Christianity exhorted man to set himself up against…
“Christianity exhorted man to set himself up against Nature, but did so in the name of his spiritual and disinterested attributes. Pragmatism exhorts him to do so in the name of his practical attributes. Formerly man was divine because he had been able to acquire the concept of justice, the idea of law, the sense of God; today he is divine because he has been able to create equipment which makes him the master of matter.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Contrasts spiritual idealism with pragmatic materialism, showing how humanity's sense of divinity shifted from moral concepts to technological mastery
In simple terms: Human divinity moved from justice to machines
Key Takeaway
Recognize the impact of technology on values
Themes
philosophy
ethics
technology
human nature
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- academic discourse
- policy making
- technology ethics
- education curricula
Key Concepts
intellectual critique
materialism
spiritualism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does true divinity mean in a tech‑driven world?
- How can we integrate moral concepts with technological progress?
A Different Perspective
Overlooks non‑material sources of meaning and community