--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some people take the view that the…" description: "\"Some people take the view that the universe is simply there, and it runs along - it's a bit as though it just sort of computes, and we happen by accide..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/roger-penrose-10729_accident_some-people-take-the-view-that-the-unive_948603.jpg" --- # Some people take the view that the universe is simply… ![“Some people take the view that the universe is simply there, and it runs along - it's a bit as though it just sort of computes, and we happen by accident to find ourselves in this thing. I don't think that's a very fruitful or helpful way of looking at the universe.” quote by Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/roger-penrose-10729_accident_some-people-take-the-view-that-the-unive_948603.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/roger-penrose-10729_accident_some-people-take-the-view-that-the-unive_948603.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/roger-penrose-10729_accident_some-people-take-the-view-that-the-unive_948603.jpg) > “Some people take the view that the universe is simply there, and it runs along - it's a bit as though it just sort of computes, and we happen by accident to find ourselves in this thing. I don't think that's a very fruitful or helpful way of looking at the universe.” [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) ## 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 is not a mindless computation; viewing it merely as random chance limits understanding and progress. **In simple terms:** The cosmos is purposeful, not just random. Key Takeaway Seek deeper, purposeful explanations. Themes cosmology philosophy science Mood curious thoughtful Type scientific philosophical When to use this quote - research - education - public outreach - philosophical debate Key Concepts determinism anthropic principle complexity Questions to Reflect On - What evidence suggests purpose in the cosmos? - How does this view affect scientific inquiry? A Different Perspective Randomness alone cannot explain fine-tuned laws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accident/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [There is a certain sense in which I would say the universe has a purpose. It's not there just somehow by chance. Some people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/there-is-a-certain-sense-in-which-i-would-say-the-universe-has-a-2/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [Some people take the view that we happen by accident. I think that there is something much deeper, of which we have very little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/some-people-take-the-view-that-we-happen-by-accident-i-think-that/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [You can learn a lot from people who view the world differently than you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-j-d-angelo/you-can-learn-a-lot-from-people-who-view-the-world-differently-than/) [Anthony J. D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-j-d-angelo/) > [Any astrophysicist does not feel small looking up at the universe; we feel large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/any-astrophysicist-does-not-feel-small-looking-up-at-the-universe-we/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“A King and Queen cannot support a crown with eyes looking down. Their universe expands as far as you can see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/a-king-and-queen-cannot-support-a-crown-with-eyes-looking-down-their/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [Try another way of looking. Try you looking and the whole universe seeing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/try-another-way-of-looking-try-you-looking-and-the-whole-universe/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Science and religion are, of course, two different ways of looking at the universe; and it's the same universe with two different windows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/science-and-religion-are-of-course-two-different-ways-of-looking-at/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [Things are as they are. Looking out into it the universe at night, we make no comparisons between right and wrong stars, nor between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/things-are-as-they-are-looking-out-into-it-the-universe-at-night-we/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [There are two different ways of looking at the universe; and it's the same universe with two different windows. The science window gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freeman-dyson/there-are-two-different-ways-of-looking-at-the-universe-and-it-s-the/) [Freeman Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freeman-dyson/) > [“The level of matter in the universe has been constant since the Big Bang. In all the aeons we have lost nothing, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/the-level-of-matter-in-the-universe-has-been-constant-since-the-big/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [Meditate, Visualize and Create your own reality and the universe will simply reflect back to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-ray/meditate-visualize-and-create-your-own-reality-and-the-universe-will/) [Amit Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-ray/) > [“Physicists and cosmologists have long questioned whether a state of perfect symmetry ever existed in the past, we just haven't ever considered it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gevin-giorbran/physicists-and-cosmologists-have-long-questioned-whether-a-state-of/) [Gevin Giorbran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gevin-giorbran/) > [In answer to the question of why it happened, I offer the modest proposal that our Universe is simply one of those things which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-answer-to-the-question-of-why-it-happened-i-offer-the-modest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Abundance, like everything else in the universe, is simply a specific arrangement of energy and information. With our intention, we can change the energy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/abundance-like-everything-else-in-the-universe-is-simply-a-specific/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“The universe is not punishing you or blessing you. The universe is simply responding to the vibrational attitude that you are emitting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-hicks/the-universe-is-not-punishing-you-or-blessing-you-the-universe-is/) [Abraham Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-hicks/) ## More by Roger Penrose > [Ordinary photons do have spin, they have a notion of helicity so they spin around their direction on motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/ordinary-photons-do-have-spin-they-have-a-notion-of-helicity-so-they/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [My father himself was a human geneticist who was recognized for demonstrating that older mothers tend to get more Down syndrome children, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/my-father-himself-was-a-human-geneticist-who-was-recognized-for/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [A computational device is incapable of developing a mind. We got