It's all too easy to dismiss the future. People confuse what's impossible today with what's impossible tomorrow.
George M. ChurchRead
We have a love affair with the idea of the 'natural,' even though we, as a species, are about as unnatural as you can imagine.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the irony in humanity's romanticization of nature while being inherently unnatural themselves.
George M. Church's quote reflects on the paradox of human beings who romanticize the concept of 'natural' living, despite our significant modifications to the environment and our own way of life. The phrase suggests that while we often aspire to align ourselves with nature and the natural world, human innovation and societal development have created a reality that is far removed from that ideal. This creates a disconnect between our desires and our actions, prompting a reflection on what it truly means to be 'natural.'
Themes
NatureHumanityIronyRelationshipNatural
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about sustainability, one could reference this quote to discuss the importance of owning our impact on the environment.
More from George M. Church
All quotes βYou can't just hoard your ideas inside the ivory tower. You have to get them out into the world.
George M. ChurchRead
Clearly, we are a species that is well connected to other species. Whether or not we evolve from them, we are certainly very closely related to them. A series of mutations could change us into all kinds of intermediate species. Whether or not those intermediate species are provably in the past, they could easily be in our future.
George M. ChurchRead
At some point, someone will come up with an airtight argument as to why they should have a cloned child. At that point, cloning will be acceptable.
George M. ChurchRead
Most people are excited about themselves. Personal genome will deliver for inexpensively something about science to which you can relate. Just like computers are becoming something to which you can relate. It should be even easier to relate to your own biology, and I hope that will be one of the ways we get broader literacy in science.
George M. ChurchRead
Every cell in our body, whether it's a bacterial cell or a human cell, has a genome. You can extract that genome - it's kind of like a linear tape - and you can read it by a variety of methods. Similarly, like a string of letters that you can read, you can also change it. You can write, you can edit it, and then you can put it back in the cell.
George M. ChurchRead
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Where there is no free agency, there can be no morality. Where there is no temptation, there can be little claim to virtue. Where the routine is rigorously proscribed by law, the law, and not the man, must have the credit of the conduct.
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