If I have not seen as far as others, it is because giants were standing on my shoulders.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker attributes his limited vision to giants standing on his shoulders rather than him standing on theirs.
- In plain terms
- I see less because giants are on my shoulders.
- What can you take from it?
- True humility involves acknowledging those who stand on you.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Who really stands on whose shoulders?
- How do we credit progress?
Another view
This inverts the traditional quote and may not reflect actual historical dynamics.
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