--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Aquinas wondered what would happen if God…" description: "\"“Aquinas wondered what would happen if God wanted to achieve universal resurrection. In other words, bringing everybody who had ever lived back to life..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/scarlett-thomas-8232_paradox_aquinas-wondered-what-would-happen-if-go_341314.jpg" --- # Aquinas wondered what would happen if God wanted to… ![“Aquinas wondered what would happen if God wanted to achieve universal resurrection. In other words, bringing everybody who had ever lived back to life at the same time. What would happen to cannibals, and the people they ate? You couldn't bring them all back at the same time, because the cannibals…” quote by Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/scarlett-thomas-8232_paradox_aquinas-wondered-what-would-happen-if-go_341314.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/scarlett-thomas-8232_paradox_aquinas-wondered-what-would-happen-if-go_341314.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/scarlett-thomas-8232_paradox_aquinas-wondered-what-would-happen-if-go_341314.jpg) > ““Aquinas wondered what would happen if God wanted to achieve universal resurrection. In other words, bringing everybody who had ever lived back to life at the same time. What would happen to cannibals, and the people they ate? You couldn't bring them all back at the same time, because the cannibals are made of the people they have eaten. You could have one but not the other. Ha.' I looked at Rowan. 'That's a good example of a paradox.”” [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A thought experiment about universal resurrection reveals paradoxes when the resurrected include both predators and prey, highlighting logical impossibilities. **In simple terms:** Resurrecting everyone creates impossible contradictions. Key Takeaway Consider logical limits of grand ideas. Themes philosophy paradox theology Mood thoughtful curious Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - science fiction - theological debate - ethical committees Key Concepts universal resurrection identity ethical dilemmas Questions to Reflect On - What does this paradox say about limits of power? - Can any system resolve such contradictions? A Different Perspective Some may argue metaphysical solutions exist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) [Resurrection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resurrection/) ## Related quotes > [Christ is risen! There is life, therefore, after death! His resurrection is the symbol and pledge of universal resurrection!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/christ-is-risen-there-is-life-therefore-after-death-his-resurrection/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The central idea of the Eastern Fathers was that of theosis, the divinization of all creatures, the transfiguration of the world, the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/the-central-idea-of-the-eastern-fathers-was-that-of-theosis-the/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [“For him it does not go far enough to say, as it is often put, that Christ’s resurrection is the guarantee of our resurrection,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-jr-gaffin/for-him-it-does-not-go-far-enough-to-say-as-it-is-often-put-that/) [Richard B. Jr. Gaffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-jr-gaffin/) > [When love becomes what Christianity is all about, we can make no sense of Jesus's death and resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/when-love-becomes-what-christianity-is-all-about-we-can-make-no-sense/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [ Perhaps \[the critics are right and\] the drama is played out now and Jesus is safely dead and buried. Perhaps. It is ironical and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/perhaps-the-critics-are-right-and-the-drama-is-played-out-now-and/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-m-morris/the-bodily-resurrection-of-jesus-christ-from-the-dead-is-the-crowning/) [Henry M. Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-m-morris/) > [It cannot take decades to resurrect, we must act immediately with purpose and enthusiasm to rebuild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/it-cannot-take-decades-to-resurrect-we-must-act-immediately-with/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Sometimes I think the resurrection of the body, unless much improved in construction, a mistake!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/sometimes-i-think-the-resurrection-of-the-body-unless-much-improved/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [Until Jesus comes, his resurrection glory in the church is a matter of strength made perfect in suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/until-jesus-comes-his-resurrection-glory-in-the-church-is-a-matter-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/jesus-said-unto-her-i-am-the-resurrection-and-the-life-he-that/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [Even though we must walk in the land of fear, there is no need to fear. The power of His resurrection comes before the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/even-though-we-must-walk-in-the-land-of-fear-there-is-no-need-to-fear/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [“This means that the church, the followers of Jesus Christ, live in the bright interval between Easter and the final great consummation. Let's make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/this-means-that-the-church-the-followers-of-jesus-christ-live-in-the/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) ## More by Scarlett Thomas > [“Someone who has the delusion Glass, is made of, does not literally believe herself to be made of glass but rather feels fragile and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/someone-who-has-the-delusion-glass-is-made-of-does-not-literally/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [“Child, all books are magic. Just think,' he said, 'about what books make people do. People go to war on the basis of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/child-all-books-are-magic-just-think-he-said-about-what-books-make/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [Living for ever would be like marrying yourself, with no possibility of a divorce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/living-for-ever-would-be-like-marrying-yourself-with-no-possibility/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [But I quite like the way you can talk about science without necessarily using mathematics, but using metaphors instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/but-i-quite-like-the-way-you-can-talk-about-science-without/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [“My mind now has a celebration party and a funeral going on in the same room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/my-mind-now-has-a-celebration-party-and-a-funeral-going-on-in-the/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [You can't do science in a novel, but you can do philosophy. Or, if you're really lucky, you can manage to pose a question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/you-can-t-do-science-in-a-novel-but-you-can-do-philosophy-or-if-you/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [“Even if you did drop into someone's consciousness, you'd have all their memories and desires and hang-ups right there in front of you. