--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We believe human begins have existed for…" description: "\"We believe human begins have existed for only a small fraction of cosmic history, because human race has been improving so rapidly in knowledge and tec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/stephen-hawking-389_believe_we-believe-human-begins-have-existed-for_2882583.jpg" --- # We believe human begins have existed for only a small… ![“We believe human begins have existed for only a small fraction of cosmic history, because human race has been improving so rapidly in knowledge and technology that if people had been around for millions of years, the human race would be much further along in it's mastery.” quote by Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/stephen-hawking-389_believe_we-believe-human-begins-have-existed-for_2882583.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/stephen-hawking-389_believe_we-believe-human-begins-have-existed-for_2882583.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/stephen-hawking-389_believe_we-believe-human-begins-have-existed-for_2882583.jpg) > “We believe human begins have existed for only a small fraction of cosmic history, because human race has been improving so rapidly in knowledge and technology that if people had been around for millions of years, the human race would be much further along in it's mastery.” [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. Human existence is a brief episode in cosmic time, yet rapid progress suggests a unique, accelerated development. **In simple terms:** Humans are a short, fast-growing part of the cosmos. Key Takeaway Leverage rapid progress responsibly. Themes cosmology technology progress Mood inspirational cautious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - STEM education - policy planning - innovation strategy - public outreach Key Concepts philosophy future studies Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities come with rapid advancement? - How can we ensure sustainable progress? A Different Perspective Rapid growth may lead to unsustainable trajectories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Cosmic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmic/) [Cosmic History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmic-history-1150304/) [Fractions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fractions/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-human/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Mastery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mastery/) [Millions Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions-years/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-human-403692/) ## Related quotes > [“Our lives are small temporally as well as spatially: if this 14-billion-year cosmic history were scaled to one year, then 100,000 years of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-tegmark/our-lives-are-small-temporally-as-well-as-spatially-if-this-14/) [Max Tegmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-tegmark/) > [“If our 14 billion year cosmic history were scaled to 1 year, then 100,000 years of human history would be 4 minutes, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-tegmark/if-our-14-billion-year-cosmic-history-were-scaled-to-1-year-then-100/) [Max Tegmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-tegmark/) > [There are only certain intervals of time when life of any sort is possible in an expanding universe and we can practise astronomy only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-barrow/there-are-only-certain-intervals-of-time-when-life-of-any-sort-is/) [John D. 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Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-d-thompson/) > [“It took around 500 years to human to find out that black people are human and still they don't know why the universe is black”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-st-pierre/it-took-around-500-years-to-human-to-find-out-that-black-people-are/) [Emmanuel St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-st-pierre/) > [The transnational corporations and the money markets have declared the era of human-designed regulations over. Now the market must reign. Because few people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/the-transnational-corporations-and-the-money-markets-have-declared/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [The six thousand years of human history form but a portion of the geologic day that is passing over us: they do not extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-miller/the-six-thousand-years-of-human-history-form-but-a-portion-of-the/) [Hugh Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-miller/) > [If the estimated age of the cosmos were shortened to seventy-two years, a human life would take about ten seconds. But look at time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-grudin/if-the-estimated-age-of-the-cosmos-were-shortened-to-seventy-two/) [Robert Grudin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-grudin/) ## 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. 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This leads me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-believe-the-simplest-explanation-is-there-is-no-god-no-one-created/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The Paralympic Games is about transforming our perception of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-paralympic-games-is-about-transforming-our-perception-of-the-world/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The increase of disorder or entropy is what distinguishes the past from the future, giving a direction to time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-increase-of-disorder-or-entropy-is-what-distinguishes-the-past/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Most sets of values would give rise to universes that, although they might be very beautiful, would contain no one able to wonder at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/most-sets-of-values-would-give-rise-to-universes-that-although-they/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, and science, which is based on observation and reason. 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. Let's hope we can avoid dropping the basket until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-human-race-shouldn-t-have-all-its-eggs-in-one-basket-or-on-one/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I hope I have helped to raise the profile of science and to show that physics is not a mystery but can be understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-hope-i-have-helped-to-raise-the-profile-of-science-and-to-show-that/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) [Explore all 601 Stephen Hawking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We believe human begins have existed for only a small fraction of cosmic history, because human race has been improving so rapidly in knowledge and technology that if people had been around for millions of years, the human race would be much further along in it's mastery.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Hawking" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-believe-human-begins-have-existed-for-only-a-small-fraction-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-believe-human-begins-have-existed-for-only-a-small-fraction-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/stephen-hawking-389_believe_we-believe-human-begins-have-existed-for_2882583.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/stephen-hawking-389_believe_we-believe-human-begins-have-existed-for_2882583.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/774/stephen-hawking-389_believe_we-believe-human-begins-have-existed-for_2882583.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We believe human begins have existed for only a small fraction of cosmic history, because human race has…” — Stephen Hawking", "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": "Stephen Hawking", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We believe human begins have existed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-believe-human-begins-have-existed-for-only-a-small-fraction-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-believe-human-begins-have-existed-for-only-a-small-fraction-of/#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 } } ] } ```