--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A week ago,\" Ishmael said, \"when we were…" description: "\"“A week ago,\" Ishmael said, \"when we were talking about laws, you said that there's only one kind of law about how people should live--the kind that ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a44/daniel-quinn-1786_capital-punishment_a-week-ago-ishmael-said-when-we-were-tal_455255.jpg" --- # A week ago," Ishmael said, "when we were talking about… ![“A week ago," Ishmael said, "when we were talking about laws, you said that there's only one kind of law about how people should live--the kind that can be changed by a vote. What do you think now? Can the laws that govern competition in the community be changed by a vote?" "No. But they're not…” quote by Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a44/daniel-quinn-1786_capital-punishment_a-week-ago-ishmael-said-when-we-were-tal_455255.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a44/daniel-quinn-1786_capital-punishment_a-week-ago-ishmael-said-when-we-were-tal_455255.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a44/daniel-quinn-1786_capital-punishment_a-week-ago-ishmael-said-when-we-were-tal_455255.jpg) > ““A week ago," Ishmael said, "when we were talking about laws, you said that there's only one kind of law about how people should live--the kind that can be changed by a vote. What do you think now? Can the laws that govern competition in the community be changed by a vote?" "No. But they're not absolutes, like the laws of aerodynamics. They can be broken." "Can't the laws of aerodynamics be broken?" "No. If your plane isn't built according to the law, it doesn't fly." "But if you push it off a cliff, it stays in the air, doesn't it?" "For a while." "The same is true of a civilization that isn't built in accordance with the law of limited competition... Any species that, as a matter of policy, exempts itself from the law of limited competition will end by destroying the community..." "Yes." "Then what have we discovered here?" "We've discovered a piece of certain knowledge about how people ought to live. Must live in fact." "The law we've outlined here enables species to live--enables species to survive, including the human. It won't tell you whether mood-altering drugs should be legalized or not. It won't tell you whether premarital sex is good or bad. It won't tell you if capital punishment is right or wrong. It \*will\* tell you how you have to live if you want to avoid extinction, and that's the first and most fundamental knowledge anyone needs... You might say that this is one of the law's basic operations: Those who threaten the stability of the community by defying the law automatically eliminate themselves.”” [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal laws are mutable, but fundamental natural laws like competition are immutable and essential for survival. **In simple terms:** Some laws can change, others cannot. Key Takeaway Recognize and respect immutable natural constraints. Themes ethics survival societal structure Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - environmental policy - community governance - business competition - education curricula Key Concepts ecology political philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What “laws” does your community treat as changeable? - How can we align policies with natural constraints? A Different Perspective Human societies often ignore immutable laws, leading to self‑destruction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capital punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capital-punishment/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Premarital Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premarital-sex/) [Right or wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-or-wrong/) [Sex Is Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex-is-good/) ## Related quotes > [“If you examine a butterfly according to the laws of aerodynamics, it shouldn't be able to fly. But the butterfly doesn't know that, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/if-you-examine-a-butterfly-according-to-the-laws-of-aerodynamics-it/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [There's a metaphor Vincent Eades likes to use: "If you examine a butterfly according to the laws of aerodynamics, it shouldn't be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/there-s-a-metaphor-vincent-eades-likes-to-use-if-you-examine-a/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [“There must be a lot of duplication in our country’s laws," said Dukhi. "Every time there are elections, they talk of passing the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/there-must-be-a-lot-of-duplication-in-our-country-s-laws-said-dukhi/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“If I, who am rhu'ad, do not break the laws," she said, "then no one will ever dare to break them, and our planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-zimmer-bradley/if-i-who-am-rhu-ad-do-not-break-the-laws-she-said-then-no-one-will/) [Marion Zimmer Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-zimmer-bradley/) > [“Giving up all pretense of obeying natural laws again, I see,” he said. “Natural laws?” Syl said, finding the concept amusing. “Laws are of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/giving-up-all-pretense-of-obeying-natural-laws-again-i-see-he-said/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“All creatures come into the world bringing with them the memory of justice. "But we live in a world of laws," I said to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee/all-creatures-come-into-the-world-bringing-with-them-the-memory-of-2/) [J.M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee/) > [I can't think of many other laws we might need. For now, though, we'll be talking to German Muslims over issues of coexistence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-schauble/i-can-t-think-of-many-other-laws-we-might-need-for-now-though-we-ll/) [Wolfgang Schauble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-schauble/) > [“Do you really think that laws made by men and a justice system maintained by men will ever be fair in cases of rape?