---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that the scienti?c way of looking…"
description: "\"I think that the scienti?c way of looking at the world, and the humanistic way of looking at the world are complementary. There are important differenc..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ec/alan-lightman-2270_complementary_i-think-that-the-scienti-c-way-of-lookin_1096815.jpg"
---

#  I think that the scienti?c way of looking at the world…

![“I think that the scienti?c way of looking at the world, and the humanistic way of looking at the world are complementary. There are important differences which should be preserved, and in trying to do away with those differences we would lose something the same way as if we tried to make all…” quote by Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ec/alan-lightman-2270_complementary_i-think-that-the-scienti-c-way-of-lookin_1096815.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ec/alan-lightman-2270_complementary_i-think-that-the-scienti-c-way-of-lookin_1096815.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ec/alan-lightman-2270_complementary_i-think-that-the-scienti-c-way-of-lookin_1096815.jpg)

> “I think that the scienti?c way of looking at the world, and the humanistic way of looking at the world are complementary. There are important differences which should be preserved, and in trying to do away with those differences we would lose something the same way as if we tried to make all religions one religion or all races one race. There is a cultural diversity that's very valuable, and it's valuable to have different ways of looking at the world.”

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Science and humanism each offer distinct lenses on reality; preserving their differences enriches culture like diversity in religion or race does.

**In simple terms:** Science and humanity give different but valuable views; keep them separate.

Key Takeaway

Respect both perspectives to preserve cultural richness.

Themes

culture science humanism diversity balance

Mood

thoughtful balanced

Type

reflective philosophical

When to use this quote

- Education curricula
- public policy debates
- interdisciplinary research
- media commentary

Key Concepts

Epistemology pluralism cognitive diversity

Questions to Reflect On

- How can institutions foster both scientific rigor and humanistic insight?
- What risks arise when one perspective dominates?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on one view can marginalize the other, reducing holistic understanding.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cultural diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultural-diversity/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Diversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diversity/) [Humanistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanistic/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [In my normal way of doing things, there's a little bit of 'going native' that takes place, where you're in a world long enough,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-theroux/in-my-normal-way-of-doing-things-there-s-a-little-bit-of-going-native/)

[Louis Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-theroux/)

> [The teacher said define Cultural Diversity and this dude said, 'San Francisco.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-teacher-said-define-cultural-diversity-and-this-dude-said-san/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Preserving cultural diversity is considered a supreme virtue today, but the members of the diverse subcultures don't always see it that way. People have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-pinker/preserving-cultural-diversity-is-considered-a-supreme-virtue-today/)

[Stephen Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-pinker/)

> [Success and failure in our own national economy will hang upon the degree to which we are able to work with races and nations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-benedict/success-and-failure-in-our-own-national-economy-will-hang-upon-the/)

[Ruth Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-benedict/)

> [I am all for cultural diversity and would be willing to see each recognizable group value its cultural heritage. I am a New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/i-am-all-for-cultural-diversity-and-would-be-willing-to-see-each/)

[Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/)

> [It has been said that knowledge is power. We need to strengthen education systems so that young people can benefit from cultural diversity, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/it-has-been-said-that-knowledge-is-power-we-need-to-strengthen/)

[Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/)

> [“Diversity is an aspect of human existence that cannot be eradicated by terrorism or war or self-consuming hatred. It can only be conquered by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/diversity-is-an-aspect-of-human-existence-that-cannot-be-eradicated/)

[Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/)

> [Unity, not uniformity, must be our aim. We attain unity only through variety. Differences must be integrated, not annihilated, not absorbed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-parker-follett/unity-not-uniformity-must-be-our-aim-we-attain-unity-only-through/)

[Mary Parker Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-parker-follett/)

> [Some of y'all need to stop letting some of these reality TV shows be your cultural diversity class and read a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-of-y-all-need-to-stop-letting-some-of-these-reality-tv-shows-be/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I bring quadruple diversity to the Senate: I'm a woman; I'll be the first Asian woman ever to be elected to the U.S. Senate;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazie-hirono/i-bring-quadruple-diversity-to-the-senate-i-m-a-woman-i-ll-be-the/)

