--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [I]t is difficult to picture the great…" description: "\"[I]t is difficult to picture the great Creator conceiving of a program of one creature (which He has made) using another living creature for purposes o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_animal_i-t-is-difficult-to-picture-the-great-cr_2387254.png" --- # \[I\]t is difficult to picture the great Creator conceiving… ![“[I]t is difficult to picture the great Creator conceiving of a program of one creature (which He has made) using another living creature for purposes of experimentation. There must be other, less cruel ways of obtaining knowledge.” quote by Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_animal_i-t-is-difficult-to-picture-the-great-cr_2387254.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_animal_i-t-is-difficult-to-picture-the-great-cr_2387254.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_animal_i-t-is-difficult-to-picture-the-great-cr_2387254.png) > “\[I\]t is difficult to picture the great Creator conceiving of a program of one creature (which He has made) using another living creature for purposes of experimentation. There must be other, less cruel ways of obtaining knowledge.” [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that using living beings for experiments is morally cruel and suggests seeking less painful methods of knowledge. **In simple terms:** Experimenting on creatures is cruel; seek kinder ways. Key Takeaway Pursue humane research. Themes ethics science compassion Mood thoughtful ethical Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - laboratory - medical trials - biological studies Key Concepts animal rights alternatives research methodology Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives exist to animal testing? - How do we balance discovery with compassion? A Different Perspective Scientific progress may be slowed by ethical constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animal - rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal-rights/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Conceiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceiving/) [Conceiving Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceiving-program-5933748/) [Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator/) [Creator Conceiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator-conceiving-5933745/) [Creatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creatures/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Experimentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experimentation/) [Experimentation Cruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experimentation-cruel-5933746/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living creatures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-creatures/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Obtaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obtaining/) [Program](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/program/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purposes Experimentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purposes-experimentation-5933747/) [Vegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vegan/) [Vivisection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vivisection/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“I abhor vivisection. It should at least be curbed. Better, it should be abolished. I know of no achievement through vivisection, no scientific discovery,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-mayo/i-abhor-vivisection-it-should-at-least-be-curbed-better-it-should-be/) [Charles Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-mayo/) > [“But those who are incapable of pitying animals are, as a matter of fact, incapable of pitying men. A physician who would cut a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ingersoll/but-those-who-are-incapable-of-pitying-animals-are-as-a-matter-of/) [Robert Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ingersoll/) > [There will come a time when the world will look back to modern vivisection in the name of science, as they do now to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-bigelow/there-will-come-a-time-when-the-world-will-look-back-to-modern/) [Kathryn Bigelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-bigelow/) > [Thinking is the subtlest form of self-polemics, the art of a certain finesse in psychological self-vivisection and self-crucifixion (Hegel of course called the path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-smith/thinking-is-the-subtlest-form-of-self-polemics-the-art-of-a-certain/) [Kenny Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-smith/) > [...many vivisectors still claim that what they do helps save human lives. They are Iying. The truth is that animal experiments kill people, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-coleman/many-vivisectors-still-claim-that-what-they-do-helps-save-human-lives/) [Vernon Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-coleman/) > [Vegetarianism is a link to perfection and peace. But it's a small link. There are lots of other issues: apartheid , vivisection, political prisoners,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/river-phoenix/vegetarianism-is-a-link-to-perfection-and-peace-but-it-s-a-small-link/) [River Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/river-phoenix/) > [What I think about vivisection is that if people admit that they have the right to take or endanger the life of living beings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-i-think-about-vivisection-is-that-if-people-admit-that-they-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forbid the day when vivisection shall be practised in every college and school, and when the man of science, looking forth over a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/forbid-the-day-when-vivisection-shall-be-practised-in-every-college/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Throughout the late '80s, me and a handful of friends just like you people here, we started to break windows, we started to slash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-coronado/throughout-the-late-80s-me-and-a-handful-of-friends-just-like-you/) [Rod Coronado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-coronado/) > [Because Christian morality leaves animals out of account, they are at once outlawed in philosophical morals; they are mere 'things,' mere means to any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/because-christian-morality-leaves-animals-out-of-account-they-are-at/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [I had bought two male chimps from a primate colony in Holland. They lived next to each other in separate cages for several months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiaan-barnard/i-had-bought-two-male-chimps-from-a-primate-colony-in-holland-they/) [Christiaan Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiaan-barnard/) > [Gradually I became aware that professing English because I loved poems was like practicing vivisection because I loved dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-donaghy/gradually-i-became-aware-that-professing-english-because-i-loved/) [Michael Donaghy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-donaghy/) > [I am not interested to know whether vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn't...The pain which it inflicts upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-am-not-interested-to-know-whether-vivisection-produces-results-that/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [There is, however, another subject on which the Queen feels most strongly, and that is this horrible, brutalizing, un-Christian-like vivisection…It must really not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-victoria/there-is-however-another-subject-on-which-the-queen-feels-most/) [Queen Victoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-victoria/) ## More by Adlai Stevenson I > [An independent is the guy who wants to take the politics out of politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/an-independent-is-the-guy-who-wants-to-take-the-politics-out-of/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [The sound of tireless voices is the price we pay for the right to hear the music of our own opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/the-sound-of-tireless-voices-is-the-price-we-pay-for-the-right-to/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Men may be born free; they cannot be born wise; and it is the duty of the university to make the free wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born-wise-and-it-is-the-duty-of/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Here, in the dread tribunal of last resort, valor contended against valor. Here brave men struggled and died for the right as God gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/here-in-the-dread-tribunal-of-last-resort-valor-contended-against/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Our strength lies, not alone in our proving grounds and our stockpiles, but in our ideals, our goals, and their universal appeal to all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/our-strength-lies-not-alone-in-our-proving-grounds-and-our-stockpiles/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Power corrupts, but lack of power corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/power-corrupts-but-lack-of-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/some-of-us-worship-in-churches-some-in-synagogues-some-on-golf-courses/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [A man doesn't save a century, or a civilization, but a militant party wedded to a principle can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/a-man-doesn-t-save-a-century-or-a-civilization-but-a-militant-party/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [A wise man does not try to hurry history. Many wars have been avoided by patience, and many have been precipitated by reckless haste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/a-wise-man-does-not-try-to-hurry-history-many-wars-have-been-avoided/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [I have been told that one of the reasons the astronomers of the world cooperate is the fact that there is no one nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/i-have-been-told-that-one-of-the-reasons-the-astronomers-of-the-world/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [The tragedy of our day is the climate of fear in which we live, and fear breeds repression. Too often sinister threats to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/the-tragedy-of-our-day-is-the-climate-of-fear-in-which-we-live-and/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [A lie is an abomination unto the Lord, and a very present help in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/a-lie-is-an-abomination-unto-the-lord-and-a-very-present-help-in/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [It is in the nature of cats to do a certain amount of unescorted roaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/it-is-in-the-nature-of-cats-to-do-a-certain-amount-of-unescorted/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Self-Criticism is the secret weapon of democracy, and candor and confession are good for the political soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/self-criticism-is-the-secret-weapon-of-democracy-and-candor-and/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Why is it that when political ammunition runs low, inevitably the rusty artillery of abuse is always wheeled into action?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/why-is-it-that-when-political-ammunition-runs-low-inevitably-the/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) [Explore all 20 Adlai Stevenson I quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[I]t is difficult to picture the great Creator conceiving of a program of one creature (which He has made) using another living creature for purposes of experimentation. 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