Conceive the condition of the human mind if all propositions whatsoever were self-evident except one, which was to become self-evident at the close of a summer's day, but in the meantime might be the subject of question, of hypothesis, of debate. Art and philosophy, literature and science, would fasten like bees on that one proposition which had the honey of probability in it, and be the more eager because their enjoyment would end with sunset. Our impulses, our spiritual activities, no more adjust themselves to the idea of their future nullity, than the beating of our heart, or the irritability of our muscles.
George Eliot explores a thought experiment regarding the human mind's perception of propositions, emphasizing how the nature of understanding changes when only one proposition remains uncertain. This singular question becomes the focal point of intense intellectual engagement, with art, philosophy, literature, and science all vying to explore its implications, driven by the understanding that time is limited and the opportunity for discovery will end at sunset.
The urgency of this scenario highlights how our creative and mental processes remain responsive to the possibility of future knowledge, just as our physical responses are a constant. Eliot suggests that even with the inevitability of eventual answers, the quest for understanding enriches human experience, making our interactions with knowledge dynamic and vital.
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