--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man is a fire-stealing animal, and we…" description: "\"Man is a fire-stealing animal, and we can't help building machines and machine intelligences, even if, from time to time, we use them not only to outsm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/richard-dooling-26136_animal_man-is-a-fire-stealing-animal-and-we-can_883489.png" --- # Man is a fire-stealing animal, and we can't help building… ![“Man is a fire-stealing animal, and we can't help building machines and machine intelligences, even if, from time to time, we use them not only to outsmart ourselves but to bring us right up to the doorstep of Doom.” quote by Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/richard-dooling-26136_animal_man-is-a-fire-stealing-animal-and-we-can_883489.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/richard-dooling-26136_animal_man-is-a-fire-stealing-animal-and-we-can_883489.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/richard-dooling-26136_animal_man-is-a-fire-stealing-animal-and-we-can_883489.png) > “Man is a fire-stealing animal, and we can't help building machines and machine intelligences, even if, from time to time, we use them not only to outsmart ourselves but to bring us right up to the doorstep of Doom.” [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human curiosity drives creation of machines, even when they risk leading to catastrophe. **In simple terms:** We build AI despite dangers. Key Takeaway Balance innovation with caution. Themes technology ethics human nature risk Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - business strategy - policy making - personal reflection Key Concepts AI development existential risk human ambition Questions to Reflect On - How do we ensure AI serves humanity? - What limits should be set on AI creation? A Different Perspective Progress can outpace ethical safeguards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Building Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building-machines-1076394/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Doom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doom/) [Doorstep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doorstep/) [Fate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fate/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Machine Intelligences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machine-intelligences-1076393/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Man Stealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-stealing-736550/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Stealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stealing/) [Stealing Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stealing-animal-1076392/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [Never made it as a wise man. I couldn't cut it as a poor man stealing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nickelback/never-made-it-as-a-wise-man-i-couldn-t-cut-it-as-a-poor-man-stealing/) [Nickelback](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nickelback/) > [Only a couple of companies in the world have the experience of building these machines, although the market need, if RFID did take off,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-marsh/only-a-couple-of-companies-in-the-world-have-the-experience-of/) [Mike Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-marsh/) > [“No matter what work you do, at a high level you are simply setting goals and building machines to help you achieve them. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/no-matter-what-work-you-do-at-a-high-level-you-are-simply-setting-2/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“No matter what work you do, at a high level you are simply setting goals and building machines to help you achieve them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/no-matter-what-work-you-do-at-a-high-level-you-are-simply-setting/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [Then one day I realized that a false picture of the German camps had been created and that the problem of the concentration camps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rassinier/then-one-day-i-realized-that-a-false-picture-of-the-german-camps-had/) [Paul Rassinier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rassinier/) > [In a war you have to take up arms and people will get killed, and I can support that kind of action by petrol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-daly/in-a-war-you-have-to-take-up-arms-and-people-will-get-killed-and-i/) [Tim Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-daly/) > [The division of the spoils between the victors will also provide employment for a powerful office, whose doorsteps the greedy adventurers and jealous concession…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/the-division-of-the-spoils-between-the-victors-will-also-provide/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [If each of us would only sweep our own doorstep, the whole World would be clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/if-each-of-us-would-only-sweep-our-own-doorstep-the-whole-world-would/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [I consider myself extremely lucky to have been born and raised in London, and to have had on my doorstep this most fascinating of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-plaidy/i-consider-myself-extremely-lucky-to-have-been-born-and-raised-in/) [Jean Plaidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-plaidy/) > [The people want government that works for them at every level. They want good government that begins at their doorstep in the barangay, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/the-people-want-government-that-works-for-them-at-every-level-they/) [Gloria Macapagal Arroyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-macapagal-arroyo/) > [“You have no choice. You must leave your ego on the doorstep before you enter love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/you-have-no-choice-you-must-leave-your-ego-on-the-doorstep-before-you/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [The first time I've actually filmed in London, the locations we've all had have been real inner city, grimy urban places which has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-armstrong/the-first-time-i-ve-actually-filmed-in-london-the-locations-we-ve-all/) [Jonas Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-armstrong/) > [My mother was known as the 'bird lady' of the neighborhood. Anything injured, or any unusual creature somebody found, they would always come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/my-mother-was-known-as-the-bird-lady-of-the-neighborhood-anything/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [“If I show up on your doorstep don't worry I'm just there to party.