Able Quote by David Bohm
“From the point of view of the species, death is part of this whole process. You could say that species have evolved in such a way that individual members last a certain time. Perhaps a certain kind of species would be better able to survive if the individuals didn't last too long. Other kinds could last longer.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Wholeness and Implicate Order, David Bohm, 1980
From a species perspective, death is an evolutionary mechanism that can benefit the group by limiting individual lifespans.
In simple terms: Death helps species evolve and survive.
Key Takeaway
Consider how mortality shapes collective fitness.
Themes
evolution
biology
species
life cycle
adaptation
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
scientific
When to use this quote
- Conservation planning
- population management
- public health policy
- ecological research
Key Concepts
Natural selection
group selection
life history theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does individual lifespan affect species resilience?
- Can shorter lives ever be advantageous?
A Different Perspective
Assumes species-level intent, which may be anthropomorphic.
![“The system [of thought] doesn't stay with the difficult problem that produces unpleasant feelings. It's conditioned somehow to move as fast as it can toward more pleasant feelings, without actually facing the thing that's making the unpleasant feeling.” quote by David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e2a/david-bohm-4805_difficult_the-system-of-thought-doesn-t-stay-with_8291.jpg)
