--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The extinction of the human race will…" description: "\"The extinction of the human race will come from its inability to EMOTIONALLY comprehend the exponential function.\" — Edward Teller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/edward-teller-12255_exponential_the-extinction-of-the-human-race-will-co_1706023.png" --- # The extinction of the human race will come from its… ![“The extinction of the human race will come from its inability to EMOTIONALLY comprehend the exponential function.” quote by Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/edward-teller-12255_exponential_the-extinction-of-the-human-race-will-co_1706023.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/edward-teller-12255_exponential_the-extinction-of-the-human-race-will-co_1706023.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/edward-teller-12255_exponential_the-extinction-of-the-human-race-will-co_1706023.png) > “The extinction of the human race will come from its inability to EMOTIONALLY comprehend the exponential function.” [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human inability to emotionally grasp exponential growth threatens humanity’s survival. **In simple terms:** Failing to feel exponential risk is dangerous. Key Takeaway Learn to intuit exponential impacts. Themes risk technology future emotions Mood analytical concerned Type scientific warning When to use this quote - policy making - education - environmental planning Key Concepts Exponential thinking cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - How can we teach exponential intuition? - What tools help visualize rapid growth? A Different Perspective Emotions may not quantify risk accurately. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Exponential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exponential/) [Extinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extinction/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) ## Related quotes > [“The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.” —Albert A. Bartlett”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-brynjolfsson/the-greatest-shortcoming-of-the-human-race-is-our-inability-to/) [Erik Brynjolfsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-brynjolfsson/) > [The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-shortcoming-of-the-human-race-is-our-inability-to-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Dr. Albert Frock: Well, how goes the gradual extinction of the human race, Lieutenant? Lt. Vincent D'Agosta: I'm doing what I can to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-preston/dr-albert-frock-well-how-goes-the-gradual-extinction-of-the-human/) [Douglas Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-preston/) > [The physical extinction of the human race is one possibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernor-vinge/the-physical-extinction-of-the-human-race-is-one-possibility/) [Vernor Vinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernor-vinge/) > [No historian can take part with--or against--the forces he has to study. To him even the extinction of the human race should merely be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/no-historian-can-take-part-with-or-against-the-forces-he-has-to-study/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) > [“The Extinction of the Human Race now underway. Watch it live as it happens - Is it too late to stop it? Search "Extinction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mathiesen/the-extinction-of-the-human-race-now-underway-watch-it-live-as-it/) Michael Mathiesen > [“the fantastic power and ultimate absurdity of unchecked exponential growth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-west/the-fantastic-power-and-ultimate-absurdity-of-unchecked-exponential/) [Geoffrey West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-west/) > [Technology advances at exponential rates, and human institutions and societies do not. They adapt at much slower rates. Those gaps get wider and wider.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/technology-advances-at-exponential-rates-and-human-institutions-and/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [“Many organizations and militaries use VUCA as an acronym to describe the disruptive state of the world, given its Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spitz/many-organizations-and-militaries-use-vuca-as-an-acronym-to-describe/) [Roger Spitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spitz/) > [Everywhere, the rate of change is so fast that large U.S. companies are in constant danger of disruption. Not from competition in China or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/everywhere-the-rate-of-change-is-so-fast-that-large-u-s-companies-are/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [Modeling an exponential process necessarily produces a wide range of outcomes. In the case of COVID-19, that's because the spread of the disease depends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeynep-tufekci/modeling-an-exponential-process-necessarily-produces-a-wide-range-of/) [Zeynep Tufekci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeynep-tufekci/) > [Atheists don't solve exponential equations because they don't believe in higher powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/atheists-don-t-solve-exponential-equations-because-they-don-t-believe/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“While exponential growth is a remarkable manifestation of our extraordinary accomplishments as a species, built into it are the potential seeds of our demise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-west/while-exponential-growth-is-a-remarkable-manifestation-of-our/) [Geoffrey West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-west/) > [The Internet, the network of networks, is growing at an exponential pace. It's growing so fast, in fact, nobody really knows how many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/the-internet-the-network-of-networks-is-growing-at-an-exponential/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [“Rather than using armies of people or large physical plants, Exponential Organizations are built upon information technologies that take what was once physical in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-ismail/rather-than-using-armies-of-people-or-large-physical-plants/) [Salim Ismail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-ismail/) ## More by Edward Teller > [I believe in good. It is an ephemeral and elusive quality. It is the center of my beliefs, but it cannot be strengthened by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/i-believe-in-good-it-is-an-ephemeral-and-elusive-quality-it-is-the/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [The main purpose of science is simplicity and as we understand more things, everything is becoming simpler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/the-main-purpose-of-science-is-simplicity-and-as-we-understand-more/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [Today's science is tomorrow's technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/today-s-science-is-tomorrow-s-technology/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [By having simplified what is known, physicists have been led into realms which as yet are anything but simple. That at some time, they,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/by-having-simplified-what-is-known-physicists-have-been-led-into/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [Really exotic methods of propulsion . . . will have to be devised to get there. How it will be done, I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/really-exotic-methods-of-propulsion-will-have-to-be-devised-to-get/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [Today, nothing is unusual about a scientific discovery's being followed soon after by a technical application: The discovery of electrons led to electronics; fission…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/today-nothing-is-unusual-about-a-scientific-discovery-s-being/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [Society's emissions of carbon dioxide may or may not turn out to have something significant to do with global warming-the jury is still out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/society-s-emissions-of-carbon-dioxide-may-or-may-not-turn-out-to-have/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [Had