Atoms Quote by Richard Dawkins
“Our brains have evolved to help us survive within the orders of magnitude of size and speed which our bodies operate at. We never evolved to navigate in the world of atoms.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Selfish Gene, 1976
Human cognition evolved for macroscopic survival, not for understanding microscopic or quantum realms.
In simple terms: Our brains handle big‑scale survival, not tiny physics.
Key Takeaway
Use tools and collaboration to grasp complex scientific concepts.
Themes
science
cognition
evolution
Mood
inquisitive
thoughtful
Type
educational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- education
- research
- technology development
Key Concepts
neuroscience
philosophy of science
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we bridge intuitive gaps in science?
- What role do models play in understanding the unseen?
A Different Perspective
Relying solely on intuition limits scientific progress.
![“[Decoding the human genome sequence] is the most significant undertaking that we have mounted so far in an organized way in all of science. I believe that reading our blueprints, cataloguing our own instruction book, will be judged by history as more significant than even splitting the atom or…” quote by Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5c6/francis-collins-5281_atoms_decoding-the-human-genome-sequence-is-th_15604.jpg)
