--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The brain is the only kind of object…" description: "\"The brain is the only kind of object capable of understanding that the cosmos is even there, or why there are infinitely many prime numbers, or that ap..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/david-deutsch-18612_apples_the-brain-is-the-only-kind-of-object-cap_2494209.jpg" --- # The brain is the only kind of object capable of… ![“The brain is the only kind of object capable of understanding that the cosmos is even there, or why there are infinitely many prime numbers, or that apples fall because of the curvature of space-time, or that obeying its own inborn instincts can be morally wrong, or that it itself exists.” quote by David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/david-deutsch-18612_apples_the-brain-is-the-only-kind-of-object-cap_2494209.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/david-deutsch-18612_apples_the-brain-is-the-only-kind-of-object-cap_2494209.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/david-deutsch-18612_apples_the-brain-is-the-only-kind-of-object-cap_2494209.jpg) > “The brain is the only kind of object capable of understanding that the cosmos is even there, or why there are infinitely many prime numbers, or that apples fall because of the curvature of space-time, or that obeying its own inborn instincts can be morally wrong, or that it itself exists.” [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It highlights humanity’s unique capacity to comprehend vast, abstract concepts, yet also confront moral paradoxes and existential questions. **In simple terms:** Humans can understand complex ideas but face moral dilemmas. Key Takeaway Embrace curiosity while questioning ethics. Themes knowledge philosophy ethics cosmos Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - scientific research - philosophical debate - personal growth Key Concepts epistemology morality existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities come with deep knowledge? - How do we balance curiosity and morality? A Different Perspective Understanding can lead to ethical confusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apples/) [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Brain Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain-kind-996490/) [Capable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capable/) [Cosmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmos/) [Cosmos Infinitely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmos-infinitely-996492/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Instincts Morally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instincts-morally-996491/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Morally wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morally-wrong/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Obeying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obeying/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Prime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prime/) [Prime Number](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prime-number/) [Prime numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prime-numbers/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [Although the prime numbers are rigidly determined, they somehow feel like experimental data.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-gowers/although-the-prime-numbers-are-rigidly-determined-they-somehow-feel/) [Timothy Gowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-gowers/) > [If all sentient beings in the universe disappeared, there would remain a sense in which mathematical objects and theorems would continue to exist even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/if-all-sentient-beings-in-the-universe-disappeared-there-would-remain/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [“All prime numbers are one more or less than a multiple of 6.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-parker/all-prime-numbers-are-one-more-or-less-than-a-multiple-of-6/) [Matt Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-parker/) > [“An anonymous sponsor has put up the cash via an organization called the Electronic Frontier Foundation as a bounty on prime numbers: $100,000 for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-parker/an-anonymous-sponsor-has-put-up-the-cash-via-an-organization-called/) [Matt Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-parker/) > [3 is a prime, 5 is a prime, and 7 is a prime. Why bother with non-prime numbers when the primes can do everything?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-of-ockham/3-is-a-prime-5-is-a-prime-and-7-is-a-prime-why-bother-with-non-prime/) [William of Ockham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-of-ockham/) > [The problem of distinguishing prime numbers from composite numbers and of resolving the latter into their prime factors is known to be one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-friedrich-gauss/the-problem-of-distinguishing-prime-numbers-from-composite-numbers/) [Carl Friedrich Gauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-friedrich-gauss/) > [“I've got a few ideas," (Amy) admitted. "But I don't know where we're going in the long term. I mean - have you ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-ve-got-a-few-ideas-amy-admitted-but-i-don-t-know-where-we-re-going/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Nature never uses prime numbers. But mathematicians do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-drake/nature-never-uses-prime-numbers-but-mathematicians-do/) [Frank Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-drake/) > [The largest known prime number is 2^32582657-1. I am proud to say that I memorized all its digits-in binary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-pomerance/the-largest-known-prime-number-is-2-32582657-1-i-am-proud-to-say-that/) [Carl Pomerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-pomerance/) > [It never happens that, when we go home and open the refrigerator, we see all infinitely many prime numbers there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kato/it-never-happens-that-when-we-go-home-and-open-the-refrigerator-we/) [Kato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kato/) > [“I’m not sure what prime numbers have to do with anything,” I say in a gentle voice. “Prime numbers have to do with everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-buxbaum/i-m-not-sure-what-prime-numbers-have-to-do-with-anything-i-say-in-a/) [Julie Buxbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-buxbaum/) > [My work on prime gaps lead to lots of media coverage, some good, some bad, some ugly, and some merely ridiculous. For example, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goldston/my-work-on-prime-gaps-lead-to-lots-of-media-coverage-some-good-some/) [Daniel Goldston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goldston/) > [The obvious mathematical breakthrough would be development of an easy way to factor large prime numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-obvious-mathematical-breakthrough-would-be-development-of-an-easy/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Twin primes: pairs of prime numbers that are close to each other, almost neighbors, but between them there is always an even number that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/twin-primes-pairs-of-prime-numbers-that-are-close-to-each-other/) [Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/) > [I, Galileo, son of the late Vicenzo Galilei, swear that I never said that the prime numbers are useless. What I said was that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/i-galileo-son-of-the-late-vicenzo-galilei-swear-that-i-never-said/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) ## More by David Deutsch > [“an unproblematic state is a state without creative thought. Its other name is death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/an-unproblematic-state-is-a-state-without-creative-thought-its-other/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [The truly privileged theories are not the ones referring to any particular scale of size or complexity, nor the ones situated at any particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/the-truly-privileged-theories-are-not-the-ones-referring-to-any/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [To me quantum computation is a new and deeper and better way to understand the laws of physics, and hence understanding physical reality as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/to-me-quantum-computation-is-a-new-and-deeper-and-better-way-to/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [“Amending the ‘data’, or rejecting some as erroneous, is a frequent concomitant of scientific discovery, and the crucial ‘data’ cannot even