Literary notes about Perfectible (AI summary)
In literature, the word "perfectible" is often used to capture the notion that human nature and society hold limitless potential for transformation. In James Joyce’s Ulysses [1], the term is embedded in the idea that human life can be continuously refined—the challenges and limitations that define our existence may be gradually eliminated as we strive for an ideal state. This usage reflects a broader literary tradition that contemplates the possibility of perpetual improvement, suggesting that no matter our current imperfections, the capacity to evolve towards a more complete form is inherent in human nature.
- He believed then that human life was infinitely perfectible, eliminating these conditions?
— from Ulysses by James Joyce