Astronomy Quote by Stephen Greenblatt
““Instead, he wrote, quoting Lucretius, there were multiple worlds, where the seeds of things, in their infinite numbers, would certainly combine to form other races of men, other creatures. Each of the fixed stars observed in the sky is a sun, scattered through limitless space. Many of these are accompanied by satellites that revolve around them as the earth revolves around our sun. The universe is not all about us, about our behavior and our destiny; we are only a tiny piece of something inconceivably larger. And that should not make us shrink in fear. Rather, we should embrace the world in wonder and gratitude and awe.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The World as a Vast Cosmos, 2020
The passage celebrates the immense scale of the universe, urging humility and awe rather than fear, emphasizing humanity’s tiny place within it.
In simple terms: The universe is huge; we are small but should feel wonder, not fear.
Key Takeaway
Embrace cosmic perspective with gratitude and awe.
Themes
cosmos
humility
wonder
Mood
inspired
humble
Type
essay
inspirational
When to use this quote
- stargazing
- education
- spiritual contemplation
- science outreach
Key Concepts
astronomy
philosophy
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recognizing our smallness change our priorities?
- What role does awe play in motivating scientific inquiry?
![“[The writers of the holy books] did not even know the earth revolves around the sun. Why are we listening?” quote by Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ee0/lawrence-m-krauss-2566_book_the-writers-of-the-holy-books-did-not-ev_1587202.jpg)
