--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Modern science gives lectures on botany…" description: "\"Modern science gives lectures on botany, to show there is no such thing as a flower; on humanity, to show there is no such thing as a man; and on theol..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/john-ruskin-314_botany_modern-science-gives-lectures-on-botany_2333609.jpg" --- # Modern science gives lectures on botany, to show there is… ![“Modern science gives lectures on botany, to show there is no such thing as a flower; on humanity, to show there is no such thing as a man; and on theology, to show there is no such thing as a God. No such thing as a man, but only a mechanism, No such thing as a God, but only a series of forces.” quote by John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/john-ruskin-314_botany_modern-science-gives-lectures-on-botany_2333609.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/john-ruskin-314_botany_modern-science-gives-lectures-on-botany_2333609.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/john-ruskin-314_botany_modern-science-gives-lectures-on-botany_2333609.jpg) > “Modern science gives lectures on botany, to show there is no such thing as a flower; on humanity, to show there is no such thing as a man; and on theology, to show there is no such thing as a God. No such thing as a man, but only a mechanism, No such thing as a God, but only a series of forces.” [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science often reduces complex phenomena to mechanistic explanations, denying inherent mystery in nature, humanity, and divinity. **In simple terms:** Science can strip meaning from life. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of reductionism. Themes philosophy science religion humanism skepticism Mood critical reflective Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - academic debate - education curricula - personal belief systems Key Concepts Mechanism reductionism existential doubt Questions to Reflect On - Do we need both science and spirituality? - How does reductionism affect empathy? A Different Perspective May ignore the value of metaphor and subjective experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Botany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/botany/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Lectures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lectures/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Modern science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-science/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science and religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-and-religion/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) ## Related quotes > [Politeness is the flower of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/politeness-is-the-flower-of-humanity/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) > [Nothing is more clear than that Christ cannot be explained by any humanistic system. He does not fit into any theory of natural evolution,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loraine-boettner/nothing-is-more-clear-than-that-christ-cannot-be-explained-by-any/) [Loraine Boettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loraine-boettner/) > [Artists are the seeds, brave enough to live and flower before humanity. Our soil is contemplation, our water, its understanding. Whether my petals be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasun/artists-are-the-seeds-brave-enough-to-live-and-flower-before-humanity/) Rasun > [Life is painful. It has thorns, like the stem of a rose. Culture and art are the roses that bloom on the stem. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/life-is-painful-it-has-thorns-like-the-stem-of-a-rose-culture-and-art/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Religion and science, for example, are often though to be opponents, but as I have shown, the insights of ancient religions and of modern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/religion-and-science-for-example-are-often-though-to-be-opponents-but/) [Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/) > [In science it often happens that scientists say, "You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken..."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/in-science-it-often-happens-that-scientists-say-you-know-that-s-a-2/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The truth of Nature is a part of the truth of God; to him who does not search it out, darkness; to him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-truth-of-nature-is-a-part-of-the-truth-of-god-to-him-who-does-not/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I am interested in 18th century natural philosophy, science, particularly botany, the study of hybridity in plants and animals, which, of course, then allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethewey/i-am-interested-in-18th-century-natural-philosophy-science/) [Natasha Trethewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-trethewey/) > [If we range through the whole territory of nature, and endeavour to extract from each department the rich stores of knowledge and pleasure they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-paxton/if-we-range-through-the-whole-territory-of-nature-and-endeavour-to/) Joseph Paxton > ['Tis a short sight to limit our faith in laws to those of gravity, of chemistry, of botany, and so forth. Those laws do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/tis-a-short-sight-to-limit-our-faith-in-laws-to-those-of-gravity-of/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Botany, n. The science of vegetables - those that are not good to eat, as well as those that are. It deals largely with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/botany-n-the-science-of-vegetables-those-that-are-not-good-to-eat-as/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“I was aware of Darwin's views fourteen years before I adopted them and I have done so solely and entirely from an independent study…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-dalton-hooker/i-was-aware-of-darwin-s-views-fourteen-years-before-i-adopted-them/) [Joseph Dalton Hooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-dalton-hooker/) > [“Every plant is an individual. Wrong again. We are not individuals at all, we are all connected. We are individuals the way each blossom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/every-plant-is-an-individual-wrong-again-we-are-not-individuals-at/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Nomenclature, the other foundation of botany, should provide the names as soon as the classification is made... If the names are unknown knowledge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-linnaeus/nomenclature-the-other-foundation-of-botany-should-provide-the-names/) [Carl Linnaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-linnaeus/) > [In all our academies we attempt far too much. ... In earlier times lectures were delivered upon chemistry and botany as branches of medicine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/in-all-our-academies-we-attempt-far-too-much-in-earlier-times/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## More by John Ruskin > [“Occult Theft,--Theft which hides itself even from itself, and is legal, respectable, and cowardly,--corrupts the body and soul of man, to the last fibre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/occult-theft-theft-which-hides-itself-even-from-itself-and-is-legal/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Mighty of heart, mighty of mind, magnanimous-to be this is indeed to be great in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/mighty-of-heart-mighty-of-mind-magnanimous-to-be-this-is-indeed-to-be/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Life is a magic vase filled to the brim, so made that you cannot dip from it nor draw from it; but it overflows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/life-is-a-magic-vase-filled-to-the-brim-so-made-that-you-cannot-dip/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/as-in-the-instances-of-alchemy-astrology-witchcraft-and-other-such/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [I am far more provoked at being thought foolish by