--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are the first generation of human…" description: "\"We are the first generation of human beings to have substantial insights into the origin of our cosmos and of human life in it.\" — Arthur Peacocke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bf/arthur-peacocke-44772_astronomy_we-are-the-first-generation-of-human-bei_930882.png" --- # We are the first generation of human beings to have… ![“We are the first generation of human beings to have substantial insights into the origin of our cosmos and of human life in it.” quote by Arthur Peacocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bf/arthur-peacocke-44772_astronomy_we-are-the-first-generation-of-human-bei_930882.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bf/arthur-peacocke-44772_astronomy_we-are-the-first-generation-of-human-bei_930882.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bf/arthur-peacocke-44772_astronomy_we-are-the-first-generation-of-human-bei_930882.png) > “We are the first generation of human beings to have substantial insights into the origin of our cosmos and of human life in it.” [Arthur Peacocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-peacocke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We uniquely understand cosmic origins, bridging science and spirituality. **In simple terms:** Humans now grasp the universe’s beginnings. Key Takeaway Embrace this rare insight. Themes science spirituality knowledge Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - education - public talks - interfaith discussions - science outreach Key Concepts cosmology philosophy of science Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities come with this knowledge? - How can we share it responsibly? A Different Perspective Our understanding is still limited; humility is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Beings Substantial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings-substantial-1515238/) [Cosmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmos/) [Cosmos Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmos-human-1515237/) [Generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation/) [Generation Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation-human-363634/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Origin Cosmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/origin-cosmos-1515236/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [“The biblical account of the origin of the cosmos in Genesis, for example, posits that a god created the physical universe particularly with human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-maudlin/the-biblical-account-of-the-origin-of-the-cosmos-in-genesis-for/) [Tim Maudlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-maudlin/) > [The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/the-greatest-discovery-of-my-generation-is-that-human-beings-can/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-greatest-discovery-of-my-generation-is-that-a-human-being-can-3/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [We are the climactic generation of human cultural evolution, and in the microcosm of our lives the macrocosm of the evolution of the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-irwin-thompson/we-are-the-climactic-generation-of-human-cultural-evolution-and-in/) [William Irwin Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-irwin-thompson/) > [We stand on a great threshold in the human history of space exploration. 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Those who have the courage to conquer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/through-every-generation-of-the-human-race-there-has-been-a-constant/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jones/the-greatest-discovery-of-my-generation-is-that-a-human-being-can-2/) [William Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jones/) > [The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-greatest-discovery-of-any-generation-is-that-a-human-being-can/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I think, and I've thought this for a long time, that we live, roughly speaking, in the last generation of human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitfield-diffie/i-think-and-i-ve-thought-this-for-a-long-time-that-we-live-roughly/) [Whitfield Diffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitfield-diffie/) > [The greatest discovery of my generation is that human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of his mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-greatest-discovery-of-my-generation-is-that-human-being-can-alter/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“We in the West are the first generation in human history in which the mass of the population has to deliberately exercise to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-b-agus/we-in-the-west-are-the-first-generation-in-human-history-in-which-the/) [David B. Agus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-b-agus/) > [The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can change his life by changing his attitude of mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-greatest-discovery-of-my-generation-is-that-a-human-being-can/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human can alter his life by altering his attitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-greatest-discovery-of-any-generation-is-that-a-human-can-alter/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“The greatest discovery of any generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering the attitudes of their minds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/the-greatest-discovery-of-any-generation-is-that-human-beings-can/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.-WILLIAM JAMES”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-discovery-of-my-generation-is-that-a-human-being-can-4/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Arthur Peacocke > [God is creating at every moment of the world's existence in and through the perpetually endowed creativity of the very stuff of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-peacocke/god-is-creating-at-every-moment-of-the-world-s-existence-in-and/) [Arthur Peacocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-peacocke/) > [In the nineteenth century, many Anglican theologians, both evangelical and catholic, embraced positively the proposal of evolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-peacocke/in-the-nineteenth-century-many-anglican-theologians-both-evangelical/) [Arthur Peacocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-peacocke/) > [Humanity could only have survived and flourished if it held social and personal values that transcended the urges of the individual, embodying selfish desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-peacocke/humanity-could-only-have-survived-and-flourished-if-it-held-social/) [Arthur Peacocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-peacocke/) > [The scientific perspective of the world, especially the living world, inexorably impresses upon us a dynamic picture of the world of entities, structures and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-peacocke/the-scientific-perspective-of-the-world-especially-the-living-world/) [Arthur Peacocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-peacocke/) > [Classical philosophical theism maintained the ontological distinction between God and creative world that is necessary for any genuine theism by conceiving them to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-peacocke/classical-philosophical-theism-maintained-the-ontological-distinction/) [Arthur Peacocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-peacocke/) > [Such an emphasis on the immanence of God as Creator in, with, and under the natural processes of the world unveiled by the sciences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-peacocke/such-an-emphasis-on-the-immanence-of-god-as-creator-in-with-and-under/) [Arthur Peacocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-peacocke/) > [For many decades now - and certainly during my adult life in academe - the Western intellectual world has not been convinced that theology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-peacocke/for-many-decades-now-and-certainly-during-my-adult-life-in-academe/) [Arthur Peacocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-peacocke/) > [The scientific perspective of the world, especially the living world, inexorably impresses on us a dynamic picture of the world of entities and structures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-peacocke/the-scientific-perspective-of-the-world-especially-the-living-world-2/) [Arthur Peacocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-peacocke/) [Explore all 9 Arthur Peacocke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-peacocke/) ## More Astronomy quotes > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. 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Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." ... quote has been credited to Les Brown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylviek/shoot-for-the-moon-even-if-you-miss-it-you-will-land-among-the-stars/) [Sylviek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylviek/) > [When certain stars take you under their wing, it does help as they gauge your potential and are willing to work with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-bhatt/when-certain-stars-take-you-under-their-wing-it-does-help-as-they/) [Vikram Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-bhatt/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. 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