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jingber's picture

Need for limiting scale

Our discussion earlier in the week on scale struck a chord with me, since I've been re-reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. (Douglas Adams)  In one section, one of the characters is forced to enter the "Total Perspective Vortex".  The vortex shows you for a brief moment the entirety of creation, and your place in regards to it all.  The effect of this is the complete annihilation of the victim's brain.  While obviously hyperbolic, there is an important point.  While having a sense of perspective can be good, at times we really do need to narrow our focus down to one specific level.  Without looking at things through a certain fixed perspective, we'd be paralyzed.  To use David's example of motion, where would we sit on a constantly moving chair?  A sense of scale is important.  So is knowing when to limit it.

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