--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we make this readjustment to view Homo…" description: "\"If we make this readjustment to view Homo sapiens as an ultimate in oddball rarity, and life at bacterial grade as the common expression of a universal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/stephen-jay-gould-885_asks_if-we-make-this-readjustment-to-view-hom_543483.jpg" --- # If we make this readjustment to view Homo sapiens as an… ![“If we make this readjustment to view Homo sapiens as an ultimate in oddball rarity, and life at bacterial grade as the common expression of a universal phenomenon, then we could finally ask the truly fundamental question raised by the prospect of Martian fossils. If life originates as a general…” quote by Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/stephen-jay-gould-885_asks_if-we-make-this-readjustment-to-view-hom_543483.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/stephen-jay-gould-885_asks_if-we-make-this-readjustment-to-view-hom_543483.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a9/stephen-jay-gould-885_asks_if-we-make-this-readjustment-to-view-hom_543483.jpg) > “If we make this readjustment to view Homo sapiens as an ultimate in oddball rarity, and life at bacterial grade as the common expression of a universal phenomenon, then we could finally ask the truly fundamental question raised by the prospect of Martian fossils. If life originates as a general property of the material universe under certain conditions (probably often realized), then how much can the basic structure and constitution of life vary from place to independent place?” [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests viewing human rarity versus common bacterial life to explore how life’s basic makeup might differ across planets. **In simple terms:** Consider humans rare, bacteria common, ask how alien life could differ. Key Takeaway Explore diversity of life beyond Earth. Themes evolution astrobiology philosophy rarity commonality Mood curious speculative thought‑provoking Type philosophical scientific When to use this quote - planetary exploration - science education - research proposals - public outreach Key Concepts exobiology convergent evolution universal principles Questions to Reflect On - What fundamental traits define life? - How would alien biochemistry challenge our definitions? A Different Perspective Assumes life elsewhere follows similar chemistry, which may limit imagination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Homo sapiens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homo-sapiens/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Martians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/martians/) [Oddballs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oddballs/) [Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Rarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rarity/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [“We are all One. The beauty in one person is shared by all. The life path of one individual blesses everyone. The expression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/we-are-all-one-the-beauty-in-one-person-is-shared-by-all-the-life/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [“fossils show that life started on earth around 3.5 billion years ago, relatively soon after the earth itself formed, and almost immediately after the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fossils-show-that-life-started-on-earth-around-3-5-billion-years-ago/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Rocks are not static and inert. They are constantly changing, shifting, and rearranging their form and location. They can be melted, deposited, eroded and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-r-coenraads/rocks-are-not-static-and-inert-they-are-constantly-changing-shifting/) Robert R. Coenraads > [Owning pets is as close to a universal phenomenon as, I think, anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-meledandri/owning-pets-is-as-close-to-a-universal-phenomenon-as-i-think-anything/) [Chris Meledandri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-meledandri/) > [Prayer is a universal phenomenon in the soul-life of man. It is the soul's reaction to the terrors and joys, the uncertainties and dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-hertz/prayer-is-a-universal-phenomenon-in-the-soul-life-of-man-it-is-the/) [Joseph Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-hertz/) > [There are people who can start having very powerful experiences without taking psychedelics. It can happen against their will. This is a universal phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislav-grof/there-are-people-who-can-start-having-very-powerful-experiences/) [Stanislav Grof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislav-grof/) > [“Future existence is not a purely spiritual existence, it demands a life in a body and in a material universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-scroggie/future-existence-is-not-a-purely-spiritual-existence-it-demands-a/) Graham Scroggie > [Thought dissolves the material universe by carrying the mind up into a sphere where all is plastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/thought-dissolves-the-material-universe-by-carrying-the-mind-up-into/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [There is no material universe. There is no reality. All that exists are images.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-is-no-material-universe-there-is-no-reality-all-that-exists-are/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [The energy that many people call love, is, in fact, the raw material from which the universe was built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-energy-that-many-people-call-love-is-in-fact-the-raw-material/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The material universe exists only in the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-material-universe-exists-only-in-the-mind/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [For nearly a quarter of a century, I have been engaged in the investigation of the fundamentals of life, the material universe and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/for-nearly-a-quarter-of-a-century-i-have-been-engaged-in-the/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [Works of art, in my opinion, are the only objects in the material universe to possess internal order, and that is why, though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/works-of-art-in-my-opinion-are-the-only-objects-in-the-material/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [“all men and all women are connected by an energy which many people call love, but which is, in fact, the raw material from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/all-men-and-all-women-are-connected-by-an-energy-which-many-people/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Most of the dogmatic religions have exhibited a perverse talent for taking the wrong side on the most important concepts in the material universe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/most-of-the-dogmatic-religions-have-exhibited-a-perverse-talent-for/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) ## More by Stephen Jay Gould > [I strongly reject any conceptual scheme that places our options on a line, and holds that the only alternative to a pair of extreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-strongly-reject-any-conceptual-scheme-that-places-our-options-on-a/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [History employs evolution to structure biological events in time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/history-employs-evolution-to-structure-biological-events-in-time/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [In his anti-Darwinian book... (and eponymously named The Neck of the Giraffe ), Francis Hitching tells the story... "The need to survive by reaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/in-his-anti-darwinian-book-and-eponymously-named-the-neck-of-the/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [... many folks take them seriously because they just 'know' that evolution can never be seen in the immediate here and now. 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Human intellectual capacity has not altered for thousands of years so far as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/but-if-we-laugh-with-derision-we-will-never-understand-human/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [We debase the richness of both nature and our own minds if we view the great pageant of our intellectual history as a compendium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/we-debase-the-richness-of-both-nature-and-our-own-minds-if-we-view/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) [Explore all 341 Stephen Jay Gould quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. 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I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we make this readjustment to view Homo sapiens as an ultimate in oddball rarity, and life at bacterial grade as the common expression of a universal phenomenon, then we could finally ask the truly fundamental question raised by the prospect of Martian fossils. 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