[Mazie Hirono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazie-hirono/)

> [“Project managers operate in a global environment and work on projects characterized by cultural diversity. Team members often have diverse industry experience, know multiple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/project-managers-operate-in-a-global-environment-and-work-on-projects/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [At Affectiva, we hire top talent - and the entire world is our search space. I take pride in the cultural diversity of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rana-el-kaliouby/at-affectiva-we-hire-top-talent-and-the-entire-world-is-our-search/)

[Rana el Kaliouby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rana-el-kaliouby/)

> [Moccasins: nothing says that you appreciate cultural diversity more than wearing the traditional shoe of the people your ancestors wiped out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/moccasins-nothing-says-that-you-appreciate-cultural-diversity-more/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The role of globalization is to homogenize all cultures, and to turn them into commodified markets, and therefore, to make them easier for global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-mander/the-role-of-globalization-is-to-homogenize-all-cultures-and-to-turn/)

[Jerry Mander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-mander/)

> [We Have the Ability to Achieve, If We Master the Necessary Goodwill, a Common Global Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahnaz-afkhami/we-have-the-ability-to-achieve-if-we-master-the-necessary-goodwill-a/)

[Mahnaz Afkhami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahnaz-afkhami/)

## More by Alan Lightman

> [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [“I've decided that has been the great achievement of our age: to so thoroughly flood the planet with megabits that every image and fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/i-ve-decided-that-has-been-the-great-achievement-of-our-age-to-so/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [Every reader gets something different from a book and every reader, in a sense, completes it in a different way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/every-reader-gets-something-different-from-a-book-and-every-reader-in/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> ["The Diagnosis" is by far my most ambitious book. I such great hopes for it... there was so much I wanted to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/the-diagnosis-is-by-far-my-most-ambitious-book-i-such-great-hopes-for/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [As long as God does not intervene in the contemporary universe in such a way as to violate physical laws, science has no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/as-long-as-god-does-not-intervene-in-the-contemporary-universe-in/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [Except for a God who sits down after the universe begins, all other gods conflict with the assumptions of science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/except-for-a-god-who-sits-down-after-the-universe-begins-all-other/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [Each person who gets stuck in time gets stuck alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/each-person-who-gets-stuck-in-time-gets-stuck-alone/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [A writer is someone who has a one-man tent in the desert and occasionally he sees the footprint of an other writer - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/a-writer-is-someone-who-has-a-one-man-tent-in-the-desert-and/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [Time is a rigid, bonelike structure, extending infinitely ahead and behind, fossilizing the future as well as the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/time-is-a-rigid-bonelike-structure-extending-infinitely-ahead-and/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [For me, spirituality includes the belief in things larger than ourselves, an appreciation of nature and beauty, a sensitivity to the world, a feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/for-me-spirituality-includes-the-belief-in-things-larger-than/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [Writers are a loosely knit community - community is an overstated word. Writers don't see each other very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/writers-are-a-loosely-knit-community-community-is-an-overstated-word/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [Imagine a world in which there is no time. Only images.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/imagine-a-world-in-which-there-is-no-time-only-images/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [Time is the clarity for seeing right and wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/time-is-the-clarity-for-seeing-right-and-wrong/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [In this world, time has three dimensions, like space. Just as an object may move in three perpendicular directions, corresponding to horizontal, vertical, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-this-world-time-has-three-dimensions-like-space-just-as-an-object/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [In this world, there are two times. There is mechanical time and there is body time." "They do not keep clocks in their houses.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-this-world-there-are-two-times-there-is-mechanical-time-and-there/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

[Explore all 174 Alan Lightman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

## More Complementary quotes

> [Work and leisure are complementary parts of the same living process and cannot be separated without destroying the joy of work and the bliss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-f-schumacher/work-and-leisure-are-complementary-parts-of-the-same-living-process/)

[E. F. Schumacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-f-schumacher/)

