--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One thing is certain: the riddle of mind…" description: "\"One thing is certain: the riddle of mind, long a topic for philosophers, has taken on new urgency. Under pressure from the computer, the question of mi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/sherry-turkle-2764_becoming_one-thing-is-certain-the-riddle-of-mind_1537218.jpg" --- # One thing is certain: the riddle of mind, long a topic for… ![“One thing is certain: the riddle of mind, long a topic for philosophers, has taken on new urgency. Under pressure from the computer, the question of mind in relation to machine is becoming a central cultural preoccupation. It is becoming for us what sex was to the Victorians--threat and obsession…” quote by Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/sherry-turkle-2764_becoming_one-thing-is-certain-the-riddle-of-mind_1537218.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/sherry-turkle-2764_becoming_one-thing-is-certain-the-riddle-of-mind_1537218.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/sherry-turkle-2764_becoming_one-thing-is-certain-the-riddle-of-mind_1537218.jpg) > “One thing is certain: the riddle of mind, long a topic for philosophers, has taken on new urgency. Under pressure from the computer, the question of mind in relation to machine is becoming a central cultural preoccupation. It is becoming for us what sex was to the Victorians--threat and obsession, taboo and fascination.” [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The urgency of understanding mind‑machine relations grows as technology pressures us, similar to how Victorian society obsessed over sex. **In simple terms:** Mind‑machine issues become a cultural obsession. Key Takeaway Recognize and discuss AI’s impact on humanity. Themes technology philosophy culture ethics Mood concerned curious Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - education - policy making - media analysis - personal reflection Key Concepts AI consciousness human identity societal anxiety Questions to Reflect On - How does AI change our view of consciousness? - What responsibilities do we have toward machine minds? A Different Perspective Technology can outpace ethical frameworks, leading to fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Becoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Fascination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascination/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Obsession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsession/) [Obsession Taboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsession-taboo-5716784/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Preoccupation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preoccupation/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Question Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-mind-265570/) [Relation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relation/) [Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riddle/) [Riddle Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riddle-mind-4915532/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Sex Victorians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex-victorians-5716785/) [Taboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taboo/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) [Threat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/threat/) [Topics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/topics/) [Under pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/under-pressure/) [Urgency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urgency/) ## Related quotes > [“I believe that in our culture of simulation, the notion of authenticity is for us what sex was for the Victorians—threat and obsession, taboo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/i-believe-that-in-our-culture-of-simulation-the-notion-of/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [“As long you live it will be an unsolved riddle in your mind”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/as-long-you-live-it-will-be-an-unsolved-riddle-in-your-mind/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [If behind popular fascination with Freudian theory there was a nervous, often guilty preoccupation with the self as sexual, behind increasing interest in computational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/if-behind-popular-fascination-with-freudian-theory-there-was-a/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [Ours has been called a culture of narcissism. 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It paves the way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-joseph-schwartz/keep-this-question-in-mind-what-would-i-think-of-this-if-i-exchanged/) [David Joseph Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-joseph-schwartz/) > [“I found if I go to bed with a question on my mind, all I have to do is concentrate on the question before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/i-found-if-i-go-to-bed-with-a-question-on-my-mind-all-i-have-to-do-is/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“and yet still the question was there, and my mind went to it like a tongue probing the tender spot of a loose tooth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-kruass/and-yet-still-the-question-was-there-and-my-mind-went-to-it-like-a/) [Nicole Kruass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-kruass/) > [“Your question.” “Never mind.” “I’ll tell you.” He shook his head. “Not necessary.” “It is you. It’s true, I haven’t wanted it to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-rutkoski/your-question-never-mind-i-ll-tell-you-he-shook-his-head-not/) [Marie Rutkoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-rutkoski/) > [“Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/age-is-a-question-of-mind-over-matter-if-you-don-t-mind-it-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A joke is a question of mind over manner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marais/a-joke-is-a-question-of-mind-over-manner/) [Anthony Marais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marais/) > [I always knew that I was going to be a writer. There was no question in my mind about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-michael-straczynski/i-always-knew-that-i-was-going-to-be-a-writer-there-was-no-question/) [J. Michael Straczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-michael-straczynski/) > [“There's no question in my mind that we cannot be the best in our field if we're sloppy at anything we do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-green/there-s-no-question-in-my-mind-that-we-cannot-be-the-best-in-our/) [David Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-green/) > [It's a great question about what is our mind. Undoubtedly a creation of our brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerzy-vetulani/it-s-a-great-question-about-what-is-our-mind-undoubtedly-a-creation/) [Jerzy Vetulani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerzy-vetulani/) > [Why so serious? Has always been a question on his mind, why not yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-so-serious-has-always-been-a-question-on-his-mind-why-not-yours/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The moment it begins to question itself, the mind becomes so clear that it starts working with itself rather than with the body's identification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/the-moment-it-begins-to-question-itself-the-mind-becomes-so-clear/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) ## More by Sherry Turkle > [“From watching children play with objects designed as “amusements,” we come to a new place, a place of cold comforts. Child and adult, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/from-watching-children-play-with-objects-designed-as-amusements-we/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [“I said that we use digital “passbacks” to placate young children who say they are bored. 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Tamagotchis do not wait passively but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/in-the-classic-children-s-story-the-velveteen-rabbit-a-stuffed-animal/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [Human relationships are rich and they're messy and they're demanding. And we clean them up with technology. Texting, email, posting, all of these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/human-relationships-are-rich-and-they-re-messy-and-they-re-demanding/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [“But at the same time, there is pressure to use technology in classroom in ways that make conversation nearly impossible. Interestingly, this technology is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/but-at-the-same-time-there-is-pressure-to-use-technology-in-classroom/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [I have to fight the impulse to use my phone as an alarm clock rather than leaving it in another room. If I don't,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/i-have-to-fight-the-impulse-to-use-my-phone-as-an-alarm-clock-rather/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [It all stems from the same thing - which is that when we are face to face - and this is what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/it-all-stems-from-the-same-thing-which-is-that-when-we-are-face-to/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [“The new technologies allow us to “dial down” human contact, to titrate its nature and extent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/the-new-technologies-allow-us-to-dial-down-human-contact-to-titrate/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [We think constant connection will make us feel less lonely. 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This is a good thing because it challenges us to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/the-selfie-like-all-technology-causes-us-to-reflect-on-our-human/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) > [Technology doesn't just do things for us. It does things to us, changing not just what we do but who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-turkle/technology-doesn-t-just-do-things-for-us-it-does-things-to-us/) [Sherry Turkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) [Explore all 151 Sherry Turkle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-turkle/) ## More Becoming quotes > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [The path I choose through the maze makes me what I am. I am not only a thing, but also a way of being--one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/the-path-i-choose-through-the-maze-makes-me-what-i-am-i-am-not-only-a/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. 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