We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet.
Stephen HawkingRead
The increase of disorder or entropy with time is one example of what is called an arrow of time, something that distinguishes the past from the future, giving a direction to time.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Entropy increases over time, symbolizing the directionality of time from the past to the future.
In this quote, Stephen Hawking explains the concept of entropy as it relates to the flow of time, highlighting that the natural tendency of disorder in the universe increases as time progresses. This notion of an 'arrow of time' serves to differentiate between past events and future possibilities, underscoring the irreversible nature of time's passage and its implications in understanding the universe.
Themes
EntropyTimeDisorderPastFutureArrow Of Time
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the laws of thermodynamics in a science class.
More from Stephen Hawking
All quotes →I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.
Stephen HawkingRead
It surprises me how disinterested we are today about things like physics, space, the universe and philosophy of our existence, our purpose, our final destination. Its a crazy world out there. Be curious.
Stephen HawkingRead
I was not a good student. I did not spend much time at college; I was too busy enjoying myself.
Stephen HawkingRead
The world has changed far more in the past 100 years than in any other century in history. The reason is not political or economic but technological-technologies that flowed directly from advances in basic science. Clearly, no scientist better represents those advances than Albert Einstein: TIME's Person of the Century.
Stephen HawkingRead
In my opinion, there is no aspect of reality beyond the reach of the human mind.
Stephen HawkingRead
Similar quotes
Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space.
Douglas AdamsRead
It is hard to overstate how valuable it is to have all the incredible tools that are used for human disease to study plants.
Bill GatesRead
People look down on stuff like geography and meteorology, and not only because they're standing on one and being soaked by the other. They don't look quite like real science. But geography is only physics slowed down and with a few trees stuck on it, and meteorology is full of excitingly fashionable chaos and complexity. And summer isn't a time. It's a place as well. Summer is a moving creature and likes to go south for the winter.
Terry PratchettRead
I still hear some people say that science takes the wonder out of life. Those people are utterly wrong. Science takes us to the wonder
Phil PlaitRead
The scientific community should work as hard as possible to address major issues that affect our everyday lives such as climate change, infectious diseases and counterterrorism; in particular, 'clean energy' research deserves far higher priority. And science and technology are the prime routes to tackling these issues.
Martin ReesRead
The solar system should be viewed as our backyard, not as some sequence of destinations that we do one at a time.
Neil Degrasse TysonRead