--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not clear to anyone, least of all…" description: "\"It is not clear to anyone, least of all the practitioners, how science and technology in their headlong course do or should influence ethics and law, e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/jacques-barzun-3251_accounts_it-is-not-clear-to-anyone-least-of-all-t_2409767.jpg" --- # It is not clear to anyone, least of all the practitioners… ![“It is not clear to anyone, least of all the practitioners, how science and technology in their headlong course do or should influence ethics and law, education and government, art and social philosophy, religion and the life of the affections. Yet science is an all-pervasive energy, for it is at…” quote by Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/jacques-barzun-3251_accounts_it-is-not-clear-to-anyone-least-of-all-t_2409767.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/jacques-barzun-3251_accounts_it-is-not-clear-to-anyone-least-of-all-t_2409767.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/jacques-barzun-3251_accounts_it-is-not-clear-to-anyone-least-of-all-t_2409767.jpg) > “It is not clear to anyone, least of all the practitioners, how science and technology in their headlong course do or should influence ethics and law, education and government, art and social philosophy, religion and the life of the affections. Yet science is an all-pervasive energy, for it is at once a mode of thought, a source of strong emotion, and a faith as fanatical as any in history.” [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science permeates all aspects of life, shaping thought, emotion, and belief, yet its influence on ethics, law, and society is unclear and contested **In simple terms:** Science affects everything but its moral impact is uncertain Key Takeaway Consider how science reshapes values Themes science ethics societal change Mood thoughtful concerned Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - education reform - artistic expression - religious dialogue Key Concepts philosophy of science technology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How should societies balance scientific progress with moral responsibility? - What frameworks can guide ethical decisions in rapidly advancing tech? A Different Perspective Science alone cannot dictate ethical norms; human judgment remains essential ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accounts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accounts/) [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Affections Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affections-science-6062592/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Practitioners Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practitioners-science-6062593/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science and technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-and-technology/) [Science Pervasive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-pervasive-486624/) [Science technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-technology/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/source/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Strong emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-emotions/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [Science is an all-pervasive energy, for it is at once a mode of thought, a source of strong emotion, and a faith as fanatical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/science-is-an-all-pervasive-energy-for-it-is-at-once-a-mode-of/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“Basic research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I am doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wernher-von-braun/basic-research-is-what-i-m-doing-when-i-don-t-know-what-i-am-doing/) [Wernher Von Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wernher-von-braun/) > [We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology and yet have cleverly arranged things so that almost no one understands science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-live-in-a-society-exquisitely-dependent-on-science-and-technology/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The age of innocent faith in science and technology may be over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-commoner/the-age-of-innocent-faith-in-science-and-technology-may-be-over/) [Barry Commoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-commoner/) > [Science and technology are what we can do; morality is what we agree we should or should not do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/science-and-technology-are-what-we-can-do-morality-is-what-we-agree/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There can be very little of present-day science and technology that is not dependent on complex numbers in one way or another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-devlin/there-can-be-very-little-of-present-day-science-and-technology-that/) [Keith Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-devlin/) > [The unprecedented development of science and technology... so rapid that it is said that 90 per cent of the scientists which this country has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-platt/the-unprecedented-development-of-science-and-technology-so-rapid-that/) [Robert Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-platt/) > [There has come about a general public awareness that America is not automatically, and effortlessly, and unquestionably the leader of the world in science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-condon/there-has-come-about-a-general-public-awareness-that-america-is-not/) [Edward Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-condon/) > [“For a list of all the ways technology has failed to improve the quality of life, please press three. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-kahn/for-a-list-of-all-the-ways-technology-has-failed-to-improve-the/) [Alice Kahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-kahn/) > [No society has ever yet been able to handle the temptations of technology to mastery, to waste, to exuberance, to exploration and exploitation. