Suns are extinguished or become corrupted, planets perish and scatter across the wastes of the sky; other suns are kindled, new planets formed to make their revolutions or describe new orbits, and man, an infinitely minute part of a globe which itself is only an imperceptible point in the immense whole, believes that the universe is made for himself.
Interpretation
The quote reflects on the insignificance of humanity in the vast universe and challenges egocentric views.
Baron D'Holbach's quote encapsulates a humbling perspective of humanity's place in the universe. It highlights the impermanence and transience of celestial bodies, suggesting that while stars and planets undergo cycles of existence, mankind often deludes itself into believing that the universe revolves around its own existence. This statement prompts a reflection on humility and the need to recognize that we are merely a small part of something infinitely larger than ourselves.
In practice
In a debate about environmentalism, this quote can highlight our interconnectedness with the universe and the importance of caring for our planet.
People have suffered and become insane for centuries by the thought of eternal punishment after death. Wouldn't it be better to depend on blind matter... than a god who puts out traps for people, invites them to sin, and allows them to sin and commit crimes he could prevent. Only to finally get the barbarian pleasure to punish them in an excessive way, of no use for himself, without them changing their ways and without their example preventing others from committing crimes.
Tolerance and freedom of thought are the veritable antidotes to religious fanaticism.
If we go back to the beginnings of things, we shall always find that ignorance and fear created the gods; that imagination, rapture and deception embellished them; that weakness worships them; that custom spares them; and that tyranny favors them in order to profit from the blindness of men.
To discover the true principles of Morality, men have no need of theology, of revelation, or of gods: They have need only of common sense.
And he began to see the truth, that Ged had neither lost nor won but, naming the shadow of his death with his own name, had made himself whole: a man who, knowing his whole true self, cannot be used or possessed by any power other than himself, and whose life therefore is lived for life's sake and never in the service of ruin, or pain, or hatred, or the dark.
The definition of 'morbid' is an unhealthy preoccupation with death. Unfortunately, there's no word to mean the perfectly healthy preoccupation with death, which is what I have.
Humanism is the philosophy that you should be a good guest at the dinner table of life.
We want to believe racism is an artifact of the past, and if you have a political massacre, that contradicts that.
It’s a way of life to be always texting and when you looks at these texts it really is thoughts in formation. I do studies where I just sit for hours and hours at red lights watching people unable to tolerate being alone. Its as though being along has become a problem that needs to be solved and then technology presents itself as a solution to this problem…Being alone is not a problem that needs to be solved. The capacity for solitude is a very important human skill.
I believe it to be a fact that the colored people of this country know and understand the white people better than the white people know and understand them.
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