--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A new concept of god: “something not very…" description: "\"“A new concept of god: “something not very different from the sum total of the physical laws of the universe; that is, gravitation plus quantum mechani..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/carl-sagan-160_god_a-new-concept-of-god-something-not-very_2992744.jpg" --- # A new concept of god: “something not very different from… ![“A new concept of god: “something not very different from the sum total of the physical laws of the universe; that is, gravitation plus quantum mechanics plus grand unified field theories plus a few other things equaled god. And by that all they meant was that here were a set of exquisitely…” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/carl-sagan-160_god_a-new-concept-of-god-something-not-very_2992744.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/carl-sagan-160_god_a-new-concept-of-god-something-not-very_2992744.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/carl-sagan-160_god_a-new-concept-of-god-something-not-very_2992744.jpg) > ““A new concept of god: “something not very different from the sum total of the physical laws of the universe; that is, gravitation plus quantum mechanics plus grand unified field theories plus a few other things equaled god. And by that all they meant was that here were a set of exquisitely powerful physical principles that seemed to explain a great deal that was otherwise inexplicable about the universe. Laws of nature…that apply not just locally, not just in Glasgow, but far beyond: Edinburgh, Moscow…Mars…the center of the Milky Way, and out by the most distant quarters known. That the same laws of physics apply everywhere is quite remarkable. Certainly that represents a power greater than any of us.”” [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote equates god with the universal physical laws, emphasizing their consistent power across the cosmos. **In simple terms:** God is described as the sum of physical laws. Key Takeaway Recognize the awe of universal laws. Themes science philosophy spirituality Mood wonder reverence intellectual Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - public lectures - philosophical debates - personal reflection Key Concepts cosmology unified theory metaphysics Questions to Reflect On - How do universal laws influence personal belief? - Can science replace traditional deity concepts? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex theological concepts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Laws of physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laws-of-physics/) [Milky way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/milky-way/) [Quantum mechanics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quantum-mechanics/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [The smallest thought could not exist unless the entire universe and the laws of physics were in some way encouraging it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/the-smallest-thought-could-not-exist-unless-the-entire-universe-and/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [The universe and the Laws of Physics seem to have been specifically designed for us. If any one of about 40 physical qualities had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-universe-and-the-laws-of-physics-seem-to-have-been-specifically/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Nothing is accidental in the universe - this is one of my Laws of Physics - except the entire universe itself, which is Pure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/nothing-is-accidental-in-the-universe-this-is-one-of-my-laws-of/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [In the parallel universe the laws of physics are suspended. What goes up does not necessarily come down, a body at rest does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-kaysen/in-the-parallel-universe-the-laws-of-physics-are-suspended-what-goes/) [Susanna Kaysen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-kaysen/) > [A scenario is suggested by which the universe and its laws could have arisen naturally from nothing. Current cosmology suggests that no laws of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-stenger/a-scenario-is-suggested-by-which-the-universe-and-its-laws-could-have/) [Victor J. Stenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-j-stenger/) > [“People ask, How did you get in there? What they really want to know is if they are likely to end up in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-kaysen/people-ask-how-did-you-get-in-there-what-they-really-want-to-know-is/) [Susanna Kaysen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-kaysen/) > [In terms of the most astonishing fact about which we know nothing, there is dark matter and dark energy. We don't know what either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-terms-of-the-most-astonishing-fact-about-which-we-know-nothing/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“Knowledge of physical laws can, in some cases, give you the confidence to confront surly people. A few years ago I was having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/knowledge-of-physical-laws-can-in-some-cases-give-you-the-confidence/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The remarkable feature of physical laws is that they apply everywhere, whether or not you choose to believe in them. After the laws of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-remarkable-feature-of-physical-laws-is-that-they-apply-everywhere/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“Around the world, varying belief systems lead to political differences that are not always resolved peacefully. The power and beauty of physical laws is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/around-the-world-varying-belief-systems-lead-to-political-differences/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“The power and beauty of physical laws is that they apply everywhere, whether or not you choose to believe in them. In other words,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/the-power-and-beauty-of-physical-laws-is-that-they-apply-everywhere-2/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“It’s almost as if science said, “Give me one free miracle, and from there the entire thing will proceed with a seamless, causal explanation.”’17…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/it-s-almost-as-if-science-said-give-me-one-free-miracle-and-from/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [Not only does the universe have its own laws, all of them indifferent to the contradictory dreams and desires of humanity, and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/not-only-does-the-universe-have-its-own-laws-all-of-them-indifferent/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“The phenomenon of symmetry breaking reveals something deeply significant about the workings of the universe. The laws of Nature are unerringly symmetrical. They do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-barrow/the-phenomenon-of-symmetry-breaking-reveals-something-deeply/) [John D. Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-barrow/) > [“We live in a universe in which there are laws, just as there is a law of gravity. If you fall off a building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickael-bernard-beckwith/we-live-in-a-universe-in-which-there-are-laws-just-as-there-is-a-law/) Mickael Bernard Beckwith ## More by Carl Sagan > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion or in politics, but it is not the path to knowledge; it has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-suppression-of-uncomfortable-ideas-may-be-common-in-religion-or/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Telepathy’ literally means to feel at a distance, just as ‘telephone’ is to hear at a distance and ‘television’ is to see at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/telepathy-literally-means-to-feel-at-a-distance-just-as-telephone-is/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“On the scale of worlds—to say nothing of stars or galaxies—humans are inconsequential, a thin film of life on an obscure and solitary lump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/on-the-scale-of-worlds-to-say-nothing-of-stars-or-galaxies-humans-are/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-one-of-us-is-in-the-cosmic-perspective-precious-if-a-human/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [In our time, we have sifted the sands of Mars, we have established a presence there, we have fulfilled a century of dreams!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/in-our-time-we-have-sifted-the-sands-of-mars-we-have-established-a/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ “\[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :\] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-about-fulfilled-prophecies-he/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Don't judge everyone else by your own limited experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/don-t-judge-everyone-else-by-your-own-limited-experience/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors. The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/books-permit-us-to-voyage-through-time-to-tap-the-wisdom-of-our/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [We live on a hunk of rock and metal that circles a humdrum star that is one of 400 billion other stars that make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-live-on-a-hunk-of-rock-and-metal-that-circles-a-humdrum-star-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [A tiny blue dot set in a sunbeam. Here it is. That's where we live. That's home. We humans are one species and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-tiny-blue-dot-set-in-a-sunbeam-here-it-is-that-s-where-we-live-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Any sufficiently crisp question can be answered by a single binary digit-0 or 1, yes or no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/any-sufficiently-crisp-question-can-be-answered-by-a-single-binary/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Humans — who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals — have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/humans-who-enslave-castrate-experiment-on-and-fillet-other-animals/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every star may be a sun to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-star-may-be-a-sun-to-someone/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) [Explore all 1,043 Carl Sagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [God always gets the glory when Jesus comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/god-always-gets-the-glory-when-jesus-comes/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [You are a God Act like one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/you-are-a-god-act-like-one/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) [Browse all 37,707 God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A new concept of god: “something not very different from the sum total of the physical laws of the universe; that is, gravitation plus quantum mechanics plus grand unified field theories plus a few other things equaled god. And by that all they meant was that here were a set of exquisitely powerful physical principles that seemed to explain a great deal that was otherwise inexplicable about the universe. Laws of nature…that apply not just locally, not just in Glasgow, but far beyond: Edinburgh, Moscow…Mars…the center of the Milky Way, and out by the most distant quarters known. That the same laws of physics apply everywhere is quite remarkable. Certainly that represents a power greater than any of us.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carl Sagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-new-concept-of-god-something-not-very-different-from-the-sum-total/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-new-concept-of-god-something-not-very-different-from-the-sum-total/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/carl-sagan-160_god_a-new-concept-of-god-something-not-very_2992744.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/carl-sagan-160_god_a-new-concept-of-god-something-not-very_2992744.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/carl-sagan-160_god_a-new-concept-of-god-something-not-very_2992744.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A new concept of god: “something not very different from the sum total of the physical laws of the universe…” — Carl Sagan", "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": "Carl Sagan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A new concept of god: “something...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-new-concept-of-god-something-not-very-different-from-the-sum-total/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-new-concept-of-god-something-not-very-different-from-the-sum-total/#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 } } ] } ```