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/no-society-has-ever-yet-been-able-to-handle-the-temptations-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [The intelligent use of science and technology are the tools with which to achieve a new direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/the-intelligent-use-of-science-and-technology-are-the-tools-with/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [Anybody can use science and technology without fundamentally altering his own frame of mind which governs how they are used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/anybody-can-use-science-and-technology-without-fundamentally-altering/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [Wisdom demands a new orientation of science and technology toward the organic, the gentle, the elegant and beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-demands-a-new-orientation-of-science-and-technology-toward-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Today, more than ever before, science holds the key to our survival as a planet and our security and prosperity as a nation. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/today-more-than-ever-before-science-holds-the-key-to-our-survival-as/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Science and technology have been embarrassed by two world wars, many smaller ones, and the spread of weapons that could destroy humanity. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keating/science-and-technology-have-been-embarrassed-by-two-world-wars-many/) [Thomas Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keating/) ## More by Jacques Barzun > [The danger that may really threaten (crime fiction) is that soon there will be more writers than readers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-danger-that-may-really-threaten-crime-fiction-is-that-soon-there/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [It seems a long time since the morning mail could be called correspondence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/it-seems-a-long-time-since-the-morning-mail-could-be-called/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/teaching-is-not-a-lost-art-but-the-regard-for-it-is-a-lost-tradition/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [The reason why research is like sculpting from memory is that in neither is there a concrete visible subject to copy directly. The subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-reason-why-research-is-like-sculpting-from-memory-is-that-in/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [Everybody keeps calling for Excellence - excellence not just in schooling, throughout society. But as soon as somebody or something stands out as Excellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/everybody-keeps-calling-for-excellence-excellence-not-just-in/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [Bernard Shaw remains the only model we have of what the citizen of a democracy should be: an informed participant in all things we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/bernard-shaw-remains-the-only-model-we-have-of-what-the-citizen-of-a/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [The ascetic is often a sensualist who has reached the limit of his capacity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-ascetic-is-often-a-sensualist-who-has-reached-the-limit-of-his/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [Idealism springs from deep feelings, but feelings are nothing without the formulated idea that keeps them whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/idealism-springs-from-deep-feelings-but-feelings-are-nothing-without/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/in-teaching-you-cannot-see-the-fruit-of-a-day-s-work-it-is-invisible/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [The mind tends to run along the groove of one's intention and overlook the actual expression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-mind-tends-to-run-along-the-groove-of-one-s-intention-and/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [Vanity is a static thing. It puts it faith in what it has, and is easily wounded. Pride is active, and satisfied only with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/vanity-is-a-static-thing-it-puts-it-faith-in-what-it-has-and-is/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [By the time I was 9, I had the conviction that everybody in the world was an artist except plumbers or people who delivered groceries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/by-the-time-i-was-9-i-had-the-conviction-that-everybody-in-the-world/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [A student under my care owes his first allegiance to himself and not to my specialty; and must not be burdened with my work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/a-student-under-my-care-owes-his-first-allegiance-to-himself-and-not/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [We are accustomed to the artist scoundrel or specialist in vice, and unaccustomed to the creator in whom passion and reason and moral integrity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/we-are-accustomed-to-the-artist-scoundrel-or-specialist-in-vice-and/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [The professionals resemble and recognize each other by virtue of the stigmata that their trade has left upon them. They are like the dog…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/the-professionals-resemble-and-recognize-each-other-by-virtue-of-the/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) [Explore all 135 Jacques Barzun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) ## More Accounts quotes > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. 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The more you put in, the more you can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lalanne/you-ve-got-to-exercise-your-health-account-your-bank-account-they-re/) [Jack LaLanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lalanne/) > [No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-physiologist-who-calmly-considers-the-question-in-connection-with/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [God puts you where God needs you. You are where you are supposed to be. The job you are doing may not be any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kushner/god-puts-you-where-god-needs-you-you-are-where-you-are-supposed-to-be/) [Lawrence Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kushner/) > [Stop trying to treat music like it's a tennis shoe, something to be branded. 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