> [Knowledge, Action and Devotion are complementary to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pandurang-shastri-athavale/knowledge-action-and-devotion-are-complementary-to-each-other/)

[Pandurang Shastri Athavale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pandurang-shastri-athavale/)

> [I've been very fortunate, because sometimes it's difficult to work with your spouse. But in our case, it's a great working relationship, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anousheh-ansari/i-ve-been-very-fortunate-because-sometimes-it-s-difficult-to-work/)

[Anousheh Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anousheh-ansari/)

> [The role of the leader is to foster mutual respect and build a complementary team where each strength is made productive and each weakness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/the-role-of-the-leader-is-to-foster-mutual-respect-and-build-a/)

[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

> [I think passion and discipline are wonderful, complementary things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/i-think-passion-and-discipline-are-wonderful-complementary-things/)

[John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/)

> [The union of opposites, in so far as they are really complementary, always results in the most perfect harmony; and the seemingly incongruous is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-union-of-opposites-in-so-far-as-they-are-really-complementary/)

[Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/)

> [The complementary movement towards divine love is growth in humility which is the acceptence of the reality about ourselves, our own weakness and limitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keating/the-complementary-movement-towards-divine-love-is-growth-in-humility/)

[Thomas Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keating/)

> [We are looking for targets that have a tremendous strategic fit for the company. The colleges must have complementary education programs, have an excellent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-larson/we-are-looking-for-targets-that-have-a-tremendous-strategic-fit-for/)

John Larson

> [“Men and women are different, but they are a complementary pair. Men are as they are because women are as they are. Women are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-davies/men-and-women-are-different-but-they-are-a-complementary-pair-men-are/)

Hugh Davies

> [I agree with those who argue that it is possible to distil from the religions of the world their common values and relevance. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-robinson/i-agree-with-those-who-argue-that-it-is-possible-to-distil-from-the/)

[Mary Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-robinson/)

> [Todd and I have a very complementary working style .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-wood/todd-and-i-have-a-very-complementary-working-style/)

[Sam Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-wood/)

> [We are members of a vast cosmic orchestra, in which each living instrument is essential to the complementary and harmonious playing of the whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-boone/we-are-members-of-a-vast-cosmic-orchestra-in-which-each-living/)

[J. Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-boone/)

> [Science investigates, religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge which is power, religion gives man wisdom which is control. Science deals mainly with facts, religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/science-investigates-religion-interprets-science-gives-man-knowledge/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [I write across genres so I see them, more often, as complementary instead of separated by boundaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/i-write-across-genres-so-i-see-them-more-often-as-complementary/)

[Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/)

> [One could think of a person who seems to have two opposing and contradictory sides to his personality; but it turns out that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-alvarez-bravo/one-could-think-of-a-person-who-seems-to-have-two-opposing-and/)

[Manuel Alvarez Bravo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-alvarez-bravo/)

Browse all 112 Complementary quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think that the scienti?c way of looking at the world, and the humanistic way of looking at the world are complementary. There are important differences which should be preserved, and in trying to do away with those differences we would lose something the same way as if we tried to make all religions one religion or all races one race. There is a cultural diversity that's very valuable, and it's valuable to have different ways of looking at the world.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Alan Lightman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/i-think-that-the-scienti-c-way-of-looking-at-the-world-and-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Complementary"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/i-think-that-the-scienti-c-way-of-looking-at-the-world-and-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ec/alan-lightman-2270_complementary_i-think-that-the-scienti-c-way-of-lookin_1096815.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ec/alan-lightman-2270_complementary_i-think-that-the-scienti-c-way-of-lookin_1096815.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ec/alan-lightman-2270_complementary_i-think-that-the-scienti-c-way-of-lookin_1096815.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think that the scienti?c way of looking at the world, and the humanistic way of looking at the world are…” — Alan Lightman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Alan Lightman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think that the scienti?c way...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/i-think-that-the-scienti-c-way-of-looking-at-the-world-and-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/i-think-that-the-scienti-c-way-of-looking-at-the-world-and-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
