--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I view all beings not as special…" description: "\"When I view all beings not as special creations, but as the lineal descendants of some few beings which lived long before the first bed of the Cambrian..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/charles-darwin-507_atheism_when-i-view-all-beings-not-as-special-cr_497211.jpg" --- # When I view all beings not as special creations, but as… ![“When I view all beings not as special creations, but as the lineal descendants of some few beings which lived long before the first bed of the Cambrian system was deposited, they seem to me to become ennobled.” quote by Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/charles-darwin-507_atheism_when-i-view-all-beings-not-as-special-cr_497211.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/charles-darwin-507_atheism_when-i-view-all-beings-not-as-special-cr_497211.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/charles-darwin-507_atheism_when-i-view-all-beings-not-as-special-cr_497211.jpg) > “When I view all beings not as special creations, but as the lineal descendants of some few beings which lived long before the first bed of the Cambrian system was deposited, they seem to me to become ennobled.” [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Viewing all life as part of a continuous lineage demotes human exceptionalism and fosters a sense of shared ancestry and humility. **In simple terms:** All beings share a common ancestry, making us humble. Key Takeaway Recognize our place in the web of life. Themes evolution humility connectedness science Mood reflective inquisitive Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - education - public outreach - environmental stewardship - ethical debates Key Concepts common descent biological lineage anthropocentrism Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect our treatment of other species? - Can humility inspire better environmental policies? A Different Perspective Emphasizing common ancestry may clash with cultural or religious beliefs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Origin of species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/origin-of-species/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) ## Related quotes > [Human beings are special, of higher dignity and worth than other animals, because they're created in God's own image and likeness. It's actually true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-e-olson/human-beings-are-special-of-higher-dignity-and-worth-than-other/) [Roger E. 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Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? 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