And enough for me that when my hand touched your shoulder, you leaned on me; and when you felt me slip away, you called my name.
Orson Scott CardRead
Surely you're not saying that God had to choose between long life and intelligence for human beings! It's there in your own Bible, Carlotta. Two trees - knowledge and life. You eat of the tree of knowledge and you will surely die. You eat of the tree of life and you remain a child in the garden forever, undying.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote contrasts the pursuit of knowledge with the desire for eternal life, suggesting a choice between intellectual understanding and a simple, eternal existence.
In this quote, Orson Scott Card presents a philosophical dilemma rooted in biblical imagery. The 'tree of knowledge' symbolizes the pursuit of wisdom and understanding, which often leads to the complexities and challenges of life. Conversely, the 'tree of life' represents a state of innocence and eternal existence without the burdens of knowledge. This dichotomy invites reflection on the values we hold regarding intelligence and immortality, and whether one can truly exist without the other.
Themes
KnowledgeLifeChoiceWisdomEternity
In practice
Example use cases
In a philosophy class discussing the implications of knowledge on human existence.
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All quotes →The world is always a democracy in times of flux, and the man with the best voice will win.
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Never mind that the story had turned out to be lies and foolishness—there was always folks stupid enough to say, Where there's smoke there's fire, when the saying should have been, Where there's scandalous lies there's always malicious believers and spreaders-around, regardless of evidence.
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The lives of all people flow through time, and, regardless of how brutal one moment may be, how filled with grief or pain or fear, time flows through all lives equally.
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You take a step, then another. That's the journey. But to take a step with your eyes open is not a journey at all, it's a remaking of your own mind.
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I've had your tears with mine, and you've had mine with yours. I think that's more intimate even than a kiss.
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