--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An excess of science will leave none of…" description: "\"An excess of science will leave none of us alive.\" — R. A. Lafferty" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/r-a-lafferty-2-29805_alive_an-excess-of-science-will-leave-none-of_1307725.jpg" --- # An excess of science will leave none of us alive. ![“An excess of science will leave none of us alive.” quote by R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/r-a-lafferty-2-29805_alive_an-excess-of-science-will-leave-none-of_1307725.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/r-a-lafferty-2-29805_alive_an-excess-of-science-will-leave-none-of_1307725.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/567/r-a-lafferty-2-29805_alive_an-excess-of-science-will-leave-none-of_1307725.jpg) > “An excess of science will leave none of us alive.” [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unrestrained scientific advancement may threaten humanity's survival if ethical limits are ignored. **In simple terms:** Too much science can kill us. Key Takeaway Balance innovation with caution. Themes science ethics survival Mood cautious philosophical Type ethical speculative When to use this quote - research labs - policy debates - environmental planning - education curricula Key Concepts technological progress risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards are needed for new tech? - How do we weigh benefits vs. dangers? A Different Perspective Innovation can be constrained by fear of risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Excess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excess/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [Science should leave off making pronouncements: the river of knowledge has too often turned back on itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jeans/science-should-leave-off-making-pronouncements-the-river-of-knowledge/) [James Jeans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jeans/) > [You dont know how hard it was for me to take you and leave them alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/you-dont-know-how-hard-it-was-for-me-to-take-you-and-leave-them-alive/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Let's leave one alive so that it can be lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/let-s-leave-one-alive-so-that-it-can-be-lonely/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [It was very hard you cant imagine how hard for me to simply take you away, and leave them alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-cullen/it-was-very-hard-you-cant-imagine-how-hard-for-me-to-simply-take-you/) [Edward Cullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-cullen/) > [“The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got esprit up to here. Right now, he is preparing to carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/the-deliverator-belongs-to-an-elite-order-a-hallowed-subcategory-he-s/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/all-excess-is-ill-but-drunkenness-is-of-the-worst-sort-it-spoils/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [I believe that government should confine itself to the public realm and that it should be as stripped down as possible, within reason. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/i-believe-that-government-should-confine-itself-to-the-public-realm/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [Most of us try to do too much because we are secretly afraid we will not be able to do anything at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-aster/most-of-us-try-to-do-too-much-because-we-are-secretly-afraid-we-will/) Rick Aster > [Enjoy the necessities of life but eschew the excesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gardner/enjoy-the-necessities-of-life-but-eschew-the-excesses/) [Ian Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gardner/) > [This isn't a picture filled with wonder and a sense of fun; it's so jaded and crass that I almost wonder if it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-zacharek/this-isn-t-a-picture-filled-with-wonder-and-a-sense-of-fun-it-s-so/) [Stephanie Zacharek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-zacharek/) > [A too closely watched flower/blossoms the wrong color./Excess attention to the jonquil/turns it gentian. Flowers/need it tranquil to get/their hues right. Some/only open at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/a-too-closely-watched-flower-blossoms-the-wrong-color-excess/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [Christianity does not oppose debauchery and uncontrollable passions and the like as much as it opposes... flat mediocrity, this nauseating atmosphere, this homey, civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/christianity-does-not-oppose-debauchery-and-uncontrollable-passions/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) ## More by R. A. Lafferty > [When you have shot and killed a man you have in some measure clarified your attitude toward him. You have given a definite answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/when-you-have-shot-and-killed-a-man-you-have-in-some-measure/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [The good stories, of course, write themselves. And somebody wants to know who are the really good writers, and how many of them there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/the-good-stories-of-course-write-themselves-and-somebody-wants-to/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [True love is that we should hate whatever interferes with our vision of the high and the lowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/true-love-is-that-we-should-hate-whatever-interferes-with-our-vision/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [The lowest common denominator of the universe is both low and common.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/the-lowest-common-denominator-of-the-universe-is-both-low-and-common/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [Strangers may not lodge complaints till they have been in residence here for ninety days," the Cacique said, "and no stranger has ever remained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/strangers-may-not-lodge-complaints-till-they-have-been-in-residence/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [Death is for a long time. Those of shallow thought say that it is forever. There is, at least, a long night of it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/death-is-for-a-long-time-those-of-shallow-thought-say-that-it-is/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [The law of levity is allowed to supersede the law of gravity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/the-law-of-levity-is-allowed-to-supersede-the-law-of-gravity/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [There is a secret society of seven men that controls the finances of the world. This is known to everyone but the details are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/there-is-a-secret-society-of-seven-men-that-controls-the-finances-of/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [Learn the true topography; the monstrous and wonderful archetypes are not inside you, not inside your consciousness; you are inside them, trapped and howling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/learn-the-true-topography-the-monstrous-and-wonderful-archetypes-are/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [We must kill the Devil afresh every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/we-must-kill-the-devil-afresh-every-day/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [Every science is made up entirely of anomalies rearranged to fit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/every-science-is-made-up-entirely-of-anomalies-rearranged-to-fit/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [When we travel we find how greatly our boyhood dreams are outstripped by reality .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/when-we-travel-we-find-how-greatly-our-boyhood-dreams-are-outstripped/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [Though my short stories are the more readable, my novels do have more to say; and they will, if anyone has the patience for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/though-my-short-stories-are-the-more-readable-my-novels-do-have-more/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [Do not be deceived by the way men of bad faith misuse words and names … Things are set up as contraries that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/do-not-be-deceived-by-the-way-men-of-bad-faith-misuse-words-and-names/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) > [The best time to write a story is yesterday. The next best time is today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-lafferty-2/the-best-time-to-write-a-story-is-yesterday-the-next-best-time-is/) [R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) [Explore all 18 R. A. Lafferty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-lafferty-2/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An excess of science will leave none of us alive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R. A. 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