--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When one contemplates the conquest of…" description: "\"“When one contemplates the conquest of nature by technology one must remember that that conquest had to include our own bodies. Calvinism provided the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/george-grant-157006_men-and-women_when-one-contemplates-the-conquest-of-na_1321094.jpg" --- # When one contemplates the conquest of nature by technology… ![“When one contemplates the conquest of nature by technology one must remember that that conquest had to include our own bodies. Calvinism provided the determined and organised men and women who could rule the mastered world. The punishment they inflicted on non-human nature, they had first…” quote by George Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/george-grant-157006_men-and-women_when-one-contemplates-the-conquest-of-na_1321094.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/george-grant-157006_men-and-women_when-one-contemplates-the-conquest-of-na_1321094.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/george-grant-157006_men-and-women_when-one-contemplates-the-conquest-of-na_1321094.jpg) > ““When one contemplates the conquest of nature by technology one must remember that that conquest had to include our own bodies. Calvinism provided the determined and organised men and women who could rule the mastered world. The punishment they inflicted on non-human nature, they had first inflicted on themselves.”” George Grant ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Technology’s domination of nature reflects a deeper conquest of our own bodies, rooted in Calvinist discipline and self‑control. **In simple terms:** Tech reshapes nature and self through disciplined will. Key Takeaway Recognize bodily impact of tech. Themes philosophy technology theology body politics Mood serious analytical critical Type Calvinism:1 Men and women:0 Nature:1 Technology:1 Conquest Nature:0 Bodies Calvinism:0 Calvinism Provided:0 Contemplates Conquest:0 When to use this quote - examining tech ethics - studying religious influence - personal health monitoring Key Concepts Calvinism humanism environmental ethics Questions to Reflect On - How does your belief system shape tech use? - What bodily limits does tech impose? A Different Perspective May generalize across cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Calvinism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calvinism/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [“Man’s conquest of Nature turns out, in the moment of its consummation, to be Nature’s conquest of Man. Every victory we seemed to win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/man-s-conquest-of-nature-turns-out-in-the-moment-of-its-consummation-2/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Man's conquest of Nature turns out, in the moment of its consummation, to be Nature's conquest of Man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/man-s-conquest-of-nature-turns-out-in-the-moment-of-its-consummation/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“If we are to succeed in the great task before us we must adopt a humbler attitude towards the elementary things of life than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-northbourne/if-we-are-to-succeed-in-the-great-task-before-us-we-must-adopt-a/) LORD NORTHBOURNE > [Man's conquest of Nature, if the dreams of some scientific planners are realized, means the rule of a few hundreds of men over billions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/man-s-conquest-of-nature-if-the-dreams-of-some-scientific-planners-2/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Man’s conquest of Nature, if the dreams of some scientific planners are realized, means the rule of a few hundreds of men over billions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/man-s-conquest-of-nature-if-the-dreams-of-some-scientific-planners/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [The human landscape of the New World shows a conquest of nature by an intelligence that does not love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northrop-frye/the-human-landscape-of-the-new-world-shows-a-conquest-of-nature-by-an/) [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) > [This notion that man can, and should, have absolute dominion over the "chaotic" powers of nature and woman...is what ultimately lies behind man's famous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riane-eisler/this-notion-that-man-can-and-should-have-absolute-dominion-over-the/) [Riane Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riane-eisler/) > [ What I am trying to argue here \[Save Calvinism\] and in other works before this one is that the Reformed tradition as I have… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/what-i-am-trying-to-argue-here-save-calvinism-and-in-other-works/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [The alternative of hypothetical universalism, according to which Christ's work is sufficient for all but efficient only for the elect, was alive and well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/the-alternative-of-hypothetical-universalism-according-to-which/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [Calvinism is the consistent endeavor to acknowledge the Creator as the Lord, working all things after the counsel of His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/calvinism-is-the-consistent-endeavor-to-acknowledge-the-creator-as/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [“Ah! Gentle, gracious Dove, And art thou grieved in me, That sinners should restrain thy love, And say, “It is not free: It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/ah-gentle-gracious-dove-and-art-thou-grieved-in-me-that-sinners/) [Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/) > [My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not from the freedom of the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon/my-hope-arises-from-the-freeness-of-grace-and-not-from-the-freedom-of/) [Charles Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon/) > [Lutheranism restricted itself to an exclusively ecclesiastical and theological character, while Calvinism put its impress in and outside the church upon every aspect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/lutheranism-restricted-itself-to-an-exclusively-ecclesiastical-and/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [My Calvinism persuades me that we are open to God, in the sense that we are not delimited, not organisms with fixed attributes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/my-calvinism-persuades-me-that-we-are-open-to-god-in-the-sense-that/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [“Finally, the Reformers also agreed that worship should be in the vernacular and that the twofold structure of Word and sacrament be maintained. Zwingli…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-webber/finally-the-reformers-also-agreed-that-worship-should-be-in-the/) [Robert E. Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-webber/) ## More Calvinism quotes > [“Finally, the Reformers also agreed that worship should be in the vernacular and that the twofold structure of Word and sacrament be maintained. Zwingli…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-webber/finally-the-reformers-also-agreed-that-worship-should-be-in-the/) [Robert E. Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-webber/) > [My Calvinism persuades me that we are open to God, in the sense that we are not delimited, not organisms with fixed attributes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/my-calvinism-persuades-me-that-we-are-open-to-god-in-the-sense-that/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [Lutheranism restricted itself to an exclusively ecclesiastical and theological character, while Calvinism put its impress in and outside the church upon every aspect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-kuyper/lutheranism-restricted-itself-to-an-exclusively-ecclesiastical-and/) [Abraham Kuyper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-kuyper/) > [My hope arises from the freeness of grace, and not from the freedom of the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon/my-hope-arises-from-the-freeness-of-grace-and-not-from-the-freedom-of/) [Charles Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon/) > [“Ah! Gentle, gracious Dove, And art thou grieved in me, That sinners should restrain thy love, And say, “It is not free: It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/ah-gentle-gracious-dove-and-art-thou-grieved-in-me-that-sinners/) [Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/) > [Calvinism is the consistent endeavor to acknowledge the Creator as the Lord, working all things after the counsel of His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/calvinism-is-the-consistent-endeavor-to-acknowledge-the-creator-as/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [The alternative of hypothetical universalism, according to which Christ's work is sufficient for all but efficient only for the elect, was alive and well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/the-alternative-of-hypothetical-universalism-according-to-which/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [ What I am trying to argue here \[Save Calvinism\] and in other works before this one is that the Reformed tradition as I have… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/what-i-am-trying-to-argue-here-save-calvinism-and-in-other-works/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [I would rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all men for whom it was intended, than a universal atonement that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-would-rather-believe-a-limited-atonement-that-is-efficacious-for/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [During my academical life, and from this time forward, I was indefatigable in my search after truth. I read all the authors of greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/during-my-academical-life-and-from-this-time-forward-i-was/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [“Jonathan Edwards, the dear old soul, who, if his doctrine is true, is now in heaven rubbing his holy hands with glee, as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/jonathan-edwards-the-dear-old-soul-who-if-his-doctrine-is-true-is-now/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [Calvinism that does not humble has missed its mark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-chantry/calvinism-that-does-not-humble-has-missed-its-mark/) [Walter J Chantry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-j-chantry/) > [For the Arminian, salvation is possible for all but certain for none. In the Calvinist position, salvation is sure for God's elect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/for-the-arminian-salvation-is-possible-for-all-but-certain-for-none/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Calvinism emphasizes divine sovereignty and free grace; Arminianism emphasizes human responsibility. The one restricts the saving grace to the elect: the other extends it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-schaff/calvinism-emphasizes-divine-sovereignty-and-free-grace-arminianism/) [Philip Schaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-schaff/) > [“The Cross of Christ is the Aroma of Life for the elect and the Aroma of Death for the reprobate”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royal-raj-s/the-cross-of-christ-is-the-aroma-of-life-for-the-elect-and-the-aroma/) [Royal Raj S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/royal-raj-s/) [Browse all 104 Calvinism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calvinism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When one contemplates the conquest of nature by technology one must remember that that conquest had to include our own bodies. Calvinism provided the determined and organised men and women who could rule the mastered world. The punishment they inflicted on non-human nature, they had first inflicted on themselves.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Grant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-grant/when-one-contemplates-the-conquest-of-nature-by-technology-one-must/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Calvinism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-grant/when-one-contemplates-the-conquest-of-nature-by-technology-one-must/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/george-grant-157006_men-and-women_when-one-contemplates-the-conquest-of-na_1321094.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/george-grant-157006_men-and-women_when-one-contemplates-the-conquest-of-na_1321094.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73b/george-grant-157006_men-and-women_when-one-contemplates-the-conquest-of-na_1321094.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When one contemplates the conquest of nature by technology one must remember that that conquest had to…” — George Grant", "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": "George Grant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-grant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When one contemplates the conquest of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-grant/when-one-contemplates-the-conquest-of-nature-by-technology-one-must/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-grant/when-one-contemplates-the-conquest-of-nature-by-technology-one-must/#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 } } ] } ```