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About this quote

What does it mean?
Consciousness is not made of separate bits but flows like a continuous river of thought.
In plain terms
Your mind flows continuously like a stream instead of being broken into pieces.
What can you take from it?
Mind is a continuous stream of thought.

Where it applies

  • Philosophy class
  • Psychology study
  • Meditation

Putting it to work

  • Explain stream of consciousness
  • Discuss mental continuity

Questions to consider

  • Is your mind one flow or many pieces?
  • How does consciousness work?

Another view

This view ignores moments of clear breaks or distinct thoughts.

More from William James

  1. The total possible consciousness may be split into parts which co-exist but mutually ignore each other.

    Permalink to quote #19
  2. As we take, in fact, a general view of the wonderful stream of our consciousness, what strikes us first is this different pace of its parts. Like a bird's life…

    Permalink to quote #21
  3. We are spinning our own fates, good or evil, and never to be undone. Every smallest stroke of virtue or of vice leaves its never so little scar. ...Nothing we …

    Permalink to quote #18

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