--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am not sure whether I can make you…" description: "\"“I am not sure whether I can make you understand it. It was something more than a prudent desire to avoid creatures alien in kind, very powerful, and v..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1d/c-s-lewis-121_quote_i-am-not-sure-whether-i-can-make-you-und_1323247.jpg" --- # I am not sure whether I can make you understand it. It was… ![“I am not sure whether I can make you understand it. It was something more than a prudent desire to avoid creatures alien in kind, very powerful, and very intelligent. The truth was that all I heard about them served to connect two things which one's mind tends to keep separate, and that connecting…” quote by C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1d/c-s-lewis-121_quote_i-am-not-sure-whether-i-can-make-you-und_1323247.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1d/c-s-lewis-121_quote_i-am-not-sure-whether-i-can-make-you-und_1323247.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1d/c-s-lewis-121_quote_i-am-not-sure-whether-i-can-make-you-und_1323247.jpg) > ““I am not sure whether I can make you understand it. It was something more than a prudent desire to avoid creatures alien in kind, very powerful, and very intelligent. The truth was that all I heard about them served to connect two things which one's mind tends to keep separate, and that connecting gave one sort of a shock. We tend to think about non-human intelligences in two distinct categories which we label "scientific" and "supernatural" respectively. We think, in one mood, of Mr. Wells' Martians (very unlike the real Malacandrians, by the bye), or his Selenites. In quite a different mood we let our minds loose on the possibility of angels, ghosts, fairies, and the like. But the very moment we are compelled to recognise a creature in either class as real, the distinction begins to get blurred: and when it is a creature like an eldil the distinction vanishes altogether. These things were not animals-to that extent one had to classify them with the second group; but they had some kind of material vehicle whose presence could (in principle) be scientifically verified. To that extent they belonged to the first group. The distinction between natural and supernatural, in fact, broke down; and when it had done so, one realised how great a comfort it had been-how it had eased the burden of intolerable strangeness which this universe imposes on us by dividing it into two halves and encouraging the mind never to think of both in the same context.”” [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human minds split non‑human intelligence into “scientific” and “supernatural,” but true understanding blurs that line, revealing deeper comfort in categorization. **In simple terms:** We separate science and myth, but they overlap. Key Takeaway Question our mental categories. Themes philosophy knowledge the unknown mindset Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical essay When to use this quote - science fiction - theology - philosophical debate - personal belief Key Concepts epistemology cognitive bias boundary dissolution Questions to Reflect On - What does blurring categories reveal about fear? - How can we integrate scientific and spiritual views? A Different Perspective May ignore nuanced perspectives; can be overly abstract. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alien Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien-kind-3834642/) [Creatures Alien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creatures-alien-4416575/) [Martians Unlike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martians-unlike-4416576/) [Natural Supernatural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-supernatural-666914/) [Scientific Supernatural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientific-supernatural-4416577/) ## Related quotes > [“As to my intense wish never to come into contact with the eldila myself, I am not sure whether I can make you understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/as-to-my-intense-wish-never-to-come-into-contact-with-the-eldila/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“It’s easier to believe in aliens than in gods,” said Sam. “Maybe Mister Town and Mister Whatever were Men in Black, only the alien…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/it-s-easier-to-believe-in-aliens-than-in-gods-said-sam-maybe-mister/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ I've never read a book \[ Nnedi Okorafor's Lagoon\] like it before. Big and sprawling with a million points of view, including sea creatures.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-larbalestier/i-ve-never-read-a-book-nnedi-okorafor-s-lagoon-like-it-before-big-and/) [Justine Larbalestier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justine-larbalestier/) > [The border between the natural and the supernatural, religion and philosophy, may not always be clear. But there are lines, and we should know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/the-border-between-the-natural-and-the-supernatural-religion-and/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [Mysticism occurs whenever a human being sees the separation between the natural and the supernatural, between the temporal and the eternal, as overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/mysticism-occurs-whenever-a-human-being-sees-the-separation-between/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [The natural/supernatural distinction itself, and the near-equation of 'supernatural' with 'superstition', are scarecrows that Enlightenment thought has erected in its fields to frighten away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/the-natural-supernatural-distinction-itself-and-the-near-equation-of/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [That so many manage to accommodate belief systems encompassing both the natural and the supernatural is a testament not to the compatibility of science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/that-so-many-manage-to-accommodate-belief-systems-encompassing-both/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [When I am writing, I do not distinguish between the natural and supernatural. Everything seems real. That is my world, you could say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-i-am-writing-i-do-not-distinguish-between-the-natural-and-2/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Science operates in the natural, not the supernatural. In fact, I go so far as to state that there is no such thing as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/science-operates-in-the-natural-not-the-supernatural-in-fact-i-go-so/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [“The world of magic is double, natural, and supernatural. Magic is impossible in a purely materialist world, a purely sceptical world, a world of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt/the-world-of-magic-is-double-natural-and-supernatural-magic-is/) [A.S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt/) > [“Religion, for Father Pavel, involved no escape from the natural into the supernatural, no repudiation of this world for the sake of a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/religion-for-father-pavel-involved-no-escape-from-the-natural-into/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [“When I am writing, I do not distinguish between the natural and supernatural. Everything seems real. That is my world”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-i-am-writing-i-do-not-distinguish-between-the-natural-and/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The problem of the novelist who wishes to write about a man's encounter with God is how he shall make the experience--which is both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/the-problem-of-the-novelist-who-wishes-to-write-about-a-man-s/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) ## More by C.S. Lewis > [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Isn’t it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified of the other?