--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The universe is not required to be in…" description: "\"The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.\" — Carl Sagan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/carl-sagan-160_ambition_the-universe-is-not-required-to-be-in-pe_1208331.jpg" --- # The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with… ![“The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/carl-sagan-160_ambition_the-universe-is-not-required-to-be-in-pe_1208331.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/carl-sagan-160_ambition_the-universe-is-not-required-to-be-in-pe_1208331.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/carl-sagan-160_ambition_the-universe-is-not-required-to-be-in-pe_1208331.jpg) > “The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.” [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 universe operates independently of human goals, so our ambitions need not align with cosmic order. **In simple terms:** The cosmos doesn’t bend to human wishes. Key Takeaway Accept limits of human control. Themes humility cosmos ambition existence perspective Mood reflective humble inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - space exploration - policy making - personal goal setting - environmental planning Key Concepts anthropic principle existential humility Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities arise from this humility? - How can we align ambitions with planetary health? A Different Perspective Human aspirations may still shape our actions meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmony/) [Human Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-ambition-686681/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Perfect harmony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-harmony/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Universe Required](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe-required-3652239/) ## Related quotes > [Ever since childhood I have scorned the commonplace limits so often set upon human ambition. Possessions, outward success, publicity, luxury - to me these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/ever-since-childhood-i-have-scorned-the-commonplace-limits-so-often/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [After all, the universe required ten billion years of evolution before life was even possible; the evolution of the stars and the evolving of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-polkinghorne/after-all-the-universe-required-ten-billion-years-of-evolution-before/) [John Polkinghorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-polkinghorne/) > [A copy of the universe is not what is required of art; one of the damned things is ample.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/a-copy-of-the-universe-is-not-what-is-required-of-art-one-of-the/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [To be allowed to call her "Dora", to write to her, to dote upon and worship her, to have reason to think that when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/to-be-allowed-to-call-her-dora-to-write-to-her-to-dote-upon-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“What drives history is the human ambition to alter one’s condition to match one’s hopes.’3”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-marr/what-drives-history-is-the-human-ambition-to-alter-one-s-condition-to/) [Andrew Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-marr/) > [“Alexander was and is the absolute embodiment of pure human ambition with all its good and evil consequences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-freeman/alexander-was-and-is-the-absolute-embodiment-of-pure-human-ambition/) [Philip Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-freeman/) > [We now know most things that can be measured in this world, except the bounds of human ambition!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/we-now-know-most-things-that-can-be-measured-in-this-world-except-the/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [The poor Geordies are in the process of being rebuffed by every sentient human being whose ambition in life is more than simply to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-liddle/the-poor-geordies-are-in-the-process-of-being-rebuffed-by-every/) [Rod Liddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-liddle/) > [The seed has no idea of being some particular plant, but it has its own form and is in perfect harmony with the ground,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/the-seed-has-no-idea-of-being-some-particular-plant-but-it-has-its/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [It is said that a hundred gamecocks will live in perfect harmony together it you do not put a hen with them; and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-baldwin-longstreet/it-is-said-that-a-hundred-gamecocks-will-live-in-perfect-harmony/) [Augustus Baldwin Longstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-baldwin-longstreet/) > [The doctrine of eternal punishment is in perfect harmony with the savagery of the men who made the orthodox creeds. It is in harmony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-doctrine-of-eternal-punishment-is-in-perfect-harmony-with-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/happiness-is-not-a-matter-of-intensity-but-of-balance-and-order-and/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“And above all, clothe yourself with love, which binds us all in perfect harmony.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colossians-3-14/and-above-all-clothe-yourself-with-love-which-binds-us-all-in-perfect/) [Colossians 3 14](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colossians-3-14/) > [The union of opposites, in so far as they are really complementary, always results in the most perfect harmony; and the seemingly incongruous is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-union-of-opposites-in-so-far-as-they-are-really-complementary/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [Ballroom is two people dancing together to music, touching in perfect harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-du-beke/ballroom-is-two-people-dancing-together-to-music-touching-in-perfect/) [Anton du Beke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-du-beke/) ## 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 Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carl Sagan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-universe-is-not-required-to-be-in-perfect-harmony-with-human/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-universe-is-not-required-to-be-in-perfect-harmony-with-human/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/carl-sagan-160_ambition_the-universe-is-not-required-to-be-in-pe_1208331.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/carl-sagan-160_ambition_the-universe-is-not-required-to-be-in-pe_1208331.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20b/carl-sagan-160_ambition_the-universe-is-not-required-to-be-in-pe_1208331.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition.” — 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": "The universe is not required to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-universe-is-not-required-to-be-in-perfect-harmony-with-human/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-universe-is-not-required-to-be-in-perfect-harmony-with-human/#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 } } ] } ```