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About this quote

What does it mean?
If I have seen further, it is because I stand on the shoulders of giants.
In plain terms
My achievements come from building on the work of great predecessors.
What can you take from it?
Progress relies on learning from those who came before.

Where it applies

  • academic research
  • creative endeavors

Putting it to work

  • acknowledge mentors
  • build on existing ideas

Questions to consider

  • What does ‘standing on shoulders’ imply?
  • How can we honor past contributions?

Another view

It can downplay individual effort.

More from Isaac Newton

  1. Amicus Plato - amicus Aristoteles - magis amica veritas

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  2. I have not been able to discover the cause of those properties of gravity from phenomena, and I frame no hypotheses;' for whatever is not deduced from the phen…

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  3. To explain all nature is too difficult a task for any one man or even for any one age. 'Tis much better to do a little with certainty, & leave the rest for oth…

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