Religion is a feature of cultural evolution that, among other things, addresses anxieties created by cultural evolution; it helps keep social change safe from itself.
Robert WrightRead
...human beings are a species splendid in their array of moral equipment, tragic in their propensity to misuse it, and pathetic in their ignorance of the misuse.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Human beings possess a complex moral understanding but often fail to use it wisely.
This quote by Robert Wright emphasizes the duality of human nature: on one hand, we have a remarkable moral capacity, but on the other, we are prone to misusing this moral understanding due to ignorance or failure to recognize our actions' implications. It highlights the tragic and often pathetic aspect of humanity's struggle with morality.
Themes
MoralityHuman NatureIgnoranceMisuseEthical Behavior
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on ethics in a philosophy class.
More from Robert Wright
All quotes →Think of it : zillions and zillions of organisms running around, each under the hypnotic spell of a single truth, all these truths identical, and all logically incompatible with one another : 'My hereditary material is the most important material on earth; its survival justifies your frustration, pain, even death'. And you are one of those organisms, living your life in the thrall of a logical absurdity.
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Understanding the often unconscious nature of genetic control is the first step toward understanding that—in many realms, not just sex—we’re all puppets, and our best hope for even partial liberation is to try to decipher the logic of the puppeteer.
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