--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In our evolutionary narratives, the…" description: "\"In our evolutionary narratives, the organism itself often seems to play a passive role: a powerless victim, almost, of changes to its environment or mu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6f/alice-roberts-6136_biology_in-our-evolutionary-narratives-the-organ_1684753.jpg" --- # In our evolutionary narratives, the organism itself often… ![“In our evolutionary narratives, the organism itself often seems to play a passive role: a powerless victim, almost, of changes to its environment or mutations in its genes.” quote by Alice Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6f/alice-roberts-6136_biology_in-our-evolutionary-narratives-the-organ_1684753.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6f/alice-roberts-6136_biology_in-our-evolutionary-narratives-the-organ_1684753.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6f/alice-roberts-6136_biology_in-our-evolutionary-narratives-the-organ_1684753.jpg) > “In our evolutionary narratives, the organism itself often seems to play a passive role: a powerless victim, almost, of changes to its environment or mutations in its genes.” [Alice Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Organisms often appear passive in evolution, seeming like victims of environmental changes or genetic mutations. **In simple terms:** Evolution seems to make organisms passive victims. Key Takeaway Consider agency in evolutionary processes. Themes biology evolution agency determinism science Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type educational scientific When to use this quote - Scientific education - Research design - Policy making - Public outreach Key Concepts Philosophy of biology Systems theory Adaptation Questions to Reflect On - In what ways do organisms shape their own evolution? - How does this perspective affect conservation? A Different Perspective Passive view oversimplifies complex reciprocal interactions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Mutations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutations/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) ## Related quotes > [The more students work at storing the deposits entrusted to them, the less they develop the critical consciousness which would result from their intervention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-more-students-work-at-storing-the-deposits-entrusted-to-them-the/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [The eye is not open when it is limited to the passive role of a mirror... if it has only the capacity to reflect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andr-breton/the-eye-is-not-open-when-it-is-limited-to-the-passive-role-of-a/) [Andre Breton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andr-breton/) > [How comes it to pass, if they be only moved by chance and accident, that such regular mutations and generations should be begotten by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-smith/how-comes-it-to-pass-if-they-be-only-moved-by-chance-and-accident/) [John Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-smith/) > [I was taught over and over again that the accumulation of random mutations led to evolutionary change - led to new species. I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/i-was-taught-over-and-over-again-that-the-accumulation-of-random/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [Life has survived for more than three billion years because it is robust, and almost no mutations can easily outwit the defense mechanisms built…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/life-has-survived-for-more-than-three-billion-years-because-it-is/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [“Evolution wasn’t a blueprint; it was a series of mistakes that occasionally turned out to be beneficial. And the doctor knew those were few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-c-currie/evolution-wasn-t-a-blueprint-it-was-a-series-of-mistakes-that/) [Evan C. Currie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-c-currie/) > [“New mutations don't create new species; they create offspring that are impaired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/new-mutations-don-t-create-new-species-they-create-offspring-that-are/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [“The bradys must hold that, on the average, cumulative selection has to add a little information to the genome at each step. But of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-spetner/the-bradys-must-hold-that-on-the-average-cumulative-selection-has-to/) [Lee Spetner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-spetner/) > [I think, with every kind of creature and every kind of human, there is no better. We're all just mutations, and I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arca/i-think-with-every-kind-of-creature-and-every-kind-of-human-there-is/) [Arca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arca/) > [A number of well-understood mechanisms, including single gene mutations, produce changes that qualify as macroevolution. These include heterochronic mutations that alter structures by changing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/a-number-of-well-understood-mechanisms-including-single-gene/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) > [ After observing mutations in fruit flies for many years, Professes Goldschmidt fell into despair. The changes, he lamented, were so hopelessly micro \[insignificant\] that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-macbeth/after-observing-mutations-in-fruit-flies-for-many-years-professes/) [Norman Macbeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-macbeth/) > [We find in the history of ideas mutations which do not seem to correspond to any obvious need, and at first sight appear as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/we-find-in-the-history-of-ideas-mutations-which-do-not-seem-to/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [The secrets of evolution are death and time-the deaths of enormous numbers of lifeforms that were imperfectly adapted to the environment; and time for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-secrets-of-evolution-are-death-and-time-the-deaths-of-enormous/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Choose your mutations carefully...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mothersbaugh/choose-your-mutations-carefully/) [Mark Mothersbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mothersbaugh/) > [If we didn't have genetic mutations, we wouldn't have us. You need error to open the door to the adjacent possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-johnson/if-we-didn-t-have-genetic-mutations-we-wouldn-t-have-us-you-need/) [Steven Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-johnson/) ## More by Alice Roberts > [Our ape legs make us great generalists - we can walk, run and climb. But when you try to do too many things at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/our-ape-legs-make-us-great-generalists-we-can-walk-run-and-climb-but/) [Alice Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/) > [Pagan Romans started their midwinter celebrations with the feast of Saturnalia on 17 December, ending them with a new year festival, the Kalendae Januariae,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/pagan-romans-started-their-midwinter-celebrations-with-the-feast-of/) [Alice Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/) > [I'm slightly obsessed with Moomins. They were my specialist subject on BBC's 'Celebrity Mastermind' a few years ago!