consciousness not just by being clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/a-computational-device-is-incapable-of-developing-a-mind-we-got/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [It is hard to see how one could begin to develop a quantum-theoretical description of brain action when one might well have to regard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/it-is-hard-to-see-how-one-could-begin-to-develop-a-quantum/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [It may well be there is something else going on in the brain that we don't have an inkling of at the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/it-may-well-be-there-is-something-else-going-on-in-the-brain-that-we/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [As for morality, well that's all tied up with the question of consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/as-for-morality-well-that-s-all-tied-up-with-the-question-of/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [The basic theory in twistor theory is not to add extra dimensions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/the-basic-theory-in-twistor-theory-is-not-to-add-extra-dimensions/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [I used to make polyhedra with my father. There were no clear lines between games and toys for children and his professional work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/i-used-to-make-polyhedra-with-my-father-there-were-no-clear-lines/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [In the book, I make the point that here we have string theory and here we have twistor theory and we don't know if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/in-the-book-i-make-the-point-that-here-we-have-string-theory-and-here/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [Some people take the view that we happen by accident. I think that there is something much deeper, of which we have very little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/some-people-take-the-view-that-we-happen-by-accident-i-think-that/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [I'm pretty tenacious when it comes to problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/i-m-pretty-tenacious-when-it-comes-to-problems/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [My older brother is a distinguished theoretical physicist, a fellow of the Royal Society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/my-older-brother-is-a-distinguished-theoretical-physicist-a-fellow-of/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [If you didn't have any conscious beings in the world, there really wouldn't be morality but with consciousness that you have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/if-you-didn-t-have-any-conscious-beings-in-the-world-there-really/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [I believe there is something going on in a conscious being, which includes many animals, as well as ourselves, that is not a computational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/i-believe-there-is-something-going-on-in-a-conscious-being-which/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) > [What right do we have to claim, as some might, that human beings are the only inhabitants of our planet blessed with an actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-penrose/what-right-do-we-have-to-claim-as-some-might-that-human-beings-are/) [Roger Penrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) [Explore all 63 Roger Penrose quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-penrose/) ## More Accident quotes > [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [“The accident in your rearview mirror already happened. The one in front of you is still preventable. Pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/the-accident-in-your-rearview-mirror-already-happened-the-one-in/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [People dont get married by accident and they dont get divorced by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hayes/people-dont-get-married-by-accident-and-they-dont-get-divorced-by/) [Darren Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hayes/) > [My father had Parkinson's, though he actually died following a bicycle accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/my-father-had-parkinson-s-though-he-actually-died-following-a-bicycle/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [A tragic car accident put me in a wheelchair and dashed my hopes and dreams for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-cawthorn/a-tragic-car-accident-put-me-in-a-wheelchair-and-dashed-my-hopes-and/) [Madison Cawthorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawthorn/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [The spirit in the body is like wine in a glass; when it spills, it seeps into air and earth and light….It’s a mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-michaels/the-spirit-in-the-body-is-like-wine-in-a-glass-when-it-spills-it/) [Anne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-michaels/) > [accident ruled every corner of the universe except the chambers of the human heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/accident-ruled-every-corner-of-the-universe-except-the-chambers-of/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [There is a French expression that says: to be exposed to an accident, to cross a street without looking at the cars means exposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-is-a-french-expression-that-says-to-be-exposed-to-an-accident/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [It's no accident that most self-help groups use 'anonymous' in their names; to Americans, the first step toward redemption is a ritual wiping out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/it-s-no-accident-that-most-self-help-groups-use-anonymous-in-their/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [High birth is an accident, not a virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/high-birth-is-an-accident-not-a-virtue/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [“I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed reading accident. I hit a book mark and flew across the room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-just-got-out-of-the-hospital-i-was-in-a-speed-reading-accident-i/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [However, I met with a horrible accident while riding my bike in Sangla Valley. The accident was a wakeup call for me stop getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-shukla/however-i-met-with-a-horrible-accident-while-riding-my-bike-in-sangla/) [Abhinav Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-shukla/) > [“Because the core of my personal philosophy is that everything that happens to us benefits us, I was also spared the futility of cursing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-the-core-of-my-personal-philosophy-is-that-everything-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 922 Accident quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accident/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some people take the view that the universe is simply there, and it runs along - it's a bit as though it just sort of computes, and we happen by accident to find ourselves in this thing. 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