Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by David Quammen

Quote by David Quammen

“This is not evolution vs. God. The existence of God, any sort of God, personal or abstract, imminent or distant, is not what Darwin’s evolutionary theory challenges. What it challenges is the supposed godliness of man, the conviction that we, above all other life forms, are spiritually elevated, divinely favored, possessed of an immaterial and immortal essence, such that we have special prospects for eternity, special status in the expectations of God, special rights and responsibilities on Earth.”

Quote by David Quammen

Book:The Reluctant Mr. Darwin: An Intimate Portrait of Charles Darwin and the Making of His Theory of Evolution
Create image

Work

The Reluctant Mr. Darwin: An Intimate Portrait of Charles Darwin and the Making of His Theory of Evolution

Browse quotes and source details for this work. more

Author

David Quammen
David Quammen

David Quammen is an American writer known for his in-depth exploration of natural history. His works often involve biology, ecology, and the relationship between humans and nature. Born on February 24, 1948, Quammen's writing career spans multiple genres, including scientific writing, travel literature, and journalism. more

You May Also Like

“When Galileo later declared that Copernicus was right (and that the Bible was therefore wrong) in the seventeenth century, he was eventually arrested by the Inquisition and forced to recant—but not before the Catholic Church told him (and I'm paraphrasing here): "Hey, man. We all know you're probably correct about this. We concede that you're a wizard, and what you're saying makes sense. But you gotta let us explain this stuff to the rest of the world very, very slowly. We can't suddenly tell every pasta-gorged plebeian in rural Italy that we live in a heliocentric universe. It will blow their minds and fuck up our game. Just be cool for a while.”

ScienceHistory
Book:But What If We're Wrong? Thinking About the Present As If It Were the Past
Create image

“...I tried to pray, but the words would not come, and I believe that is because I had ill-wished Nancy, I had indeed wished her dead; but I did not do so right then. But why did I need to pray, when God was right there, hovering above us like the Angel of Death over the Egyptians, I could feel his cold breath, I could hear the beating of his dark wings, inside my heart. God is everywhere, I thought, so God is in the kitchen, and God is in Nancy, and God is in McDermott, and in McDermott's hands, and God is in the axe too. Then I heard a dull sound from within, like a heavy door closing shut, and after that I can remember no more for a time.”

ScienceReligionSexMysteryMurder
Book:Alias Grace
Create image

“Technology sneaks up on us. Suddenly, OpenAI’s ChatGPT bursts onto the scene, and within months, what seemed like overnight, its user base exploded to over 150 million by May 2023. ChatGPT swiftly became a term as common as household names. The entire world buzzed about artificial intelligence—a concept so potent it captured global imaginations. Yet, AI isn’t a sudden phenomenon. But if it wasn’t for putting a friendlier face on AI, democratizing it’s use, we may have been waiting longer.”

ScienceTechnologyArtificial IntelligenceNonfiction
Author:David Lloyd
Create image

“In human terms, think of AI as an ‘intelligent machine.’ While various definitions exist, at its core, AI is about machines performing tasks typically done by humans, predominantly making predictions. Will you buy a new dress? What’s tomorrow’s weather? Will a stock price rise or fall? Is that a cat or a dog in the picture? Draft an email for a job application or even paint a picture of your favorite vacation spot in the style of Monet.”

ScienceTechnologyArtificial IntelligenceNonfiction
Author:David Lloyd
Create image

“A common question I encounter is the impact of AI on jobs. Reflecting on the diverse age and experience range among my family, friends, and colleagues, I recall a poignant remark: “AI won’t eliminate your job, but the person who understands AI will.” This isn’t new; from PCs to internet and mobile, every tech wave requires us to adapt, often rapidly. AI will be no different, demanding even swifter adaptation”

ScienceTechnologyArtificial IntelligenceNonfiction
Author:David Lloyd
Create image