--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then we shall... be able to take part in…" description: "\"Then we shall... be able to take part in the discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, it ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/stephen-hawking-389_able_then-we-shall-be-able-to-take-part-in-th_864029.jpg" --- # Then we shall... be able to take part in the discussion of… ![“Then we shall... be able to take part in the discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason - for then we would know the mind of God.” quote by Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/stephen-hawking-389_able_then-we-shall-be-able-to-take-part-in-th_864029.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/stephen-hawking-389_able_then-we-shall-be-able-to-take-part-in-th_864029.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/169/stephen-hawking-389_able_then-we-shall-be-able-to-take-part-in-th_864029.jpg) > “Then we shall... be able to take part in the discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason - for then we would know the mind of God.” [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding the universe's existence would reveal divine intellect, marking humanity’s ultimate intellectual victory. **In simple terms:** Knowing why we exist reveals God's mind. Key Takeaway Seek knowledge of existence. Themes science philosophy theology Mood inquisitive hopeful Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - academic research - public talks - personal contemplation Key Concepts Cosmology epistemology Questions to Reflect On - What would such knowledge change? - Is divine mind compatible with scientific method? A Different Perspective Existence may remain unknowable despite effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Discussion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discussion/) [Exist Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist-answer-882838/) [God and science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-and-science/) [Human reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-reason/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [If there is a god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/if-there-is-a-god/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-god/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Question Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-universe-247069/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Science god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-god/) [Triumph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/triumph/) [Ultimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Universe Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe-exist-882839/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [“... if we do discover a complete theory, it should in time be understandable in broad principle by everyone, not just a few scientists.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/if-we-do-discover-a-complete-theory-it-should-in-time-be/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. 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It seems as though somebody has fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/there-is-for-me-powerful-evidence-that-there-is-something-going-on/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [For good people to do evil things, it takes religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/for-good-people-to-do-evil-things-it-takes-religion/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) > [When I began my career as a cosmologist some twenty years ago, I was a convinced atheist. I never in my wildest dreams imagined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-j-tipler/when-i-began-my-career-as-a-cosmologist-some-twenty-years-ago-i-was-a/) [Frank J. 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Is it possible that suddenly, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-greenstein/as-we-survey-all-the-evidence-the-thought-insistently-arises-that/) [George Greenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-greenstein/) ## More by Stephen Hawking > [The doctor who diagnosed me with ALS, or motor neuron disease, told me that it would kill me in two or three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-doctor-who-diagnosed-me-with-als-or-motor-neuron-disease-told-me/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [We are the product of quantum fluctuations in the very early universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-are-the-product-of-quantum-fluctuations-in-the-very-early-universe/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The human race does not have a very good record of intelligent behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-human-race-does-not-have-a-very-good-record-of-intelligent/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“We have finally found something that doesn’t have a cause, because there was no time for a cause to exist in. For me this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-have-finally-found-something-that-doesn-t-have-a-cause-because/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [ \[On President Bush's plan to get to Mars in 10 years\] Stupid. Robots would do a better job and be much cheaper because you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/on-president-bush-s-plan-to-get-to-mars-in-10-years-stupid-robots/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I believe the simplest explanation is, there is no God. No one created the universe and no one directs our fate. 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Science will win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/there-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-religion-which-is-based-on/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“In the eighteenth century, philosophers considered the whole of human knowledge, including science, to be their field and discussed questions such as: Did the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/in-the-eighteenth-century-philosophers-considered-the-whole-of-human/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [A model is a good model if first it interprets a wide range of observations in terms of a simple and elegant model, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/a-model-is-a-good-model-if-first-it-interprets-a-wide-range-of/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“Empedocles noticed that if you cover the neck before you immerse it, a clepsydra does not fill. He reasoned that something invisible must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/empedocles-noticed-that-if-you-cover-the-neck-before-you-immerse-it-a/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The human race shouldn't have all its eggs in one basket, or on one planet. 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If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. 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