---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Science is a tool, and we invent tools to…"
description: "\"Science is a tool, and we invent tools to do things we want. It's a question of how those tools are used by people.\" — Margaret Atwood"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/margaret-atwood-40_people_science-is-a-tool-and-we-invent-tools-to_1742529.jpg"
---

#  Science is a tool, and we invent tools to do things we…

![“Science is a tool, and we invent tools to do things we want. It's a question of how those tools are used by people.” quote by Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/margaret-atwood-40_people_science-is-a-tool-and-we-invent-tools-to_1742529.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/margaret-atwood-40_people_science-is-a-tool-and-we-invent-tools-to_1742529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/margaret-atwood-40_people_science-is-a-tool-and-we-invent-tools-to_1742529.jpg)

> “Science is a tool, and we invent tools to do things we want. It's a question of how those tools are used by people.”

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Science provides means, but its impact depends on human choices and intentions.

**In simple terms:** Science is a tool shaped by how people use it.

Key Takeaway

Consider the ethical implications of technology.

Themes

ethics technology responsibility

Mood

thoughtful cautious

Type

reflective philosophical

When to use this quote

- policy making
- product design
- education
- environmental stewardship

Key Concepts

instrumentalism human agency innovation

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you decide which tools to develop?
- What safeguards should guide their use?

A Different Perspective

Tools can be misused, leading to unintended harm.

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[People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/)

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> [It is essential to have good tools, but it is also essential that the tools should be used in the right way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/it-is-essential-to-have-good-tools-but-it-is-also-essential-that-the/)

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> ['The New Yorker' didn't invent the magazine cartoon, but it did really establish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mankoff/the-new-yorker-didn-t-invent-the-magazine-cartoon-but-it-did-really/)

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## More by Margaret Atwood

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