--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now that physics is proving the…" description: "\"Now that physics is proving the intelligence of the universe what are we to do about the stupidity of mankind? I include myself. I know that the earth ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/jeanette-winterson-166_boundaries_now-that-physics-is-proving-the-intellig_1094218.png" --- # Now that physics is proving the intelligence of the… ![“Now that physics is proving the intelligence of the universe what are we to do about the stupidity of mankind? I include myself. I know that the earth is not flat but my feet are. I know that space is curved but my brain has been condoned by habit to grow in a straight line. What I call light is…” quote by Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/jeanette-winterson-166_boundaries_now-that-physics-is-proving-the-intellig_1094218.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/jeanette-winterson-166_boundaries_now-that-physics-is-proving-the-intellig_1094218.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/jeanette-winterson-166_boundaries_now-that-physics-is-proving-the-intellig_1094218.png) > “Now that physics is proving the intelligence of the universe what are we to do about the stupidity of mankind? I include myself. I know that the earth is not flat but my feet are. I know that space is curved but my brain has been condoned by habit to grow in a straight line. What I call light is my own blend of darkness. What I call a view is my hand-painted trompe-l'oeil. I run after knowledge like a ferret down a ferret hole. My limitations, I call the boundaries of what can be known. I interpret the world by confusing other people's psychology with my own.” [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human intellect confronts cosmic complexity while personal biases limit understanding, revealing a paradox of insight and ignorance. **In simple terms:** Knowledge and bias coexist. Key Takeaway Recognize limits, seek humility. Themes philosophy science human nature humility paradox Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - academic research - personal introspection - public discourse - education curricula - science communication Key Concepts cognitive bias epistemology self-awareness knowledge pursuit Questions to Reflect On - What biases shape your worldview? - How can we balance curiosity with humility? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on personal bias may paralyze action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boundaries/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Limitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limitation/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Straight line](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straight-line/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The most abundant element in the Universe is stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/the-most-abundant-element-in-the-universe-is-stupidity/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“It seemed odd no one had thought of it before but in general there is no accounting for the bovine stupidity of mankind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-mason/it-seemed-odd-no-one-had-thought-of-it-before-but-in-general-there-is/) [Zachary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-mason/) > [“The boulder is the truth that the great men know by instinct, and the mountain is the stupidity of mankind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/the-boulder-is-the-truth-that-the-great-men-know-by-instinct-and-the/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“We spend our lives fighting to get people very slightly more stupid than ourselves to accept truths that the great men have always known.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/we-spend-our-lives-fighting-to-get-people-very-slightly-more-stupid/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [If we're looking for intelligence in the universe I think everybody assumes that this has to start with life and so the question is:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/if-we-re-looking-for-intelligence-in-the-universe-i-think-everybody/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [“The journey of a thousands suns begins today. Some may question whether the journey is worth the sacrifice and danger. To them I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-marusek/the-journey-of-a-thousands-suns-begins-today-some-may-question/) [David Marusek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-marusek/) > [“I believe the universe wants to be noticed. I think the universe is improbably biased toward the consciousness, that it rewards intelligence in part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-the-universe-wants-to-be-noticed-i-think-the-universe-is/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Ultimately there is light and love and intelligence in this universe. And we are it, we carry that within us, it’s not just something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/ultimately-there-is-light-and-love-and-intelligence-in-this-universe/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) > [I believe there's other forms of intelligence in the universe. I've seen and heard some pretty convincing UFO stuff. Besides, if we're the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rekha-sharma/i-believe-there-s-other-forms-of-intelligence-in-the-universe-i-ve/) [Rekha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rekha-sharma/) > [Of course I believe in aliens. I think it's very egocentric to think that there's nothing else with intelligence in the whole universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-brochere/of-course-i-believe-in-aliens-i-think-it-s-very-egocentric-to-think/) [Lizzie Brochere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-brochere/) > [“I think the universe is improbably biased toward consciousness, that it rewards intelligence in part because the universe enjoys its elegance being observed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-the-universe-is-improbably-biased-toward-consciousness-that-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I think there’s probably a controlling intelligence in the universe, a being that decided the rules, such as E = mc2, and the value…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/i-think-there-s-probably-a-controlling-intelligence-in-the-universe-a/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“My conclusion is a startling one. I think it very likely—in fact inevitable—that biological intelligence is only a transitory phenomenon, a fleeting phase in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/my-conclusion-is-a-startling-one-i-think-it-very-likely-in-fact/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [Aligning yourself with the intelligence of the universe means coming to understand your life's purpose and applying it fearlessly to life's circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/aligning-yourself-with-the-intelligence-of-the-universe-means-coming/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [I will tell you why we have these extraordinary minds and souls, Miss Whittaker," he continued, as though he had not heard her. "We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-will-tell-you-why-we-have-these-extraordinary-minds-and-souls-miss/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## More by Jeanette Winterson > [“After nine nights must come ten and every desperate meeting only leaves you desperate for another. There is never enough to eat, never enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/after-nine-nights-must-come-ten-and-every-desperate-meeting-only/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [You never give away your heart; you lend it from time to time. If it were not so, how could we take it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-never-give-away-your-heart-you-lend-it-from-time-to-time-if-it/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [I have found that I am not a space where people want to live, at least not without decorating first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-have-found-that-i-am-not-a-space-where-people-want-to-live-at-least/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Yes. Just pass me my leg will you? It's on top of the wardrobe where he threw it, and I think my right arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/yes-just-pass-me-my-leg-will-you-it-s-on-top-of-the-wardrobe-where-he/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Every second the Universe divides into possibilities and most of those possibilities never happen. It is not a uni-verse -- there is more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/every-second-the-universe-divides-into-possibilities-and-most-of/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [You are a pool of clear water where the light plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/you-are-a-pool-of-clear-water-where-the-light-plays/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“It's the cliches that cause the trouble. A precise emotion seeks a precise expression. If what I feel is not precise than how should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-s-the-cliches-that-cause-the-trouble-a-precise-emotion-seeks-a/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [What would it have meant to be happy? What would it have meant if things had been bright, clear, good between us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/what-would-it-have-meant-to-be-happy-what-would-it-have-meant-if/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Mrs Ratlow was a widow, and she was head of English, but she still did all the cooking and cleaning for her two sons,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/mrs-ratlow-was-a-widow-and-she-was-head-of-english-but-she-still-did/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“I shall have nowt to talk to now the baby is boiled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-shall-have-nowt-to-talk-to-now-the-baby-is-boiled/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“What art does is to coax us away from the mechanical and towards the miraculous. The so-called uselessness of art is a clue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/what-art-does-is-to-coax-us-away-from-the-mechanical-and-towards-the/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Happy Valentines Day to those who have found love, in whatever shape or form, and to those who are still hunting, don’t give up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/happy-valentines-day-to-those-who-have-found-love-in-whatever-shape/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“It took me a long time to realise that there are two kinds of writing: the one you write and the one that writes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/it-took-me-a-long-time-to-realise-that-there-are-two-kinds-of-writing/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [A curse on this game. How can you stick at a game when the rules keep on changing? I shall call myself Alice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/a-curse-on-this-game-how-can-you-stick-at-a-game-when-the-rules-keep/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“He turned away and I turned to him in vivid heat to look on the sun-dried world. The groves and towers were gone. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/he-turned-away-and-i-turned-to-him-in-vivid-heat-to-look-on-the-sun/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) [Explore all 1,016 Jeanette Winterson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) ## More Boundaries quotes > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [God's Word does provide life lessons to teach us how to live. And it gives us beautiful poetry that gives voice to our human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rothschild/god-s-word-does-provide-life-lessons-to-teach-us-how-to-live-and-it/) [Jennifer Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rothschild/) > [While the world of reality has its limits, the world of your imagination is without boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/while-the-world-of-reality-has-its-limits-the-world-of-your/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [... informed ignorance provides the natural state of mind for research scientists at the ever-shifting frontiers of knowledge. People who believe themselves ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/informed-ignorance-provides-the-natural-state-of-mind-for-research/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I never go anywhere or do anything that transports me outside the boundaries of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-never-go-anywhere-or-do-anything-that-transports-me-outside-the/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [As a kid, in the Runaways, I would see the interviewers start to ask about our personal lives and what we did — and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/as-a-kid-in-the-runaways-i-would-see-the-interviewers-start-to-ask/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [Understanding science and pushing the boundaries of science is what makes me immensely satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/understanding-science-and-pushing-the-boundaries-of-science-is-what/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [A language possesses utility only insofar as it can construct conventional boundaries. A language of no boundaries is no language at all, and thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/a-language-possesses-utility-only-insofar-as-it-can-construct/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [“Let us not subside into a single mandatory way of thinking or feeling, immersed by a spirit of self-gratification. But let’s dig into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/let-us-not-subside-into-a-single-mandatory-way-of-thinking-or-feeling/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [The question of boundaries is a major question of the Jewish people because the Jews are the great experts of crossing boundaries. They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-yehoshua/the-question-of-boundaries-is-a-major-question-of-the-jewish-people/) [A. B. Yehoshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-yehoshua/) > [Working against a restriction - for me - often produces greater things than getting rid of all boundaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lord/working-against-a-restriction-for-me-often-produces-greater-things/) [Jon Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lord/) > [That's what all art's about - a sense of moving away from boundaries that you can't in real life. Like a dancer is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/that-s-what-all-art-s-about-a-sense-of-moving-away-from-boundaries/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) > [The boundaries between contemporary art and cinema are so rigid. It's unbelievable. The film critics don't know my artwork and the art world doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/the-boundaries-between-contemporary-art-and-cinema-are-so-rigid-it-s/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) [Browse all 2,012 Boundaries quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boundaries/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Now that physics is proving the intelligence of the universe what are we to do about the stupidity of mankind? I include myself. I know that the earth is not flat but my feet are. I know that space is curved but my brain has been condoned by habit to grow in a straight line. What I call light is my own blend of darkness. What I call a view is my hand-painted trompe-l'oeil. I run after knowledge like a ferret down a ferret hole. My limitations, I call the boundaries of what can be known. 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