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-r-miller/do-you-really-think-that-laws-made-by-men-and-a-justice-system/) [Dennis R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-r-miller/) > [I don't think that the laws can be considered to be like God because they have been figured out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/i-don-t-think-that-the-laws-can-be-considered-to-be-like-god-because/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [It's as if we think the laws of physics are subject to debate and amendment and political contributions can sway the laws of physics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/it-s-as-if-we-think-the-laws-of-physics-are-subject-to-debate-and/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [It is clear that too many bankers think that laws are for the little people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/it-is-clear-that-too-many-bankers-think-that-laws-are-for-the-little/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) > [I don't like to think of laws as rules you have to follow, but more as suggestions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-don-t-like-to-think-of-laws-as-rules-you-have-to-follow-but-more-as/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I think that the 'laws of nature' are also prone to evolve; I think they are more like habits than laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/i-think-that-the-laws-of-nature-are-also-prone-to-evolve-i-think-they/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [sometimes people think they're above the laws the rest of us live by. they're blind to their own imperfections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-wittlinger/sometimes-people-think-they-re-above-the-laws-the-rest-of-us-live-by/) [Ellen Wittlinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-wittlinger/) > [What narrow innocence it is for one to be good only according to the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/what-narrow-innocence-it-is-for-one-to-be-good-only-according-to-the/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## More by Daniel Quinn > [“Because we imagine that we are what humanity was divinely destined to become, we assume that our prehistoric ancestors were trying to be us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/because-we-imagine-that-we-are-what-humanity-was-divinely-destined-to/) [daniel quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [The deer aren't our prey or our possessions -- they're us. They're us at one point in the cycle of life and we're them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/the-deer-aren-t-our-prey-or-our-possessions-they-re-us-they-re-us-at/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [ “\[N\]ow we have a clearer idea what this story is all about: The world was made for man, and man was made to rule… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/n-ow-we-have-a-clearer-idea-what-this-story-is-all-about-the-world/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [The premise of the Taker story is 'the world belongs to man'. … The premise of the Leaver story is 'man belongs to the world'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/the-premise-of-the-taker-story-is-the-world-belongs-to-man-the/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“Pharaohs It took Khufu twenty-three years to build his Great Pyramid at Giza, where some eleven hundred stone blocks, each weighing about two and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/pharaohs-it-took-khufu-twenty-three-years-to-build-his-great-pyramid/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [Man's destiny was to conquer and rule the world, and this is what he's done.. almost. He hasn't quite made it, and it looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/man-s-destiny-was-to-conquer-and-rule-the-world-and-this-is-what-he-s/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“Many peoples practiced agriculture, but they were never obsessed by the delusion that what they were doing was \*right\*, that everyone in the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/many-peoples-practiced-agriculture-but-they-were-never-obsessed-by/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“No undesirable behavior has ever been eliminated by passing a law against it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/no-undesirable-behavior-has-ever-been-eliminated-by-passing-a-law/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“How easy it is first to leap to a false conclusion about someone and then to view everything he does in light of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/how-easy-it-is-first-to-leap-to-a-false-conclusion-about-someone-and/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [Far and away the most futile admonition Christ ever offered was when he said, 'Have no care for tomorrow. Don't worry about whether you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/far-and-away-the-most-futile-admonition-christ-ever-offered-was-when/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [During your lifetime, the people of our culture are going to figure out how to live sustainably on this planet--or they're not. Either way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/during-your-lifetime-the-people-of-our-culture-are-going-to-figure/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“Everyone in your culture knows this. Man was born to turn the world into a paradise, but tragically he was born flawed. And so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/everyone-in-your-culture-knows-this-man-was-born-to-turn-the-world/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [Most beginning writers - and I was the same - are like chefs trying to cook great dishes that they've never tasted themselves. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/most-beginning-writers-and-i-was-the-same-are-like-chefs-trying-to/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“Westereners often think that the East is one vast Buddhist temple, which is rather like thinking the West is one vast Carthusian monastery. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/westereners-often-think-that-the-east-is-one-vast-buddhist-temple/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“Man's destiny was to conquer and rule the world, and this is what he's done--almost. He hasn't quite made it, and it looks as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/man-s-destiny-was-to-conquer-and-rule-the-world-and-this-is-what-he-s-2/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) [Explore all 208 Daniel Quinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) ## More Capital punishment quotes > [“The next time believers tell you that 'separation of church and state' does not appear in our founding document, tell them to stop using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/the-next-time-believers-tell-you-that-separation-of-church-and-state/) [Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/) > [“The very mention of crucifixion was taboo in polite Roman circles, since it was the lowest form of capital punishment, reserved for slaves and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/the-very-mention-of-crucifixion-was-taboo-in-polite-roman-circles/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [It is better and more satisfactory to acquit a thousand guilty persons than to put a single innocent one to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/it-is-better-and-more-satisfactory-to-acquit-a-thousand-guilty/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [Let us leave the EEC, abolish human rights laws, take TV sets, pool tables and phones out of prisons, bring back corporal and capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-bates/let-us-leave-the-eec-abolish-human-rights-laws-take-tv-sets-pool/) [Ken Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-bates/) > [ The law which attempts a man's life \[capital punishment\] is impractical, unjust, inadmissible. It has never repressed crime--for a second crime is every day… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-sade/the-law-which-attempts-a-man-s-life-capital-punishment-is-impractical/) [Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/) > [Capital punishment kills immediately, whereas lifetime imprisonment does so slowly. Which executioner is more humane? The one who kills you in a few minutes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/capital-punishment-kills-immediately-whereas-lifetime-imprisonment/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge, not justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/to-take-a-life-when-a-life-has-been-lost-is-revenge-not-justice/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Capital punishment...treats members of the human race...as objects to be toyed with and discarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/capital-punishment-treats-members-of-the-human-race-as-objects-to-be/) [William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/) > [But now inquiry is being made concerning these issues. First, can any believer enlist in the military? Second, can any soldier, even those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/but-now-inquiry-is-being-made-concerning-these-issues-first-can-any/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [Capital punishment would be more effective as a preventive measure if it were administered prior to the crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/capital-punishment-would-be-more-effective-as-a-preventive-measure-if/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [ “\[T\]here are some human rights that are so deep that we can't negotiate them away. I mean people do heinous, terrible things. But there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sister-helen-prejean/t-here-are-some-human-rights-that-are-so-deep-that-we-can-t-negotiate/) Sister Helen Prejean > [I favor capital punishment. It saves lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-lives/) [Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/) > [It is significant that, as innocent babies are killed, and capital punishment is withheld from their murderers, the same men who plead for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-rushdoony/it-is-significant-that-as-innocent-babies-are-killed-and-capital/) [R.J. Rushdoony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-rushdoony/) > [I don't know if the question is whether you believe in capital punishment anymore. I think the greater question is its effectiveness and given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tani-cantil-sakauye/i-don-t-know-if-the-question-is-whether-you-believe-in-capital/) Tani Cantil-Sakauye > [“Zwingli's introduction of capital punishment for those who differed from him on points of doctrine..." p179”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-h-broadbent-the-pilgrim-church/zwingli-s-introduction-of-capital-punishment-for-those-who-differed/) [E.H. Broadbent- The Pilgrim Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-h-broadbent-the-pilgrim-church/) [Browse all 209 Capital punishment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capital-punishment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A week ago,\" Ishmael said, \"when we were talking about laws, you said that there's only one kind of law about how people should live--the kind that can be changed by a vote. What do you think now? Can the laws that govern competition in the community be changed by a vote?\" \"No. But they're not absolutes, like the laws of aerodynamics. They can be broken.\" \"Can't the laws of aerodynamics be broken?\" \"No. If your plane isn't built according to the law, it doesn't fly.\" \"But if you push it off a cliff, it stays in the air, doesn't it?\" \"For a while.\" \"The same is true of a civilization that isn't built in accordance with the law of limited competition... Any species that, as a matter of policy, exempts itself from the law of limited competition will end by destroying the community...\" \"Yes.\" \"Then what have we discovered here?\" \"We've discovered a piece of certain knowledge about how people ought to live. Must live in fact.\" \"The law we've outlined here enables species to live--enables species to survive, including the human. It won't tell you whether mood-altering drugs should be legalized or not. It won't tell you whether premarital sex is good or bad. It won't tell you if capital punishment is right or wrong. It *will* tell you how you have to live if you want to avoid extinction, and that's the first and most fundamental knowledge anyone needs... 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