--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Just as it was pointless to argue whether…" description: "\"“Just as it was pointless to argue whether birds or fish were superior, debating the superiority of man or machine was also meaningless.”\" — Hiroshi Ya..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/hiroshi-yamamoto-38162_computers_just-as-it-was-pointless-to-argue-whethe_2947259.jpg" --- # Just as it was pointless to argue whether birds or fish… ![“Just as it was pointless to argue whether birds or fish were superior, debating the superiority of man or machine was also meaningless.” quote by Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/hiroshi-yamamoto-38162_computers_just-as-it-was-pointless-to-argue-whethe_2947259.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/hiroshi-yamamoto-38162_computers_just-as-it-was-pointless-to-argue-whethe_2947259.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/hiroshi-yamamoto-38162_computers_just-as-it-was-pointless-to-argue-whethe_2947259.jpg) > ““Just as it was pointless to argue whether birds or fish were superior, debating the superiority of man or machine was also meaningless.”” [Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Arguing over superiority of humans vs. machines is futile; both have unique value. **In simple terms:** Human vs machine debate is pointless. Key Takeaway Focus on collaboration, not competition. Themes technology humanity philosophy Mood curious balanced Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - workplace automation - education - policy making Key Concepts ethics AI development Questions to Reflect On - How can humans and machines complement each other? - What ethical limits should guide AI? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on competition can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ## Related quotes > [The superiority of one man's opinion over another's is never so great as when the opinion is about a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/the-superiority-of-one-man-s-opinion-over-another-s-is-never-so-great/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [Clothes therefore, must be the insignia of the superiority of man over all other animals, for surely there could be no other reason for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/clothes-therefore-must-be-the-insignia-of-the-superiority-of-man-over/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [“Death is a great leveler, time brings all luxuries of life to an end. All feelings of superiority in man as only an illusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahzeb-afzal/death-is-a-great-leveler-time-brings-all-luxuries-of-life-to-an-end/) Shahzeb Afzal > [It is in the world of ideas and in the relation of his brain to the universe itself that the superiority of Man lies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hoyle/it-is-in-the-world-of-ideas-and-in-the-relation-of-his-brain-to-the/) [Fred Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hoyle/) > [Though I would have liked my chances in a rematch in 1998 if I were better prepared, it was clear then that computer superiority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/though-i-would-have-liked-my-chances-in-a-rematch-in-1998-if-i-were/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) > [Our military superiority is so great - it's far greater than it was in the Gulf War, and the Gulf War was over in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/our-military-superiority-is-so-great-it-s-far-greater-than-it-was-in/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Great ambition, the desire of real superiority, of leading and directing, seems to be altogether peculiar to man, and speech is the great instrument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/great-ambition-the-desire-of-real-superiority-of-leading-and/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [Our knowledge and understanding of nonhuman animals is polluted far more than we acknowledge by our belief in our own superiority, our unrecognized cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-tuttle/our-knowledge-and-understanding-of-nonhuman-animals-is-polluted-far/) [Will Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-tuttle/) > [I consider the differences between man and animals in propensities, feelings, and intellectual faculties, to be the result of the same cause as that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-william-lawrence-1st-baronet/i-consider-the-differences-between-man-and-animals-in-propensities/) Sir William Lawrence, 1st Baronet > [Being six feet off the ground does give one a sense of superiority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/being-six-feet-off-the-ground-does-give-one-a-sense-of-superiority/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [There never will be a trust in excellence or a combination in superiority. As long as you can do a thing a little better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/there-never-will-be-a-trust-in-excellence-or-a-combination-in/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [“Love and respect a woman. Look to her not only for comfort, but for strength and inspiration and the doubling of your intellectual and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-mazzini/love-and-respect-a-woman-look-to-her-not-only-for-comfort-but-for/) [Giuseppe Mazzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-mazzini/) > [Because I've never had any higher education of any sort, I've never held in awe those who have had it or have a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-corbyn/because-i-ve-never-had-any-higher-education-of-any-sort-i-ve-never/) [Jeremy Corbyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-corbyn/) > [Even the most abject have a sense of superiority based on powerful though undefined merits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/even-the-most-abject-have-a-sense-of-superiority-based-on-powerful/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) ## More by Hiroshi Yamamoto > [The only things that move their hearts are tragedies that affect them personally or affect people close to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/the-only-things-that-move-their-hearts-are-tragedies-that-affect-them/) [Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) > [“You believe that some people have dementia and some people do not, but that is not correct. All people have dementia—some are simply in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/you-believe-that-some-people-have-dementia-and-some-people-do-not-but/) [Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) > [“Where did this baseless fear that robots would attack humans come from? Why were there so many stories about robots and humans fighting? Did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/where-did-this-baseless-fear-that-robots-would-attack-humans-come/) [Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) > [“Death comes when memories are lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/death-comes-when-memories-are-lost/) [Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) > [“Truly intelligent beings do not drop bombs on innocent civilians.