foolish people, than pleased at being thought sensible by sensible people; and the average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/i-am-far-more-provoked-at-being-thought-foolish-by-foolish-people/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [When we build ... let it not be for present delights nor for present use alone. Let it be such work as our descendants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/when-we-build-let-it-not-be-for-present-delights-nor-for-present-use/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is far more difficult to be simple than to be complicated; far more difficult to sacrifice skill and easy execution in the proper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-far-more-difficult-to-be-simple-than-to-be-complicated-far-more/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is a good and safe rule to sojourn in every place as if you meant to spend your life there, never omitting an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-is-a-good-and-safe-rule-to-sojourn-in-every-place-as-if-you-meant/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“You may trust to the truth of my sympathy; but you must remember that I am engaged in the investigation of enormous religious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/you-may-trust-to-the-truth-of-my-sympathy-but-you-must-remember-that/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [And remember, child, that nothing is ever done beautifully, which is done in rivalship; or nobly, which is done in pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/and-remember-child-that-nothing-is-ever-done-beautifully-which-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It’s unwise to pay too much, but it’s worse to pay too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/it-s-unwise-to-pay-too-much-but-it-s-worse-to-pay-too-little/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The world is full of vulgar Purists, who bring discredit on all selection by the silliness of their choice; and this the more, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-world-is-full-of-vulgar-purists-who-bring-discredit-on-all/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Like other beautiful things in this world, its end (that of a shaft) is to be beautiful; and, in proportion to its beauty, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/like-other-beautiful-things-in-this-world-its-end-that-of-a-shaft-is/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [All are to be men of genius in their degree,--rivulets or rivers, it does not matter, so that the souls be clear and pure;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/all-are-to-be-men-of-genius-in-their-degree-rivulets-or-rivers-it/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The art of drawing which is of more real importance to the human race than that of writing...should be taught to every child just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-art-of-drawing-which-is-of-more-real-importance-to-the-human-race/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) [Explore all 696 John Ruskin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) ## More Botany quotes > [In all our academies we attempt far too much. ... In earlier times lectures were delivered upon chemistry and botany as branches of medicine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/in-all-our-academies-we-attempt-far-too-much-in-earlier-times/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Nomenclature, the other foundation of botany, should provide the names as soon as the classification is made... If the names are unknown knowledge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-linnaeus/nomenclature-the-other-foundation-of-botany-should-provide-the-names/) [Carl Linnaeus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-linnaeus/) > [“Every plant is an individual. Wrong again. We are not individuals at all, we are all connected. We are individuals the way each blossom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/every-plant-is-an-individual-wrong-again-we-are-not-individuals-at/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [“I was aware of Darwin's views fourteen years before I adopted them and I have done so solely and entirely from an independent study…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-dalton-hooker/i-was-aware-of-darwin-s-views-fourteen-years-before-i-adopted-them/) [Joseph Dalton Hooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-dalton-hooker/) > [Botany, n. The science of vegetables - those that are not good to eat, as well as those that are. It deals largely with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/botany-n-the-science-of-vegetables-those-that-are-not-good-to-eat-as/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > ['Tis a short sight to limit our faith in laws to those of gravity, of chemistry, of botany, and so forth. Those laws do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/tis-a-short-sight-to-limit-our-faith-in-laws-to-those-of-gravity-of/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If we range through the whole territory of nature, and endeavour to extract from each department the rich stores of knowledge and pleasure they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-paxton/if-we-range-through-the-whole-territory-of-nature-and-endeavour-to/) Joseph Paxton > [I am interested in 18th century natural philosophy, science, particularly botany, the study of hybridity in plants and animals, which, of course, then allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethewey/i-am-interested-in-18th-century-natural-philosophy-science/) [Natasha Trethewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-trethewey/) > [“Botany is the name of the science of the vegetable kingdom in general; that is, of plants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asa-gray/botany-is-the-name-of-the-science-of-the-vegetable-kingdom-in-general/) [Asa Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asa-gray/) > [“This is a world where things move at their own pace, including a tiny lift Fortey and I shared with a scholarly looking elderly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/this-is-a-world-where-things-move-at-their-own-pace-including-a-tiny/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [It is, I find, in zoology as it is in botany: all nature is so full, that that district produces the greatest variety which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-white/it-is-i-find-in-zoology-as-it-is-in-botany-all-nature-is-so-full-that/) [Gilbert White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-white/) > [This is all very fine, but it won't do-Anatomy-botany-Nonsense! Sir, I know an old woman in Covent Garden, who understands botany better, and as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sydenham/this-is-all-very-fine-but-it-won-t-do-anatomy-botany-nonsense-sir-i/) [Thomas Sydenham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sydenham/) > [ Although I was four years at the University \[of Wisconsin\], I did not take the regular course of studies, but instead picked out what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/although-i-was-four-years-at-the-university-of-wisconsin-i-did-not/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [It is much better to learn the elements of geology, of botany, or ornithology and astronomy by word of mouth from a companion than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/it-is-much-better-to-learn-the-elements-of-geology-of-botany-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I wandered away on a glorious botanical and geological excursion, which has lasted nearly fifty years and is not yet completed, always happy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/i-wandered-away-on-a-glorious-botanical-and-geological-excursion/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) [Browse all 58 Botany quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/botany/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Modern science gives lectures on botany, to show there is no such thing as a flower; on humanity, to show there is no such thing as a man; and on theology, to show there is no such thing as a God. 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