It was precisely this notion of infinite series which in the sixth century BC led the Greek philosopher Zeno to conclude that since an arrow shot towards a target first had to cover half the distance, and then half the remainder, and then half the remainder after that, and so on ad infinitum, the result was, as I will now demonstrate, that though an arrow is always approaching its target, it never quite gets there, and Saint Sebastian died of fright.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Zeno's paradox uses infinite series to argue motion is impossible, but Stoppard adds dark humor by noting the arrow still hits its target despite the logic.
- In plain terms
- Logic can make motion seem impossible, but reality still happens.
- What can you take from it?
- Don't let theoretical puzzles paralyze real action.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does logic ever stop you from acting?
- How do you handle impossible problems?
Another view
The quote relies on prior knowledge of Zeno's paradox to fully land.
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