“Connectedness is of the essence of all things of all types. It is of the essence of types, that they be connected. Abstraction from connectedness involves the omission of an essential factor in the fact considered. No fact is merely itself. The penetration of literature and art at their height arises from our dumb sense that we have passed beyond mythology; namely, beyond the myth of isolation.”

― Alfred North Whitehead, Modes of Thought

• Google AI Overview

Alfred North Whitehead’s quote means that everything in the universe is deeply connected to everything else, and true art and thought reject the false idea that humans or things exist in total isolation. [1, 2]

Key Ideas in Simple Terms

• Everything is connected: Nothing in the world stands alone. Every object, event, and idea is shaped by and linked to other things. [1, 2]
• No fact is by itself: When we try to study or look at something as if it is completely separate from the rest of the world, we miss the most important part of what it really is. [1]
• The myth of isolation: Old myths and simple thinking taught that humans and things are trapped in separate boxes.
• Art and literature: Great art and literature succeed because they tap into a deeper truth. They show us that we are part of a shared, living web of existence, moving past the illusion that we are all alone. [1]

Alfred North Whitehead was an English mathematician and philosopher. He created the philosophical school known as process philosophy, which has been applied in a wide variety of disciplines, including ecology, theology, education, physics, biology, economics, and psychology. Wikipedia

Born February 15, 1861, Ramsgate, United Kingdom

Died December 30, 1947 (age 86 years), Cambridge, MA