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Is the glass half empty or half full?

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Is the glass half empty or half full?

Is the glass half empty or half full? is a common expression, used rhetorically to indicate that a particular situation could be a cause for optimism (half full) or pessimism (half empty), or as a general litmus test to simply determine an individual's worldview.[1] The purpose of the question is to demonstrate that the situation may be seen in different ways depending on one's point of view and that there may be opportunity in the situation as well as trouble.

This idiom is used to explain how people perceive events and objects. Perception is unique to every individual and is simply one's interpretation of reality. The phrase "Is the glass half empty or half full" can be referred to as a philosophical question.[2]

For those seeking the actual answer to this, it is dependant on the process of the liquid. If the liquid is in the process of being filled, it is half full. Likewise, if the liquid is being emptied, it is half empty. The reasoning behind this is that since both terms (half full, half empty) are applicable, one must look to the future and past of the glass to determine the appropriate term to use.

See also

References

  1. ^ Stephanie Stokes Oliver (2001-11-27). Seven Soulful Secrets for Finding Your Purpose and Minding Your Mission. Crown Publishing Group. pp. 106–. ISBN 978-0-385-48767-2. Retrieved 2013-08-07. I love that proverbial question, "Do you see the glass as half empty or half full?" It's like the litmus test for how you see the world. Optimists have a tendency to hope for the best. That doesn't mean they hope for the best sometimes. It means that ...
  2. ^ Terry Bookman (2004-12). A Soul's Journey: Meditations on the Five Stages of Spiritual Growth. iUniverse. pp. 157–. ISBN 978-0-595-77439-5. Retrieved 2013-08-07. When is the glass half empty for you? Half full? What prevents you from seeing it (at least) as half full all the time? Fill a glass halfway with water. Look at it for a few moments. Is the glass half empty or half full? This classic question is not an ... {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

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