be obtained until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/amending-the-data-or-rejecting-some-as-erroneous-is-a-frequent/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [Like every other destruction of optimism, whether in a whole civilisation or in a single individual, these must have been unspeakable catastrophes for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/like-every-other-destruction-of-optimism-whether-in-a-whole/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [Time travel may be achieved one day, or it may not. But if it is, it should not require any fundamental change in world-view,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/time-travel-may-be-achieved-one-day-or-it-may-not-but-if-it-is-it/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [Every problem that is interesting is also soluble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/every-problem-that-is-interesting-is-also-soluble/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [The quantum theory of parallel universes is not the problem, it is the solution. It is not some troublesome, optional interpretation emerging from arcane…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/the-quantum-theory-of-parallel-universes-is-not-the-problem-it-is-the/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [“The scientific revolution was part of a wider intellectual revolution, the Enlightenment, which also brought progress in other fields, especially moral and political philosophy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/the-scientific-revolution-was-part-of-a-wider-intellectual-revolution/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [Quantum computation is... a distinctively new way of harnessing nature... It will be the first technology that allows useful tasks to be performed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/quantum-computation-is-a-distinctively-new-way-of-harnessing-nature/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [I myself believe that there will one day be time travel because when we find that something isn't forbidden by the over-arching laws of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/i-myself-believe-that-there-will-one-day-be-time-travel-because-when/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [“To interpret dots in the sky as white-hot, million-kilometre spheres, one must first have thought of the idea of such spheres. And then one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/to-interpret-dots-in-the-sky-as-white-hot-million-kilometre-spheres/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [Science is objective. And in my view we cannot take any experimental results seriously except in the light of good explanations of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/science-is-objective-and-in-my-view-we-cannot-take-any-experimental/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [It is possible to build a virtual-reality generator whose repertoire includes every possible environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/it-is-possible-to-build-a-virtual-reality-generator-whose-repertoire/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) > [Is the human race a universal constructor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/is-the-human-race-a-universal-constructor/) [David Deutsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) [Explore all 34 David Deutsch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/) ## More Apples quotes > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I named my son Noah for the same reason Chris Martin named his apple: we're asses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-named-my-son-noah-for-the-same-reason-chris-martin-named-his-apple/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I think, however, that Astaire's coordination is better than Kelly's... his sense of rhythm is uncanny. Kelly, on the other hand, is the stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/i-think-however-that-astaire-s-coordination-is-better-than-kelly-s/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) > [“In the back of the fridge I checked out some stewed apples destined to fester. I examined them closely and reckoned they had only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/in-the-back-of-the-fridge-i-checked-out-some-stewed-apples-destined/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I'm not only a fan of Apple products, I have stock in the company. I think Steve Jobs has started one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-m-not-only-a-fan-of-apple-products-i-have-stock-in-the-company-i/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [I love to eat an apple after a meal, just to cleanse my teeth - they always look polished afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-love-to-eat-an-apple-after-a-meal-just-to-cleanse-my-teeth-they/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [I have a friend who is a juggler. If I'm at his house, I don't like to take food from him, if it's in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-have-a-friend-who-is-a-juggler-if-i-m-at-his-house-i-don-t-like-to/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [A comely sight indeed it is to see, a world of blossoms on an apple tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/a-comely-sight-indeed-it-is-to-see-a-world-of-blossoms-on-an-apple/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Like a satellite in orbit, Apple is perpetually falling. It just happens to miss Earth every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-dediu/like-a-satellite-in-orbit-apple-is-perpetually-falling-it-just/) [Horace Dediu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-dediu/) > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Positive thinking is so firmly enshrined in our culture that knocking it is a little like attacking motherhood or apple pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/positive-thinking-is-so-firmly-enshrined-in-our-culture-that-knocking/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [Therein lies the rub of a place like Berkeley Bowl. You get seduced by an 11-pound apple that turns out to be a fake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jad-abumrad/therein-lies-the-rub-of-a-place-like-berkeley-bowl-you-get-seduced-by/) [Jad Abumrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jad-abumrad/) > [Now it is autumn and the falling fruit and the long journey towards oblivion. The apples falling like great drops of dew to bruise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/now-it-is-autumn-and-the-falling-fruit-and-the-long-journey-towards/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [The next time you're looking at a charity, don't ask about the rate of their overhead; ask about the scale of their dreams -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pallotta/the-next-time-you-re-looking-at-a-charity-don-t-ask-about-the-rate-of-2/) [Dan Pallotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pallotta/) [Browse all 1,262 Apples quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apples/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The brain is the only kind of object capable of understanding that the cosmos is even there, or why there are infinitely many prime numbers, or that apples fall because of the curvature of space-time, or that obeying its own inborn instincts can be morally wrong, or that it itself exists.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Deutsch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/the-brain-is-the-only-kind-of-object-capable-of-understanding-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apples" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/the-brain-is-the-only-kind-of-object-capable-of-understanding-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/david-deutsch-18612_apples_the-brain-is-the-only-kind-of-object-cap_2494209.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/david-deutsch-18612_apples_the-brain-is-the-only-kind-of-object-cap_2494209.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/david-deutsch-18612_apples_the-brain-is-the-only-kind-of-object-cap_2494209.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The brain is the only kind of object capable of understanding that the cosmos is even there, or why there…” — David Deutsch", "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": "David Deutsch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deutsch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The brain is the only kind...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/the-brain-is-the-only-kind-of-object-capable-of-understanding-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deutsch/the-brain-is-the-only-kind-of-object-capable-of-understanding-that/#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 } } ] } ```