--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We shall never fully understand nature…" description: "\"“We shall never fully understand nature (or ourselves), and certainly never respect it, until we dissociate the wild from the notion of usability - how..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/john-fowles-816_conservation_we-shall-never-fully-understand-nature-o_2069101.jpg" --- # We shall never fully understand nature (or ourselves), and… ![“We shall never fully understand nature (or ourselves), and certainly never respect it, until we dissociate the wild from the notion of usability - however innocent and harmless the use. For it is the general uselessness of so much of nature that lies at the root of our ancient hostility and…” quote by John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/john-fowles-816_conservation_we-shall-never-fully-understand-nature-o_2069101.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/john-fowles-816_conservation_we-shall-never-fully-understand-nature-o_2069101.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/john-fowles-816_conservation_we-shall-never-fully-understand-nature-o_2069101.jpg) > ““We shall never fully understand nature (or ourselves), and certainly never respect it, until we dissociate the wild from the notion of usability - however innocent and harmless the use. For it is the general uselessness of so much of nature that lies at the root of our ancient hostility and indifference to it.”” [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human beings often separate nature from utility, leading to exploitation and indifference **In simple terms:** We ignore nature’s value when we only see usefulness Key Takeaway Respect nature beyond its practical use Themes environment philosophy ethics Mood somber reflective Type philosophical environmental When to use this quote - urban planning - resource extraction - education curricula - personal consumption Key Concepts anthropocentrism ecocentrism Questions to Reflect On - How can we value nature for its own sake? - What policies protect nature beyond utility? 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