we not pursued the hydrogen bomb, there is a very real threat that we would now all be speaking Russian. I have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/had-we-not-pursued-the-hydrogen-bomb-there-is-a-very-real-threat-that/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [“Engineers are, by definition, people whose work is dedicated to making people's lives easier; or, as people used to say, whose work is dedicated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/engineers-are-by-definition-people-whose-work-is-dedicated-to-making/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [My experience has been in a short 77 years that in the end when you fight for a desperate cause and have good reasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/my-experience-has-been-in-a-short-77-years-that-in-the-end-when-you/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [I hate doubt, yet I am certain that doubt is the only way to approach anything worth believing in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/i-hate-doubt-yet-i-am-certain-that-doubt-is-the-only-way-to-approach/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [It is often claimed that knowledge multiplies so rapidly that nobody can follow it. I believe this is incorrect. At least in science it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/it-is-often-claimed-that-knowledge-multiplies-so-rapidly-that-nobody/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [I believe in excellence. It is a basic need of every human soul. All of us can be excellent, because, fortunately, we are exceedingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/i-believe-in-excellence-it-is-a-basic-need-of-every-human-soul-all-of/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/when-you-come-to-the-end-of-all-the-light-you-know-and-it-s-time-to/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [There is a time for scientists and movie stars and those who have flown the atlantic to restrain their opinions lest they be taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/there-is-a-time-for-scientists-and-movie-stars-and-those-who-have/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) [Explore all 55 Edward Teller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) ## More Exponential quotes > [“The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.” —Albert A. Bartlett”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-brynjolfsson/the-greatest-shortcoming-of-the-human-race-is-our-inability-to/) [Erik Brynjolfsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-brynjolfsson/) > [The Internet, the network of networks, is growing at an exponential pace. It's growing so fast, in fact, nobody really knows how many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/the-internet-the-network-of-networks-is-growing-at-an-exponential/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [“While exponential growth is a remarkable manifestation of our extraordinary accomplishments as a species, built into it are the potential seeds of our demise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-west/while-exponential-growth-is-a-remarkable-manifestation-of-our/) [Geoffrey West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-west/) > [Atheists don't solve exponential equations because they don't believe in higher powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/atheists-don-t-solve-exponential-equations-because-they-don-t-believe/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Technology advances at exponential rates, and human institutions and societies do not. They adapt at much slower rates. Those gaps get wider and wider.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/technology-advances-at-exponential-rates-and-human-institutions-and/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [“the fantastic power and ultimate absurdity of unchecked exponential growth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-west/the-fantastic-power-and-ultimate-absurdity-of-unchecked-exponential/) [Geoffrey West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-west/) > [“Rather than using armies of people or large physical plants, Exponential Organizations are built upon information technologies that take what was once physical in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-ismail/rather-than-using-armies-of-people-or-large-physical-plants/) [Salim Ismail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-ismail/) > [“Many organizations and militaries use VUCA as an acronym to describe the disruptive state of the world, given its Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-spitz/many-organizations-and-militaries-use-vuca-as-an-acronym-to-describe/) [Roger Spitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-spitz/) > [Everywhere, the rate of change is so fast that large U.S. companies are in constant danger of disruption. Not from competition in China or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/everywhere-the-rate-of-change-is-so-fast-that-large-u-s-companies-are/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [Modeling an exponential process necessarily produces a wide range of outcomes. In the case of COVID-19, that's because the spread of the disease depends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeynep-tufekci/modeling-an-exponential-process-necessarily-produces-a-wide-range-of/) [Zeynep Tufekci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeynep-tufekci/) > [Life itself is exponential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-rich/life-itself-is-exponential/) [Jeff Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-rich/) > [“Ignorance is not linear, it's exponential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spuds-crawford/ignorance-is-not-linear-it-s-exponential/) [Spuds Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spuds-crawford/) > [Success is measured in months for me. When my health fails, it will fail quickly. Tumors grow on an exponential curve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/success-is-measured-in-months-for-me-when-my-health-fails-it-will/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [Well, the security business has been growing. I think security is one of those areas where it's to some degree not linear but maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-kumar/well-the-security-business-has-been-growing-i-think-security-is-one/) [Sanjay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-kumar/) > [I basically look at how exponential emerging technological changes runs counter-intuitive to the way our linear brains make projections about change, and so we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-silva/i-basically-look-at-how-exponential-emerging-technological-changes/) [Jason Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-silva/) [Browse all 34 Exponential quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exponential/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The extinction of the human race will come from its inability to EMOTIONALLY comprehend the exponential function.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Teller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/the-extinction-of-the-human-race-will-come-from-its-inability-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Exponential" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/the-extinction-of-the-human-race-will-come-from-its-inability-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/edward-teller-12255_exponential_the-extinction-of-the-human-race-will-co_1706023.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/edward-teller-12255_exponential_the-extinction-of-the-human-race-will-co_1706023.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76f/edward-teller-12255_exponential_the-extinction-of-the-human-race-will-co_1706023.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The extinction of the human race will come from its inability to EMOTIONALLY comprehend the exponential…” — Edward Teller", "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": "Edward Teller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The extinction of the human race...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/the-extinction-of-the-human-race-will-come-from-its-inability-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/the-extinction-of-the-human-race-will-come-from-its-inability-to/#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 } } ] } ```