"In fact nothing is said that has not been said before"
- Terence
About this Quote
This quote by Terence speaks to the concept that there is absolutely nothing brand-new under the sun. It suggests that all ideas, ideas, and words have actually currently been expressed in some form or another. This idea is not brand-new, as it has been revealed by many different people throughout history. It is a suggestion that we ought to not be too fast to believe that we have actually created something original, as it is likely that another person has already thought about it.
The quote also speaks with the idea that knowledge is cumulative. We build on the concepts of those who have actually come prior to us, and our own concepts are typically a combination of the concepts of others. This is why it is very important to be knowledgeable about the work of those who have actually come prior to us, as it can assist us to establish our own concepts.
Finally, the quote functions as a pointer that we should not take ourselves too seriously. We ought to not believe that our ideas are so special that nobody else has actually ever considered them. We should be modest and acknowledge that our ideas are often a combination of the concepts of others. This quote is a reminder that we must be open to gaining from the concepts of others, which we must not be too fast to think that we have actually created something original.
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