--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The lowest common denominator of the…" description: "\"The lowest common denominator of the universe is both low and common.\" — R. A. Lafferty" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/r-a-lafferty-2-29805_common_the-lowest-common-denominator-of-the-uni_1030087.jpg" --- # The lowest common denominator of the universe is both low… ![“The lowest common denominator of the universe is both low and common.” quote by R. A. Lafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/r-a-lafferty-2-29805_common_the-lowest-common-denominator-of-the-uni_1030087.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/r-a-lafferty-2-29805_common_the-lowest-common-denominator-of-the-uni_1030087.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/r-a-lafferty-2-29805_common_the-lowest-common-denominator-of-the-uni_1030087.jpg) > “The lowest common denominator of the universe is both low and common.” [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. The universe’s most fundamental element is both simple and ubiquitous, implying profound simplicity underlying complexity. **In simple terms:** Fundamental element is simple and common. Key Takeaway Seek simplicity at the core of complex systems. Themes cosmology philosophy simplicity Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - physics research - philosophical debate - education curriculum - technology design - spiritual practice Key Concepts Fundamental constants ontological minimalism universal patterns Questions to Reflect On - What simple principle underlies a complex problem you face? - How does recognizing commonality affect your worldview? A Different Perspective Simplicity may overlook hidden intricacies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common denominator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-denominator/) [Lowest common denominator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lowest-common-denominator/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [“The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30-second sound bites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-dumbing-down-of-america-is-most-evident-in-the-slow-decay-of/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I don't connect accessibility with lowest common denominator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-piccinini/i-don-t-connect-accessibility-with-lowest-common-denominator/) [Patricia Piccinini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-piccinini/) > [I don't believe in lowest common denominators. Our focus has been on delivering value. We're rarely going to be the cheapest theater in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-lopez/i-don-t-believe-in-lowest-common-denominators-our-focus-has-been-on/) [Gerry Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-lopez/) > [A lot of films seem to go to the lowest common denominator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/a-lot-of-films-seem-to-go-to-the-lowest-common-denominator/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [“It is the lowest common denominator that occurs when one loses all hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-vickers/it-is-the-lowest-common-denominator-that-occurs-when-one-loses-all/) [Lee Vickers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-vickers/) > [What happens in the Senate is the Republicans sink to the lowest common denominator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/what-happens-in-the-senate-is-the-republicans-sink-to-the-lowest/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [We know where the television is - everything has to be a sound bite; everything has to be an image; ideas are okay as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/we-know-where-the-television-is-everything-has-to-be-a-sound-bite/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [We have a lowest-common-denominator Christianity being taught in so many denominations that has produced a people who simply do not know some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-mohler/we-have-a-lowest-common-denominator-christianity-being-taught-in-so/) [Albert Mohler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-mohler/) > [It must not be true when the left tell us what they really want is to help and assist and elevate the little guy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-must-not-be-true-when-the-left-tell-us-what-they-really-want-is-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Something economically changed. 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There's no reason why you have to dress to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gunn/i-want-to-say-to-anyone-who-works-in-a-drone-workplace-raise-the-bar/) [Tim Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gunn/) ## 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. 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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 Common quotes > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Our times demand the declaration of the world's resources as the common heritage of all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/our-times-demand-the-declaration-of-the-world-s-resources-as-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) Browse all 7,866 Common quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The lowest common denominator of the universe is both low and common.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R. 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