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/truly-intelligent-beings-do-not-drop-bombs-on-innocent-civilians/) [Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) > [“There are no heroes in our world. No clear-cut evil either. Everyone involved insists that they’re the righteous ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/there-are-no-heroes-in-our-world-no-clear-cut-evil-either-everyone/) [Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) > [“This is kaiju !" Yojiro barked. "When did they ever give a damn about adhering to science!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/this-is-kaiju-yojiro-barked-when-did-they-ever-give-a-damn-about/) [Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) > [“Human thoughts are digital. Most people see things as 0 or 1, as black or white. They see nothing in between. All chemicals are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/human-thoughts-are-digital-most-people-see-things-as-0-or-1-as-black/) [Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) > [“But sometimes he’s right. ‘Nothing happens if you just dream,’ he said. ‘You need the motivation to make your dreams reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/but-sometimes-he-s-right-nothing-happens-if-you-just-dream-he-said/) [Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) > [“If people from their own country are killed, they may express surprise, grief, anger, and sympathy. But if ten thousand people are killed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/if-people-from-their-own-country-are-killed-they-may-express-surprise/) [Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) > [“falling in love, getting married, having kids… it works for some people. But there’s no reason you have to live like that. Choosing one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/falling-in-love-getting-married-having-kids-it-works-for-some-people/) [Hiroshi Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) [Explore all 12 Hiroshi Yamamoto quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/) ## More Computers quotes > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [“Probably it goes without saying, but time machine guys don't get a lot of action. Had a one night stand with something cute a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-yu/probably-it-goes-without-saying-but-time-machine-guys-don-t-get-a-lot/) [Charles Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-yu/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Note found in the patron suggestion box: "You have SIGNS up near the computers that say BE QUIET, but people don't be quiet. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-sheridan/note-found-in-the-patron-suggestion-box-you-have-signs-up-near-the/) [Gina Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-sheridan/) > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The corporate state is an immensely powerful machine, ordered, legalistic, rational, yet utterly out of human control, wholly and perfectly indifferent to any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-corporate-state-is-an-immensely-powerful-machine-ordered/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) Jen-Hsun Huang > [The popular mind often pictures gigantic flying machines speeding across the Atlantic carrying innumerable passengers in a way analogous to our modern steam ships.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-pickering/the-popular-mind-often-pictures-gigantic-flying-machines-speeding/) William Henry Pickering > [“Alan Turing proposed the Turing Test: a computer is intelligent if you can't tell it from a human when you talk with it. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cjs-hayward/alan-turing-proposed-the-turing-test-a-computer-is-intelligent-if-you/) [CJS Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cjs-hayward/) > [Computers can be taught that certain tune or certain chords changes will sound pleasant together, but I don't think it's going to reach a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/computers-can-be-taught-that-certain-tune-or-certain-chords-changes/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [“According to this model, human beings are, at least in one aspect, sensation-receiving machines; and although our receptory apparatus is competent to select and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cruce-stark/according-to-this-model-human-beings-are-at-least-in-one-aspect/) Cruce Stark > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. In the same way, you all must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/as-in-any-machine-all-the-wires-must-be-connected-to-the-mains/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) [Browse all 9,389 Computers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Just as it was pointless to argue whether birds or fish were superior, debating the superiority of man or machine was also meaningless.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hiroshi Yamamoto" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/just-as-it-was-pointless-to-argue-whether-birds-or-fish-were-superior/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Computers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/just-as-it-was-pointless-to-argue-whether-birds-or-fish-were-superior/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/hiroshi-yamamoto-38162_computers_just-as-it-was-pointless-to-argue-whethe_2947259.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/hiroshi-yamamoto-38162_computers_just-as-it-was-pointless-to-argue-whethe_2947259.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcf/hiroshi-yamamoto-38162_computers_just-as-it-was-pointless-to-argue-whethe_2947259.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Just as it was pointless to argue whether birds or fish were superior, debating the superiority of man or…” — Hiroshi Yamamoto", "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": "Hiroshi Yamamoto", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-yamamoto/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Just as it was pointless to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/just-as-it-was-pointless-to-argue-whether-birds-or-fish-were-superior/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-yamamoto/just-as-it-was-pointless-to-argue-whether-birds-or-fish-were-superior/#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 } } ] } ```