

To this day a visual reference to the shoulders of giants can be seen in the

south rose window of the Cathedral school of Chartres, which shows the four

major prophets - Jerimiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel as giant figures, and on

their shoulders sit the much smaller figures of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

 

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Wow. I always thought it was Newton!

 

I've also been wondering who gets to be hoisted onto those giant shoulders. Is

it a birthright, an achievement, or "thrusted upon," as Shakespeare said, some

poor bastards?

所有跟帖: 

Newton’s word -方外居士- 給 方外居士 發送悄悄話 (0 bytes) () 11/11/2023 postreply 12:39:08

He may invent laws yet can't claim these few words:-) -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 11/11/2023 postreply 14:19:46

Hahaha -方外居士- 給 方外居士 發送悄悄話 (0 bytes) () 11/11/2023 postreply 16:43:03

Imagine a giant like Newton on the shoulder of another giant -godog- 給 godog 發送悄悄話 (0 bytes) () 11/11/2023 postreply 13:04:01

And imagine a shepherd boy with his slingshot at hand:-) -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 11/11/2023 postreply 14:20:44

who is the shepherd boy ? King David? -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 11/11/2023 postreply 17:14:02

Good guess :-) -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 11/11/2023 postreply 17:46:06

Wow. I always thought it was Newton too! :)) -盈盈一笑間- 給 盈盈一笑間 發送悄悄話 盈盈一笑間 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 11/11/2023 postreply 16:56:08

這玩意兒,就像”獨上高樓“,晏殊上去了,別人爬樓梯就是跟他學的?其實呢,他也是抄的。 -唐宋韻- 給 唐宋韻 發送悄悄話 唐宋韻 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 11/11/2023 postreply 17:55:21

I agree and will take it easy. No big deal either way :-) -7grizzly- 給 7grizzly 發送悄悄話 7grizzly 的博客首頁 (0 bytes) () 11/11/2023 postreply 18:29:24

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