--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For unnumbered centuries of human history…" description: "\"For unnumbered centuries of human history the wilderness has given way. The priority of industry has become dogma. Are we as yet sufficiently enlighten..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/aldo-leopold-1278_century_for-unnumbered-centuries-of-human-histor_1436038.png" --- # For unnumbered centuries of human history the wilderness… ![“For unnumbered centuries of human history the wilderness has given way. The priority of industry has become dogma. Are we as yet sufficiently enlightened to realize that we must now challenge that dogma, or do without our wilderness? Do we realize that industry, which has been our good servant…” quote by Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/aldo-leopold-1278_century_for-unnumbered-centuries-of-human-histor_1436038.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/aldo-leopold-1278_century_for-unnumbered-centuries-of-human-histor_1436038.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/aldo-leopold-1278_century_for-unnumbered-centuries-of-human-histor_1436038.png) > “For unnumbered centuries of human history the wilderness has given way. The priority of industry has become dogma. Are we as yet sufficiently enlightened to realize that we must now challenge that dogma, or do without our wilderness? Do we realize that industry, which has been our good servant, might make a poor master?” [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human progress must respect wilderness; industry should serve, not dominate, nature. **In simple terms:** Industry must serve nature, not rule it. Key Takeaway Balance development with ecological stewardship. Themes environment ethics sustainability Mood concerned determined Type environmental philosophical When to use this quote - urban planning - resource extraction - education curricula Key Concepts ecology philosophy policy Questions to Reflect On - How can societies shift from exploitation to stewardship? - What policies can protect wilderness? A Different Perspective Economic pressures often outweigh ecological concerns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Challenge Dogma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge-dogma-540826/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Dogma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogma/) [Dogma Wilderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dogma-wilderness-5126442/) [Enlightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Wilderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-wilderness-1099779/) [Human history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-history/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Industry Dogma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry-dogma-5126441/) [Masters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masters/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wilderness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilderness/) [Wilderness Realize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wilderness-realize-5126443/) ## Related quotes > [I try to hold both history and wilderness in mind, that my poems may the true measure of things and stand against the unbalance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-snyder/i-try-to-hold-both-history-and-wilderness-in-mind-that-my-poems-may/) [Gary Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-snyder/) > [It’s a similar feeling from being in a community of punk rockers as a teenager and the feeling I still get today when I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/it-s-a-similar-feeling-from-being-in-a-community-of-punk-rockers-as-a/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [In the past, secularists sought to challenge dogma by the use of rational argument, claiming, for example, that miracles described in the Bible are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/in-the-past-secularists-sought-to-challenge-dogma-by-the-use-of/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Our tools are better than we are, and grow better faster than we do. 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