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/even-if-you-did-drop-into-someone-s-consciousness-you-d-have-all/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [I erased the thought from my mind, but I couldn't undo the fact that I'd had the thought in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/i-erased-the-thought-from-my-mind-but-i-couldn-t-undo-the-fact-that-i/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [“They really do have nothing in common on paper, these people and him. But yet there are so many common reference points; even some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/they-really-do-have-nothing-in-common-on-paper-these-people-and-him/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [“There's something romantic about it, of course, in the way only other people's lives can be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/there-s-something-romantic-about-it-of-course-in-the-way-only-other/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [Routine kills creative thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/routine-kills-creative-thought/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [You tell them what a happy ending consists of, which is always individual success. You tell them that nothing irrational exists in this world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/you-tell-them-what-a-happy-ending-consists-of-which-is-always/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [I hate stereotypes and I hate cliche.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/i-hate-stereotypes-and-i-hate-cliche/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [“Not all events are stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/not-all-events-are-stories/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [“I have sometimes told people, probably wrongly, that there’s no point in writing at all if you don’t feel that there’s something you absolutely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/i-have-sometimes-told-people-probably-wrongly-that-there-s-no-point/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) [Explore all 81 Scarlett Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) ## More Paradox quotes > [“I never use paradox. The statements I make are wearisome and obvious common sense. I have even been driven to the tedium of reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/i-never-use-paradox-the-statements-i-make-are-wearisome-and-obvious/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [:)So Micayla didn't quite understand the meaning of the word paradox, so like most things I struggle to understand or make sense of I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micayla-ludick-basson/so-micayla-didn-t-quite-understand-the-meaning-of-the-word-paradox-so/) [Micayla Ludick Basson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micayla-ludick-basson/) > [When you're in a room with twenty people who've all got the True Theory of the universe, it's difficult to know what to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-wertheim/when-you-re-in-a-room-with-twenty-people-who-ve-all-got-the-true/) [Margaret Wertheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-wertheim/) > [The paradox of vengefulness is that it makes men dependent upon those who have harmed them, believing that their release from pain will come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/the-paradox-of-vengefulness-is-that-it-makes-men-dependent-upon-those/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [The locus of the modern struggle with its enemy of death is clearly the body (not mind, society, or the afterworld). The body is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-m-lock/the-locus-of-the-modern-struggle-with-its-enemy-of-death-is-clearly/) [Margaret M. Lock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-m-lock/) > [I think writing kind of burns out the flaming question. Sometimes it might feel like when you're living with certain paradoxes and they're unarticulated,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-nelson/i-think-writing-kind-of-burns-out-the-flaming-question-sometimes-it/) [Maggie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-nelson/) > [Paradox: how do we know what we have failed to see because we have no language to express it, thus we cannot know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/paradox-how-do-we-know-what-we-have-failed-to-see-because-we-have-no/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Perhapsthemost sublimeinsights oftheJewishprophets and the Christian gospel is the knowledge that since perfection is love, the apprehension of perfection is at once the means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/perhapsthemost-sublimeinsights-ofthejewishprophets-and-the-christian/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [In the hero stories, the call to go on a journey takes the form of a loss, an error, a wound, an unexplainable longing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-richo/in-the-hero-stories-the-call-to-go-on-a-journey-takes-the-form-of-a/) [David Richo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-richo/) > [The best reaction to a paradox is to invent a genuinely new and deep idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hacking/the-best-reaction-to-a-paradox-is-to-invent-a-genuinely-new-and-deep/) [Ian Hacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hacking/) > [Most marriages recognize this paradox: Passion destroys passion; we want what puts an end to wanting what we want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/most-marriages-recognize-this-paradox-passion-destroys-passion-we/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [The proposition of Mr. Ricardo, which states that a rise in the price of labour lowers the price of a large class of commodities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malthus/the-proposition-of-mr-ricardo-which-states-that-a-rise-in-the-price/) [Thomas Malthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malthus/) > [“And while we may never be able to wrap our minds around the thing itself, it is by the power of a story that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-fisher/and-while-we-may-never-be-able-to-wrap-our-minds-around-the-thing/) [Casey Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-fisher/) > [“Oh, just some crap about the essential paradox of man: How we refuse to juxtapose the absolute to the relative, and some other some-such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/oh-just-some-crap-about-the-essential-paradox-of-man-how-we-refuse-to/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) [Browse all 1,142 Paradox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Aquinas wondered what would happen if God wanted to achieve universal resurrection. In other words, bringing everybody who had ever lived back to life at the same time. What would happen to cannibals, and the people they ate? You couldn't bring them all back at the same time, because the cannibals are made of the people they have eaten. You could have one but not the other. Ha.' I looked at Rowan. 'That's a good example of a paradox.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scarlett Thomas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/aquinas-wondered-what-would-happen-if-god-wanted-to-achieve-universal/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Paradox" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/aquinas-wondered-what-would-happen-if-god-wanted-to-achieve-universal/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/scarlett-thomas-8232_paradox_aquinas-wondered-what-would-happen-if-go_341314.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/scarlett-thomas-8232_paradox_aquinas-wondered-what-would-happen-if-go_341314.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/825/scarlett-thomas-8232_paradox_aquinas-wondered-what-would-happen-if-go_341314.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Aquinas wondered what would happen if God wanted to achieve universal resurrection. In other words, bringing…” — Scarlett Thomas", "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": "Scarlett Thomas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Aquinas wondered what would happen if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/aquinas-wondered-what-would-happen-if-god-wanted-to-achieve-universal/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/aquinas-wondered-what-would-happen-if-god-wanted-to-achieve-universal/#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 } } ] } ```