Earth Quote by Lewis Thomas
“We have dominated and overruled nature, and from now on the earth is ours, a kitchen garden until we learn to make our own chlorophyll and float it out in the sun inside plastic mebranes. We will build Scarsdale on Mount Everest.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Medusa and the Snail", 1970
Human ambition seeks to control nature, envisioning extreme technological manipulation of ecosystems.
In simple terms: We want to dominate nature with tech.
Key Takeaway
Consider limits of technological hubris.
Themes
technology
environment
hubris
future
control
Mood
cautious
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
warning
When to use this quote
- Urban planning
- climate engineering
- space habitats
- biofabrication
Key Concepts
Ecological engineering
transhumanism
anthropocentrism
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the ethical limits of reshaping ecosystems?
- How might such control backfire?
A Different Perspective
Assumes unlimited resources and ignores ecological interdependence.
![“Because it is there [famous explanation for wanting to climb Mount Everest].” quote by George Leigh Mallory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/602/george-leigh-mallory-29300_climbs_because-it-is-there-famous-explanation-f_125998.jpg)