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/i-m-slightly-obsessed-with-moomins-they-were-my-specialist-subject-on/) [Alice Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/) > [I gave up meat when I was 18, and it was an ethical decision. I loved the taste, and went on holiday to Greece,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/i-gave-up-meat-when-i-was-18-and-it-was-an-ethical-decision-i-loved/) [Alice Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/) > [As an anthropologist, I believe strongly in our common humanity. 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Most people in the Stone Age didn't live anywhere near as long as we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/it-s-tempting-to-look-back-into-history-with-rose-tinted-glasses-most/) [Alice Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/) > [It is so stimulating for young children to hear someone who does science talking about it. It can be so exciting and inspiring. 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And Charlie Brooker is just hilarious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/more-useful-than-beautiful-perhaps-my-favourite-regular-programme-is/) [Alice Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/) > [Whatever happens to science in schools, there's something peculiar going on if students don't see it as creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/whatever-happens-to-science-in-schools-there-s-something-peculiar/) [Alice Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/) [Explore all 100 Alice Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/) ## More Biology quotes > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [“Genetics is a science full of gods, Mr. Sanchez.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/genetics-is-a-science-full-of-gods-mr-sanchez/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [Evolution happens in jumps, very rapidly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-ferguson/evolution-happens-in-jumps-very-rapidly/) [Marilyn Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-ferguson/) > [“Toshiaki learned that all living organisms were governed by their DNA. He was impressed by perfection of this system.Why did existence have the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-sena/toshiaki-learned-that-all-living-organisms-were-governed-by-their-dna/) Hideaki Sena > [I'm all about evolution. I'm the first person to judge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/i-m-all-about-evolution-i-m-the-first-person-to-judge-myself/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I think the ethics and morals of genetic engineering are very complicated. It intrigues me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spottiswoode/i-think-the-ethics-and-morals-of-genetic-engineering-are-very/) [Roger Spottiswoode](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spottiswoode/) > [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/) [Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/) > [“A note of caution: epigenetics is also on the verge of transforming into a dangerous idea. Epigenetic modifications of genes can potentially superpose historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddhartha-mukherjee/a-note-of-caution-epigenetics-is-also-on-the-verge-of-transforming/) [Siddhartha Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddhartha-mukherjee/) > [Natural history is not taught in seminary. This is curious, as most people in pastoral ministry are about 567 times more likely to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-maitland/natural-history-is-not-taught-in-seminary-this-is-curious-as-most/) [Sara Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-maitland/) > [We are coming to a place where the road ends. From here on out, we will be making the road as we walk it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-atlee/we-are-coming-to-a-place-where-the-road-ends-from-here-on-out-we-will/) Tom Atlee > [I've always been interested in medicine and was pleased when my brother became a doctor. But after thinking seriously about that field, I realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-medicine-and-was-pleased-when-my/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [Evolution... is the most powerful and the most comprehensive idea that has ever arisen on Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-huxley/evolution-is-the-most-powerful-and-the-most-comprehensive-idea-that/) [Julian Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-huxley/) > [History employs evolution to structure biological events in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/history-employs-evolution-to-structure-biological-events-in-time/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) [Browse all 3,034 Biology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In our evolutionary narratives, the organism itself often seems to play a passive role: a powerless victim, almost, of changes to its environment or mutations in its genes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alice Roberts" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/in-our-evolutionary-narratives-the-organism-itself-often-seems-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Biology" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/in-our-evolutionary-narratives-the-organism-itself-often-seems-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6f/alice-roberts-6136_biology_in-our-evolutionary-narratives-the-organ_1684753.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6f/alice-roberts-6136_biology_in-our-evolutionary-narratives-the-organ_1684753.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6f/alice-roberts-6136_biology_in-our-evolutionary-narratives-the-organ_1684753.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In our evolutionary narratives, the organism itself often seems to play a passive role: a powerless victim…” — Alice Roberts", "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": "Alice Roberts", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In our evolutionary narratives, the organism...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/in-our-evolutionary-narratives-the-organism-itself-often-seems-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/in-our-evolutionary-narratives-the-organism-itself-often-seems-to/#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 } } ] } ```