All illnesses have some heredity contribution. It's been said that genetics loads the gun and environment pulls the trigger.
Francis CollinsRead
God gave us free will, and we may choose to exercise it in ways that end up hurting other people.
Interpretation
What this quote means
We have the freedom to make choices, but those choices can impact others negatively.
This quote highlights the concept of free will, emphasizing that while we have the freedom to make our own decisions, these decisions come with the responsibility of considering their effects on others. It suggests that the exercise of free will is a double-edged sword that can lead to both positive and negative consequences, particularly when our choices cause harm to other individuals.
Themes
Free WillChoicesResponsibilityImpactHarm
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about ethics, one might say, 'As Francis Collins reminds us, God gave us free will, and we may choose to exercise it in ways that end up hurting other people.'
More from Francis Collins
All quotes βI think history would say that medical research has, throughout many changes of parties, remained as one of the shining lights of bipartisan agreement, that people are concerned about health for themselves, for their families, for their constituents.
Francis CollinsRead
I finished up my graduate degree in quantum mechanics, but underwent a bit of a personal crisis, recognizing that I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life. It was too abstract, too far removed from human concerns.
Francis CollinsRead
The brain is the most complicated organ in the universe. We have learned a lot about other human organs. We know how the heart pumps and how the kidney does what it does. To a certain degree, we have read the letters of the human genome. But the brain has 100 billion neurons. Each one of those has about 10,000 connections.
Francis CollinsRead
I believe God did intend, in giving us intelligence, to give us the opportunity to investigate and appreciate the wonders of His creation. He is not threatened by our scientific adventures.
Francis CollinsRead
I took biology in high school and didn't like it at all. It was focused on memorization. ... I didn't appreciate that biology also had principles and logic ... [rather than dealing with a] messy thing called life. It just wasn't organized, and I wanted to stick with the nice pristine sciences of chemistry and physics, where everything made sense. I wish I had learned sooner that biology could be fun as well.
Francis CollinsRead
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