--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The chicken is a dinosaur. I mean, it…" description: "\"The chicken is a dinosaur. I mean, it really is. You can't argue with it, because we're the classifiers and we've classified it that way.\" — Jack Horner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/jack-horner-17522_arguing_the-chicken-is-a-dinosaur-i-mean-it-real_439538.jpg" --- # The chicken is a dinosaur. I mean, it really is. You can't… ![“The chicken is a dinosaur. I mean, it really is. You can't argue with it, because we're the classifiers and we've classified it that way.” quote by Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/jack-horner-17522_arguing_the-chicken-is-a-dinosaur-i-mean-it-real_439538.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/jack-horner-17522_arguing_the-chicken-is-a-dinosaur-i-mean-it-real_439538.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea5/jack-horner-17522_arguing_the-chicken-is-a-dinosaur-i-mean-it-real_439538.jpg) > “The chicken is a dinosaur. I mean, it really is. You can't argue with it, because we're the classifiers and we've classified it that way.” [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Birds share many anatomical features with extinct theropod dinosaurs, making them living descendants. **In simple terms:** Birds are modern dinosaurs. Key Takeaway Recognize the continuity of life. Themes evolution biology taxonomy Mood curious thoughtful Type educational informative When to use this quote - education - science communication - museum exhibits Key Concepts phylogenetics convergent evolution Questions to Reflect On - How does this view reshape our understanding of extinction? - What implications does this have for conservation? A Different Perspective Scientific classification can change with new evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dinosaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dinosaur/) [Dinosaurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dinosaurs/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) ## Related quotes > [Classification is now a pejorative statement. You know, these classifiers look like "dumb fools." I'm a classifier. But I'd like to use a word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilson-morgan/classification-is-now-a-pejorative-statement-you-know-these/) William Wilson Morgan > [Keratin can be very colorful, as we see in birds. We'd expect dinosaurs to be very colorful because they basically invented the characteristics we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/keratin-can-be-very-colorful-as-we-see-in-birds-we-d-expect-dinosaurs/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [Give a talk to children and tell them dinosaurs didn't drag their tails, and you get arguments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/give-a-talk-to-children-and-tell-them-dinosaurs-didn-t-drag-their/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [I found my first dinosaur bone when I was 6, growing up in Montana. Ever since then I've been interested in dinosaurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/i-found-my-first-dinosaur-bone-when-i-was-6-growing-up-in-montana/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [Dinosaurs replace their teeth throughout their life. And T. rex replaced all of their teeth every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/dinosaurs-replace-their-teeth-throughout-their-life-and-t-rex/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [Almost all of my graduate students say that they got interested in dinosaurs because of 'Jurassic Park.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/almost-all-of-my-graduate-students-say-that-they-got-interested-in/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [I'm trying to figure out the biology of dinosaurs and what they were like as living creatures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/i-m-trying-to-figure-out-the-biology-of-dinosaurs-and-what-they-were/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [Children have a great urge to learn about dinosaurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/children-have-a-great-urge-to-learn-about-dinosaurs/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [Most people looking for dinosaurs are looking for beautiful skeletons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/most-people-looking-for-dinosaurs-are-looking-for-beautiful-skeletons/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [Dinosaurs are built just like birds - they can squat down, they can get up. Mammals, when we lay down, we throw our legs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/dinosaurs-are-built-just-like-birds-they-can-squat-down-they-can-get/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [A dinosaur out of context is like a character without a story. Worse than that, the character suffers from amnesia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/a-dinosaur-out-of-context-is-like-a-character-without-a-story-worse/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [“So far, every claim by one evolutionist that a dinosaur fossil represents a transition between kinds has been counterbalanced by another evolutionist on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thomas/so-far-every-claim-by-one-evolutionist-that-a-dinosaur-fossil/) Brian Thomas > [Y'all know how we have dogs and stuff right? So I think it was bigger people in the world before us, and the dinosaurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-clarkson/y-all-know-how-we-have-dogs-and-stuff-right-so-i-think-it-was-bigger/) [Jordan Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-clarkson/) > [The Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction was a horrible event. Dinosaurs and many other animals and plants were killed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/the-cretaceous-paleogene-extinction-was-a-horrible-event-dinosaurs/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [“Birds were what became of dinosaurs. Those mountains of flesh whose petrified bones were on display at the Museum of Natural History had done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/birds-were-what-became-of-dinosaurs-those-mountains-of-flesh-whose/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) ## More by Jack Horner > [When I was growing up in Montana I had two dreams: I wanted to be a paleontologist and I wanted to have a pet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/when-i-was-growing-up-in-montana-i-had-two-dreams-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [I was very fortunate, during my early years as a paleontologist, in that my field crews and I made some remarkable discoveries indicating dinosaurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/i-was-very-fortunate-during-my-early-years-as-a-paleontologist-in/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [Unfortunately, with dinosaurs, we haven't had enough specimens to determine how much variation there is within a species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/unfortunately-with-dinosaurs-we-haven-t-had-enough-specimens-to/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [Life histories tell you just about everything you need to know about an animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/life-histories-tell-you-just-about-everything-you-need-to-know-about/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [We all have genes that come from our ancestors that aren't used - they're not turned on. So we actually carry ancient genes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/we-all-have-genes-that-come-from-our-ancestors-that-aren-t-used-they/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [A dinosaur out of context is like a character without a story. Worse than that, the character suffers from amnesia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/a-dinosaur-out-of-context-is-like-a-character-without-a-story-worse/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [Dinosaurs are built just like birds - they can squat down, they can get up. Mammals, when we lay down, we throw our legs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/dinosaurs-are-built-just-like-birds-they-can-squat-down-they-can-get/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [I think most of the dinosaur specimens we find represent subadult sizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/i-think-most-of-the-dinosaur-specimens-we-find-represent-subadult/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [Evolution - evolutionary change - does not happen quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/evolution-evolutionary-change-does-not-happen-quickly/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [T Rex could not run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/t-rex-could-not-run/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [I encourage people who don't believe in evolution to look for horses in Jurassic Solenhofen limestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/i-encourage-people-who-don-t-believe-in-evolution-to-look-for-horses/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [In the future, I'd like to see paleontology as a whole get a lot more quantitative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/in-the-future-i-d-like-to-see-paleontology-as-a-whole-get-a-lot-more/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [In the lifetime of one person, we went from figuring out where we came from to figuring out how to get rid of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/in-the-lifetime-of-one-person-we-went-from-figuring-out-where-we-came/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [I just cannot imagine why anyone would want to be really famous. You go to a restaurant and people are pointing at you and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/i-just-cannot-imagine-why-anyone-would-want-to-be-really-famous-you/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) > [Most people looking for dinosaurs are looking for beautiful skeletons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-horner/most-people-looking-for-dinosaurs-are-looking-for-beautiful-skeletons/) [Jack Horner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) [Explore all 37 Jack Horner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-horner/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The chicken is a dinosaur. I mean, it really is. 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