Biology Quote by Paul Kalanithi
““Humans are organisms, subject to physical laws, including, alas, the one that says entropy always increases. Diseases are molecules misbehaving; the basic requirement of life is metabolism, and death its cessation.””
About This Quote
Source Book: When Breath Becomes Air, 2016
Life follows physical laws, with entropy increasing; disease is molecular disorder, and metabolism sustains life until death ends it.
In simple terms: Life obeys physics, disease is disorder.
Key Takeaway
Understand biological limits.
Themes
biology
entropy
mortality
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
philosophical
scientific
When to use this quote
- healthcare
- aging research
- public health
- null
Key Concepts
thermodynamics
medicine
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we combat entropy in health?
- What role does purpose play in facing mortality?
A Different Perspective
Human agency can influence health outcomes.
