"In One Dimensions, did not a moving Point produce a Line with two terminal points? In two Dimensions, did not a moving Line produce a Square wit fou… - Edwin A. Abbott

"In One Dimensions, did not a moving Point produce a Line with two terminal points?
In two Dimensions, did not a moving Line produce a Square wit four terminal points?
In Three Dimensions, did not a moving Square produce - did not the eyes of mine behold it - that blessed being, a Cube, with eight terminal points?
And in Four Dimensions, shall not a moving Cube - alas, for Analogy, and alas for the Progress of Truth if it be not so - shall not, I say the motion of a divine Cube result in a still more divine organization with sixteen terminal points?
Behold the infallible confirmation of the Series, 2, 4, 8, 16: is not this a Geometrical Progression? Is not this - if I might qupte my Lord's own words - "Strictly according to Analogy"?
Again, was I not taught by my Lord that as in a Line there are two bonding points, and in a Square there are four bounding Lines, so in a Cube there must be six bounding Squares? Behold once more the confirming Series: 2, 4, 6: is not this an Arithmetical Progression? And consequently does it not of necessity follow that the more divine offspring of the divine Cube in the Land of Four Dimensions, must have eight bounding Cubes: and is not this also, as my Lord has taught me to believe, "strictly according to analogy"?"

English
Collect this quote

About Edwin A. Abbott

Edwin Abbott Abbott (20 December 1838 – 12 October 1926) was an English schoolmaster and theologian, most famous as the author of the social satire Flatland (1884), widely noted for its use of mathematical dimensions in religious and political allegories.

Biography information from Wikiquote

Enhance Your Quote Experience

Enjoy ad-free browsing, unlimited collections, and advanced search features with Premium.

Related quotes. More quotes will automatically load as you scroll down, or you can use the load more buttons.

Additional quotes by Edwin A. Abbott

لو كنت رجلاً منطقيا - مع أنني أرتاب بعض الشيء في كونكـ رجلا – لأنكـ تمتلكـ فيما يبدو صوتا واحدا، ولكن لو كانت لديكـ ذرة من المنطق، لاستمعت إلى صوت العقل، أنت تطلب مني أن أصدق أن هناكـ نوعا أخر من الحركة غير تلكـ التي أراها كل يوم ، و أنا بدوري أطلب منكـ أن تصف بالكلمات أو تبين عن طريق الحركة ذلكـ الخط الآخر الذي تتحدث عنهـ، ولكنكـ بدلاً من أن تتحرك تمارس نوعا من الحيل السحريّة للاختفاء ومعاودة الظهور مرة أخرى، وبدلاً من أن تقدم لي صورة واضحة لعالمكـ الجديد، تخبرني فقط بأطوال نحو أربعين من حاشيتي، وهي حقائق يعرفها أي طفل في عاصمتنا، هل هناكـ ما هو أكثر جنوناً أو وقاحة من ذلكـ؟ اعترف بحماقتكـ أو ارحل عن أرضي..

Go Premium

Support Quotewise while enjoying an ad-free experience and premium features.

View Plans
Loading...