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-d-eichenberg/if-i-show-up-on-your-doorstep-don-t-worry-i-m-just-there-to-party/) [Kenny D. Eichenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-d-eichenberg/) > [I took anything that came across my doorstep. I started getting a reputation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-stewart/i-took-anything-that-came-across-my-doorstep-i-started-getting-a/) [Lynne Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-stewart/) ## More by Richard Dooling > [The most interesting character to me is someone who is stuck in the no man's land between Belief and Unbelief, Faith and Faithlessness. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/the-most-interesting-character-to-me-is-someone-who-is-stuck-in-the/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [As the financial experts all over the world use machines to unwind Gordian knots of financial arrangements so complex that only machines can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/as-the-financial-experts-all-over-the-world-use-machines-to-unwind/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [Why can't you summon a command line and search your real-world home for 'Honda car keys,' and specify rooms in your house to search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/why-can-t-you-summon-a-command-line-and-search-your-real-world-home/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [Let's take care of mothers and infants first, and then let's see what's left over for everybody over 50. I'm over 50. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/let-s-take-care-of-mothers-and-infants-first-and-then-let-s-see-what/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [I always wanted to be a writer... 'Critical Care' was my first published work. I was 34 when it came out. I was accumulating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-writer-critical-care-was-my-first-published/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [Deep down I knew that if Hell existed, it was a real place full of ruthless, venal people, like the commodity pits at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/deep-down-i-knew-that-if-hell-existed-it-was-a-real-place-full-of/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [Making money, it seems, is all about the velocity of moving it around, so that it can exist in Hong Kong one moment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/making-money-it-seems-is-all-about-the-velocity-of-moving-it-around/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [I begin every novel with the vow that I will not write about technology, Catholicism, or Hell. As you know, I end up writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/i-begin-every-novel-with-the-vow-that-i-will-not-write-about/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [As a society, we pick words that are offensive based on what we're most afraid of. We associate sounds with some dangerous idea, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/as-a-society-we-pick-words-that-are-offensive-based-on-what-we-re/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [Criminal court is where bad people are on their best behavior. It's much more dangerous for lawyers and judges in family court, where good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/criminal-court-is-where-bad-people-are-on-their-best-behavior-it-s/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [The first thing I became interested in in terms of 'Brain Storm' was neuroscience, and that is like saying you're interested in the universe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/the-first-thing-i-became-interested-in-in-terms-of-brain-storm-was/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [At times, we forget the magnitude of the havoc we can wreak by off-loading our minds onto super-intelligent machines, that is, until they run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/at-times-we-forget-the-magnitude-of-the-havoc-we-can-wreak-by-off/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [I don't think people should be able to swear whenever they want. I just don't want the federal government making laws about swearing. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/i-don-t-think-people-should-be-able-to-swear-whenever-they-want-i/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [I'm always working. I don't really set limits. I tend to go in bursts. And in between, I'm doing my taxes, answering the phone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/i-m-always-working-i-don-t-really-set-limits-i-tend-to-go-in-bursts/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [We are still fearful, superstitious and all-too-human creatures. At times, we forget the magnitude of the havoc we can wreak by off-loading our minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/we-are-still-fearful-superstitious-and-all-too-human-creatures-at/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) [Explore all 22 Richard Dooling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man is a fire-stealing animal, and we can't help building machines and machine intelligences, even if, from time to time, we use them not only to outsmart ourselves but to bring us right up to the doorstep of Doom.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Dooling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/man-is-a-fire-stealing-animal-and-we-can-t-help-building-machines-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/man-is-a-fire-stealing-animal-and-we-can-t-help-building-machines-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/richard-dooling-26136_animal_man-is-a-fire-stealing-animal-and-we-can_883489.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/richard-dooling-26136_animal_man-is-a-fire-stealing-animal-and-we-can_883489.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/richard-dooling-26136_animal_man-is-a-fire-stealing-animal-and-we-can_883489.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man is a fire-stealing animal, and we can't help building machines and machine intelligences, even if, from…” — Richard Dooling", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard Dooling", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Man is a fire-stealing animal, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/man-is-a-fire-stealing-animal-and-we-can-t-help-building-machines-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/man-is-a-fire-stealing-animal-and-we-can-t-help-building-machines-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```