--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man at last knows that he is alone in the…" description: "\"Man at last knows that he is alone in the unfeeling immensity of the universe, out of which he emerged only by chance. Neither his destiny nor his duty..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/jacques-monod-18055_chance_man-at-last-knows-that-he-is-alone-in-th_2861806.jpg" --- # Man at last knows that he is alone in the unfeeling… ![“Man at last knows that he is alone in the unfeeling immensity of the universe, out of which he emerged only by chance. Neither his destiny nor his duty have been written down. The kingdom above or the darkness below: it is for him to choose.” quote by Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/jacques-monod-18055_chance_man-at-last-knows-that-he-is-alone-in-th_2861806.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/jacques-monod-18055_chance_man-at-last-knows-that-he-is-alone-in-th_2861806.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88a/jacques-monod-18055_chance_man-at-last-knows-that-he-is-alone-in-th_2861806.jpg) > “Man at last knows that he is alone in the unfeeling immensity of the universe, out of which he emerged only by chance. Neither his destiny nor his duty have been written down. The kingdom above or the darkness below: it is for him to choose.” [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human existence is accidental, isolated, and without predetermined purpose, leaving moral choice to the individual. **In simple terms:** We are alone and must choose our own path. Key Takeaway Embrace personal responsibility. Themes existentialism freedom choice loneliness Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - ethical dilemmas - spiritual searching - creative projects Key Concepts determinism absurdity agency Questions to Reflect On - What choices define your purpose? - How do you confront existential isolation? A Different Perspective Human beings may seek external meaning, but none is guaranteed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Immensity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immensity/) [Kingdoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kingdoms/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Man finally knows that he is alone in the indifferent immensity of the Universe, from which he emerged by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/man-finally-knows-that-he-is-alone-in-the-indifferent-immensity-of/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Man knows at last that he is alone in the universe's unfeeling immensity, out of which he emerged only by chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/man-knows-at-last-that-he-is-alone-in-the-universe-s-unfeeling/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [“The ancient covenant is in pieces; man knows at last that he is alone in the universe's unfeeling immensity, out of which he emerged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/the-ancient-covenant-is-in-pieces-man-knows-at-last-that-he-is-alone/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Our entire universe emerged from a point smaller than a single atom. Space itself exploded in a cosmic fire, launching the expansion of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/our-entire-universe-emerged-from-a-point-smaller-than-a-single-atom/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“As we look way back into the first instants of the Big Bang, we find the quantum world that we described in Chapter 3.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-barrow/as-we-look-way-back-into-the-first-instants-of-the-big-bang-we-find/) [John D. Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-barrow/) > [The law of attraction is the law of creation. Quantum physicists tell us that the entire Universe emerged from thought!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/the-law-of-attraction-is-the-law-of-creation-quantum-physicists-tell/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [ALL THINGS, material and spiritual, originate from one source and are related as if they were one family. The past, present, and future are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/all-things-material-and-spiritual-originate-from-one-source-and-are/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) > [Remember that you have a choice in what you see. If you choose to see a person's darkness, you strengthen your darkness within. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/remember-that-you-have-a-choice-in-what-you-see-if-you-choose-to-see/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [“The issue is now quite clear. It is between light and darkness and every one must choose his side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-issue-is-now-quite-clear-it-is-between-light-and-darkness-and/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [You choose darkness, you choose light, but you will know if you chose right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haddi-az/you-choose-darkness-you-choose-light-but-you-will-know-if-you-chose/) Haddi Az > [“In a world full of darkness, choose to be the light in your corner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitta-xinindlu/in-a-world-full-of-darkness-choose-to-be-the-light-in-your-corner/) [Mitta Xinindlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitta-xinindlu/) > [“All creatures are capable of darkness, but not all choose to succumb to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-humphreys/all-creatures-are-capable-of-darkness-but-not-all-choose-to-succumb/) [Sara Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-humphreys/) > [The issue is now clear. It is between light and darkness and everyone must choose his side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-issue-is-now-clear-it-is-between-light-and-darkness-and-everyone/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I have my own demons, my own pain and darkness, but I choose to embrace them and look at them head-on and deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-rachel-wood/i-have-my-own-demons-my-own-pain-and-darkness-but-i-choose-to-embrace/) [Evan Rachel Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-rachel-wood/) > [“I'm choosing good over evil, light over darkness. I choose humanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stark/i-m-choosing-good-over-evil-light-over-darkness-i-choose-humanity/) [Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stark/) ## More by Jacques Monod > [One of the great problems of philosophy, is the relationship between the realm of knowledge and the realm of values. Knowledge is what is;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/one-of-the-great-problems-of-philosophy-is-the-relationship-between/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Modern societies accepted the treasures and the power offered them by science. But they have not accepted - they have scarcely even heard -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/modern-societies-accepted-the-treasures-and-the-power-offered-them-by/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Man's destiny is nowhere spelled out, nor is his duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/man-s-destiny-is-nowhere-spelled-out-nor-is-his-duty/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Among all the occurrences possible in the universe the a priori probability of any particular one of them verges upon zero. Yet the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/among-all-the-occurrences-possible-in-the-universe-the-a-priori/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [The fundamental biological variant is DNA. That is why Mendel's definition of the gene as the unvarying bearer of hereditary traits, its chemical identification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/the-fundamental-biological-variant-is-dna-that-is-why-mendel-s/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [In science there is and will remain a Platonic element which could not be taken away without ruining it. Among the infinite diversity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/in-science-there-is-and-will-remain-a-platonic-element-which-could/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [One may well find oneself beginning to doubt whether all this could conceivably be the product of an enormous lottery presided over by natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/one-may-well-find-oneself-beginning-to-doubt-whether-all-this-could/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Even today a good many distinguished minds seem unable to accept or even to understand that from a source of noise natural selection alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/even-today-a-good-many-distinguished-minds-seem-unable-to-accept-or/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Every living being is also a fossil. Within it, all the way down to the microscopic structure of its proteins, it bears the traces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/every-living-being-is-also-a-fossil-within-it-all-the-way-down-to-the/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [There are living systems; there is no'living matter'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/there-are-living-systems-there-is-no-living-matter/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Evolution in the biosphere is therefore a necessarily irreversible process defining a direction in time; a direction which is the same as that enjoined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/evolution-in-the-biosphere-is-therefore-a-necessarily-irreversible/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [“When one ponders on the tremendous journey of evolution over the past three billion years or so, the prodigious wealth of structures it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/when-one-ponders-on-the-tremendous-journey-of-evolution-over-the-past/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [The future of mankind is going to be decided within the next two generations, and there are two absolute requisites: We must aim at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/the-future-of-mankind-is-going-to-be-decided-within-the-next-two/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [The scientific attitude implies the postulate of objectivity-that is to say, the fundamental postulate that there is no plan; that there is no intention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/the-scientific-attitude-implies-the-postulate-of-objectivity-that-is/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [There are living systems; there is no living "matter." No substance, no single molecule, extracted and isolated from a living being possess, of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/there-are-living-systems-there-is-no-living-matter-no-substance-no/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) [Explore all 35 Jacques Monod quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) Alejandro Taubas > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man at last knows that he is alone in the unfeeling immensity of the universe, out of which he emerged only by chance. Neither his destiny nor his duty have been written down. 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