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a-fierce-left-and-a-fierce/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“All Hell is smaller than one pebble of your earthly world: but it is smaller than one atom of this world, the Real World.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/all-hell-is-smaller-than-one-pebble-of-your-earthly-world-but-it-is/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“the greatest service we can do to education today is to teach fewer subjects. No one has time to do more than a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-greatest-service-we-can-do-to-education-today-is-to-teach-fewer/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“If the Divine call does not make us better, it will make us very much worse. Of all bad men religious bad men are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-the-divine-call-does-not-make-us-better-it-will-make-us-very-much/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“The husband is the head of the wife just in so far as he is to her what Christ is to the Church -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/the-husband-is-the-head-of-the-wife-just-in-so-far-as-he-is-to-her/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“We use a most unfortunate idiom when we say, of a lustful man prowling the streets, that he "wants a woman". Strictly speaking, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/we-use-a-most-unfortunate-idiom-when-we-say-of-a-lustful-man-prowling/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Después de cada fracaso, pedid perdón, levantaos del suelo y volved a intentarlo. Muy a menudo, lo que Dios nos otorga primero no es…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/despu-s-de-cada-fracaso-pedid-perd-n-levantaos-del-suelo-y-volved-a/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Then two wonders happened at the same moment. One was that the voice was suddenly joined by other voices; more voices than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/then-two-wonders-happened-at-the-same-moment-one-was-that-the-voice/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/because-free-will-though-it-makes-evil-possible-is-also-the-only/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Laugh and fear not, creatures. Now that you are no longer dumb and witless, you need not always be grave. For jokes as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/laugh-and-fear-not-creatures-now-that-you-are-no-longer-dumb-and/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“When two humans have lived together for many years it usually happens that each has tones of voice and expressions of face which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/when-two-humans-have-lived-together-for-many-years-it-usually-happens/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“He sees as well as you do that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/he-sees-as-well-as-you-do-that-courage-is-not-simply-one-of-the/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“If you do not take the distinction between good and bad very seriously, then it is easy to say that anything you find in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-you-do-not-take-the-distinction-between-good-and-bad-very/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Now the whole offer which Christianity makes is this: that we can, if we let God have His way, come to share in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/now-the-whole-offer-which-christianity-makes-is-this-that-we-can-if/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) [Explore all 1,165 C.S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## More Natural Supernatural quotes > [“The world of magic is double, natural, and supernatural. Magic is impossible in a purely materialist world, a purely sceptical world, a world of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-byatt/the-world-of-magic-is-double-natural-and-supernatural-magic-is/) [A.S. Byatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-byatt/) > [The border between the natural and the supernatural, religion and philosophy, may not always be clear. But there are lines, and we should know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/the-border-between-the-natural-and-the-supernatural-religion-and/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [“As to my intense wish never to come into contact with the eldila myself, I am not sure whether I can make you understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/as-to-my-intense-wish-never-to-come-into-contact-with-the-eldila/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“When I am writing, I do not distinguish between the natural and supernatural. Everything seems real. That is my world”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-i-am-writing-i-do-not-distinguish-between-the-natural-and/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“Religion, for Father Pavel, involved no escape from the natural into the supernatural, no repudiation of this world for the sake of a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-scruton/religion-for-father-pavel-involved-no-escape-from-the-natural-into/) [Roger Scruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-scruton/) > [Science operates in the natural, not the supernatural. In fact, I go so far as to state that there is no such thing as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shermer/science-operates-in-the-natural-not-the-supernatural-in-fact-i-go-so/) [Michael Shermer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shermer/) > [When I am writing, I do not distinguish between the natural and supernatural. Everything seems real. That is my world, you could say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-i-am-writing-i-do-not-distinguish-between-the-natural-and-2/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [That so many manage to accommodate belief systems encompassing both the natural and the supernatural is a testament not to the compatibility of science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/that-so-many-manage-to-accommodate-belief-systems-encompassing-both/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [The natural/supernatural distinction itself, and the near-equation of 'supernatural' with 'superstition', are scarecrows that Enlightenment thought has erected in its fields to frighten away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/the-natural-supernatural-distinction-itself-and-the-near-equation-of/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [Mysticism occurs whenever a human being sees the separation between the natural and the supernatural, between the temporal and the eternal, as overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/mysticism-occurs-whenever-a-human-being-sees-the-separation-between/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [The problem of the novelist who wishes to write about a man's encounter with God is how he shall make the experience--which is both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/the-problem-of-the-novelist-who-wishes-to-write-about-a-man-s/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) [Browse all 12 Natural Supernatural quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-supernatural-666914/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I am not sure whether I can make you understand it. It was something more than a prudent desire to avoid creatures alien in kind, very powerful, and very intelligent. The truth was that all I heard about them served to connect two things which one's mind tends to keep separate, and that connecting gave one sort of a shock. We tend to think about non-human intelligences in two distinct categories which we label \"scientific\" and \"supernatural\" respectively. We think, in one mood, of Mr. Wells' Martians (very unlike the real Malacandrians, by the bye), or his Selenites. In quite a different mood we let our minds loose on the possibility of angels, ghosts, fairies, and the like. But the very moment we are compelled to recognise a creature in either class as real, the distinction begins to get blurred: and when it is a creature like an eldil the distinction vanishes altogether. 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