Another world Quote by Orson Scott Card
““first is the otherlander, or utlänning, the stranger that we recognize as being a human of our world, but of another city or country. The second is the framling—Demosthenes merely drops the accent from the Nordic främling. This is the stranger that we recognize as human, but of another world. The third is the raman, the stranger that we recognize as human, but of another species. The fourth is the true alien, the varelse, which includes all the animals, for with them no conversation is possible. They live, but we cannot guess what purposes or causes make them act. They might be intelligent, they might be self-aware, but we cannot know it.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card, 1986
The passage categorizes strangers by increasing otherness, from fellow humans to non‑human beings, highlighting our limited ability to understand alien minds.
In simple terms: Strangers become more alien, harder to understand.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of empathy across species.
Themes
identity
otherness
empathy
communication
species
limits
Mood
thoughtful
curious
cautious
Type
analytical
philosophical
speculative
When to use this quote
- intercultural dialogue
- environmental ethics
- AI development
- space exploration
- wildlife conservation
Key Concepts
anthropology
philosophy
exobiology
cognitive science
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ethically engage with beings we cannot comprehend?
- What responsibilities arise from recognizing our epistemic limits?
A Different Perspective
Assuming similarity may mislead; true alien minds may be unknowable.
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