Creatures Quote by Jorge Luis Borges
“To be immortal is commonplace; except for man, all creatures are immortal, for they are ignorant of death; what is divine, terrible, incomprehensible, is to know that one is immortal.”
About This Quote
Source Short story: “The Immortal” from Ficciones, 1944
Immortality is common for all beings except humans, who are unaware of death; true terror lies in realizing one’s own immortality.
In simple terms: All creatures are immortal except humans who don’t know death.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the paradox of human awareness of mortality.
Themes
mortality
knowledge
existence
Mood
thoughtful
philosophical
Type
literary
existential
When to use this quote
- literature analysis
- personal reflection
- ethical debates
Key Concepts
philosophy
existentialism
paradox
Questions to Reflect On
- What does it mean to truly understand mortality?
- How does awareness of death shape human behavior?
A Different Perspective
Awareness of death gives meaning; ignorance can be bliss.
![“Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this [step by step, from humans to apes to monkeys to lemurs] - leading us insensibly from the crown and summit of the animal creation down to creatures, from which there is but a step, as it seems, to the…” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0b/thomas-huxley-1183_animal_perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us_3051.jpg)
