A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
Every object you see before you at this moment -the walls, ceiling, and furniture, the book, your own washed hands and cut fingernails, bears witness to the colonization of Nature of Reason.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that everything around us is a manifestation of humanity's reason and rationality influencing the natural world.
C. S. Lewis emphasizes the idea that our surroundings, from the mundane objects to the structures of our daily environment, are not just mere things; they represent the influence of human reason and intellect on nature. This colonization implies that through our reasoning and understanding, we have shaped and transformed the natural world to suit our needs and desires, highlighting the relationship between human creativity and the inherent qualities of nature.
Themes
NatureReasonColonizationPhilosophyHumanity
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about environmental responsibility, you could use this quote to illustrate how our creations impact nature.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes →I enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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