--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It must be a very dour and pessimistic…" description: "\"It must be a very dour and pessimistic astronomer indeed who seriously doubts that there must be countless numbers of intelligent civilizations scatter..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ad/robert-k-g-temple-73272_arrogant_it-must-be-a-very-dour-and-pessimistic-a_1424508.jpg" --- # It must be a very dour and pessimistic astronomer indeed… ![“It must be a very dour and pessimistic astronomer indeed who seriously doubts that there must be countless numbers of intelligent civilizations scattered throughout the universe on other planets which are orbiting around other stars. An attitude which asserts that man is the only intelligent life…” quote by Robert K. G. Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ad/robert-k-g-temple-73272_arrogant_it-must-be-a-very-dour-and-pessimistic-a_1424508.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ad/robert-k-g-temple-73272_arrogant_it-must-be-a-very-dour-and-pessimistic-a_1424508.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ad/robert-k-g-temple-73272_arrogant_it-must-be-a-very-dour-and-pessimistic-a_1424508.jpg) > “It must be a very dour and pessimistic astronomer indeed who seriously doubts that there must be countless numbers of intelligent civilizations scattered throughout the universe on other planets which are orbiting around other stars. An attitude which asserts that man is the only intelligent life form in the universe is intolerably arrogant today ... anyone who holds such an opinion today is, fortunately for those who like to see some progress in human conceptions, something of an intellectual freak equivalent to a believer in the Flat Earth Theory.” Robert K. G. Temple ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that believing humanity is the sole intelligent species is arrogant and dismisses the vast likelihood of extraterrestrial life. **In simple terms:** Thinking we’re alone is arrogant and ignores likely alien life. Key Takeaway Embrace humility about our place in the cosmos. Themes humility science anthropocentrism exploration skepticism Mood thoughtful critical inquisitive Type philosophical scientific skeptical When to use this quote - academic debate - public policy - science education - media commentary Key Concepts astrobiology probability cognitive bias Fermi paradox Questions to Reflect On - What evidence would change your view on extraterrestrial life? - How does anthropocentrism affect scientific progress? A Different Perspective The argument may underestimate unknown constraints on life’s emergence elsewhere. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrogant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) [Astronomers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomers/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Believer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believer/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Conception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conception/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Flat Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flat-earth/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Intelligent life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent-life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Pessimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimistic/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [“If no one ever deviated from currently accepted mainstream Science - we would still have the Flat Earth Society!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-nash-stoddard/if-no-one-ever-deviated-from-currently-accepted-mainstream-science-we/) Mary Nash Stoddard > [I want you to understand, when I do these interviews, I say a lot of goofy things because that's what people expect me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-hughes/i-want-you-to-understand-when-i-do-these-interviews-i-say-a-lot-of/) [Mike Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-hughes/) > [The death of God represents not only the realization that gods have never existed, but the contention that such a belief is no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-gass/the-death-of-god-represents-not-only-the-realization-that-gods-have/) [William H. Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-gass/) > [The significance of Columbus's discovery was that on a round earth, humanity is more interconnected than on a flat one. On a round earth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/the-significance-of-columbus-s-discovery-was-that-on-a-round-earth/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [This flat Earth has nothing to do with the steam rocket launches, it never did, it never will. I'm a daredevil!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-hughes/this-flat-earth-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-steam-rocket-launches-it/) [Mike Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-hughes/) > [“…Yes, San Francisco was far from all I longed to forget. But I was weary of the flat earth, the heat of summer and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/schoenewaldt/yes-san-francisco-was-far-from-all-i-longed-to-forget-but-i-was-weary/) Schoenewaldt > [“No one can violently attack something without taking it seriously in some way. No one attacks belief in Zeus anymore. No one gets emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-edward-veith-jr/no-one-can-violently-attack-something-without-taking-it-seriously-in/) [Gene Edward Veith Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-edward-veith-jr/) > [I am pleased to be considered a 'denier' in this cause if this puts me in the class with those who defied prevailing 'scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyons/i-am-pleased-to-be-considered-a-denier-in-this-cause-if-this-puts-me/) William Lyons > [I think this fear of insanity is comparable to the fear people once had of falling off the edge of the world. Or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/i-think-this-fear-of-insanity-is-comparable-to-the-fear-people-once/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [I am the best hope to prove the Flat Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-hughes/i-am-the-best-hope-to-prove-the-flat-earth/) [Mike Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-hughes/) > [When I was first running marathons, we were sailing on a flat earth. We were afraid we'd get big legs, grow mustaches, not get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathrine-switzer/when-i-was-first-running-marathons-we-were-sailing-on-a-flat-earth-we/) [Kathrine Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathrine-switzer/) > [“Citing the WHI for Hormone Replacement Therapy standards equates with attending the Flat Earth Society Conference and listening to people try to prove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-hoag-mba/citing-the-whi-for-hormone-replacement-therapy-standards-equates-with/) [Marie Hoag MBA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-hoag-mba/) > [Anyone who would argue that this third-generatio n MDX is an SUV might as well belong to the Flat Earth Society. The 2014 Acura…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/anyone-who-would-argue-that-this-third-generatio-n-mdx-is-an-suv/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [As a Christian, a trained engineer and scientist, and a professor at Emory University, I am embarrassed by Superintendent Kathy Cox's attempt to censor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/as-a-christian-a-trained-engineer-and-scientist-and-a-professor-at/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [The existing and long-standing use of the word 'evolution' in our state's textbooks has not adversely affected Georgians' belief in the omnipotence of God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/the-existing-and-long-standing-use-of-the-word-evolution-in-our-state/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) ## More by Robert K. G. Temple > [It should not surprise us that there must be other civilizations in our galaxy and throughout the entire universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-k-g-temple/it-should-not-surprise-us-that-there-must-be-other-civilizations-in/) Robert K. G. Temple > [My basic rule is if the relative risk isn't at least 3 or 4, forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-k-g-temple/my-basic-rule-is-if-the-relative-risk-isn-t-at-least-3-or-4-forget-it/) Robert K. G. Temple > [It certainly is an embarrassing fact, then, for certain classical scholars to have to face, that the Platonic Academy continued to function in Athens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-k-g-temple/it-certainly-is-an-embarrassing-fact-then-for-certain-classical/) Robert K. G. Temple Explore all 4 Robert K. G. Temple quotes ## More Arrogant quotes > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [ \[T\]he tax code has been piling up, year after year, a symbol of everything gone wrong in America, of arrogant rulers and lost freedom,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/t-he-tax-code-has-been-piling-up-year-after-year-a-symbol-of/) [Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/) > [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [I absolutely hate arrogant people, irks me to no end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-absolutely-hate-arrogant-people-irks-me-to-no-end/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Mourinho is a bit arrogant, but you've got to like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nicol/mourinho-is-a-bit-arrogant-but-you-ve-got-to-like-him/) [Steve Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nicol/) > [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/) [Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/) > [I was spoiled and I was arrogant. I was very demanding, had an overblown image of who I was and got a reputation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judge-reinhold/i-was-spoiled-and-i-was-arrogant-i-was-very-demanding-had-an/) [Judge Reinhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judge-reinhold/) > [We are not being arrogant or complacent when we are said that our country, as a united nation, has never in its entire history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-are-not-being-arrogant-or-complacent-when-we-are-said-that-our/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [“So you intend to go through life never loving anyone? Just … things?” “No. I’m looking for something more.” “More than love?” “Yes.” “Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-ahdieh/so-you-intend-to-go-through-life-never-loving-anyone-just-things-no-i/) [Renee Ahdieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-ahdieh/) > [People are tired of wasteful government programs and welfare chiselers, and they are angry about the constant spiral of taxes and government regulations, arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/people-are-tired-of-wasteful-government-programs-and-welfare/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“He was a man. Handsome as sin, arrogant as fuck, and in need of at least one woman to prove he wasn’t God’s gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-blue/he-was-a-man-handsome-as-sin-arrogant-as-fuck-and-in-need-of-at-least/) [Melissa Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-blue/) > [Being nice to people gets you nowhere. Being arrogant gets you nowhere. Blackmail, now that's a thing that will get you everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-to-people-gets-you-nowhere-being-arrogant-gets-you-nowhere/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's amusing how arrogant people can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-amusing-how-arrogant-people-can-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,146 Arrogant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It must be a very dour and pessimistic astronomer indeed who seriously doubts that there must be countless numbers of intelligent civilizations scattered throughout the universe on other planets which are orbiting around other stars. 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