Book of genesis Quote by Carl Sagan
““Or consider a story in the Jewish Talmud left out of the Book of Genesis. (It is in doubtful accord with the account of the apple, the Tree of Knowledge, the Fall, and the expulsion from Eden.) In The Garden, God tells Eve and Adam that He has intentionally left the Universe unfinished. It is the responsibility of humans, over countless generations, to participate with God in a "glorious" experiment - the "completing of the Creation." The burden of such a responsibility is heavy, especially on so weak and imperfect a species as ours, one with so unhappy a history. Nothing remotely like "completion" can be attempted without vastly more knowledge than we have today. But, perhaps, if our very existence is at stake, we will find ourselves able to rise to this supreme challenge.””
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Cosmos series, 1995
Humanity is tasked with completing an unfinished universe, a massive responsibility requiring knowledge beyond our current grasp.
In simple terms: We must help finish creation, but it’s a huge, daunting task.
Key Takeaway
Seek knowledge and collaborate for the greater good.
Themes
responsibility
exploration
human potential
Mood
inspired
humble
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- scientific research
- global cooperation
- environmental stewardship
Key Concepts
cosmic stewardship
epistemic humility
Questions to Reflect On
- What small steps can we take toward this grand goal?
- How do we balance ambition with humility?
A Different Perspective
The scope may be overwhelming, leading to paralysis.
![“[ 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)
![“When God creates Eve, he calls her an ezer kenegdo. 'It is not good for the man to be alone, I shall make him [an ezer kenegdo]' (Gen. 2:18 Alter). Hebrew scholar Robert Alter, who has spent years translating the book of Genesis, says that this phrase is 'notoriously difficult to translate.' The…” quote by Stasi Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/177/stasi-eldredge-10495_bible_when-god-creates-eve-he-calls-her-an-eze_657900.jpg)
