Creation Quote by Robert Farrar Capon
“The world exists, not for what it means but for what it is. The purpose of mushrooms is to be mushrooms, wine is in order to be wine: things are precious before they are contributory. It is a false piety that walks through creation looking only for lessons which can be applied somewhere else. To be sure, God remains the greatest good; but, for all that, the world is still good in itself. Indeed, since He does not need it, its whole reason for being must lie in its own natural goodness; He has no use for it, only delight.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Goodness of Creation, 1995
The world’s intrinsic value lies in its existence, not merely in utility; it is good for its own sake, independent of divine purpose.
In simple terms: The world is valuable simply because it exists.
Key Takeaway
Appreciate existence without needing a purpose.
Themes
intrinsic value
creation
theology
Mood
contemplative
reverent
Type
philosophical
spiritual
When to use this quote
- environmental appreciation
- spiritual contemplation
- ethical discussions
Key Concepts
ontological goodness
philosophical naturalism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does it mean to value something for its own sake?
- How does this view change your relationship with nature?
A Different Perspective
Assuming all view the world as purposeful can ignore those who find meaning elsewhere.
![“Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this [step by step, from humans to apes to monkeys to lemurs] - leading us insensibly from the crown and summit of the animal creation down to creatures, from which there is but a step, as it seems, to the…” quote by Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0b/thomas-huxley-1183_animal_perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us_3051.jpg)
