Biology Quote by Carl Sagan
““Naive Darwinists, including many capitalists, have self-servingly argued that oppression of the weak and the poor is a justified application of natural selection to human affairs. Naive biblical literalists, including some high officials charged with safeguarding the environment, have self-servingly argued that the destruction of non-human life is justified because the world will shortly end anyway, or because of the injunction in Genesis that we have “dominion … over every living thing.”14 But neither evolution nor the sacred books of various religions are invalidated because dangerous conclusions have been mistakenly drawn from them.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan, 1995
Misusing scientific or religious ideas to justify oppression or environmental harm is a logical error; the ideas themselves remain valid when interpreted responsibly.
In simple terms: Misusing ideas to justify harm is a mistake; the ideas themselves are not invalid.
Key Takeaway
Interpret ideas responsibly, avoid self‑serving justifications.
Themes
ethics
interpretation
science
religion
environment
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
analytical
ethical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- environmental activism
- education curricula
- public discourse
- legal arguments
Key Concepts
natural selection
dominion concept
misinterpretation
ethical reasoning
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ensure scientific and religious teachings are applied ethically?
- What safeguards prevent self‑serving misinterpretations?
A Different Perspective
These arguments often ignore complex social, ecological, and theological contexts, oversimplifying nuanced concepts.
![“[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion, why do you not believe in materialistic science, which has an unparalleled record of fulfilled prophecy? Consider, for example, eclipses.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/875/carl-sagan-160_belief_when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-a_25095.jpg)
