--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People talk about human intelligence as…" description: "\"People talk about human intelligence as the greatest adaptation in the history of the planet. It is an amazing and marvelous thing, but in evolutionary..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/stephen-jay-gould-885_adaptation_people-talk-about-human-intelligence-as_1579525.png" --- # People talk about human intelligence as the greatest… ![“People talk about human intelligence as the greatest adaptation in the history of the planet. It is an amazing and marvelous thing, but in evolutionary terms, it is as likely to do us in as to help us along.” quote by Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/stephen-jay-gould-885_adaptation_people-talk-about-human-intelligence-as_1579525.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/stephen-jay-gould-885_adaptation_people-talk-about-human-intelligence-as_1579525.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/071/stephen-jay-gould-885_adaptation_people-talk-about-human-intelligence-as_1579525.png) > “People talk about human intelligence as the greatest adaptation in the history of the planet. It is an amazing and marvelous thing, but in evolutionary terms, it is as likely to do us in as to help us along.” [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. He notes that intelligence, while a remarkable adaptation, can be as harmful as helpful depending on how it’s used. **In simple terms:** Intelligence can help or hurt humanity. Key Takeaway Use intelligence responsibly and ethically. Themes evolution technology ethics Mood cautious thoughtful Type philosophical advisory When to use this quote - policy making - AI development - education - environmental stewardship Key Concepts cognitive science evolutionary biology Questions to Reflect On - How can we guide intelligent choices? - What safeguards are needed? A Different Perspective Intelligence without wisdom can be dangerous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adaptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptation/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Greatest Adaptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-adaptation-5964455/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Human intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-intelligence/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Intelligence Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence-greatest-4325268/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-talk/) [Planets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planets/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) ## Related quotes > [“Intelligence is one of the greatest human gifts. But all too often a search for knowledge drives out the search for love... Intelligence without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-keyes/intelligence-is-one-of-the-greatest-human-gifts-but-all-too-often-a-2/) [Daniel Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-keyes/) > [Wind back the tape of life to the early days of the Burgess Shale; let it play again from an identical starting point, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/wind-back-the-tape-of-life-to-the-early-days-of-the-burgess-shale-let/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Darwin's principle of natural selection leads to the prediction that the proper way to analyze any evolutionary development is to see the new features…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/darwin-s-principle-of-natural-selection-leads-to-the-prediction-that/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [...we must be wary of granting too much power to natural selection by viewing all basic capacities of our brain as direct adaptations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/we-must-be-wary-of-granting-too-much-power-to-natural-selection-by/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Our world is not an optimal place, fine tuned by omnipotent forces of selection. It is a quirky mass of imperfections, working well enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/our-world-is-not-an-optimal-place-fine-tuned-by-omnipotent-forces-of/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Precise adaptation, with each part finely honed to perform a definite function in an optimal way, can only lead to blind alleys, dead ends,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/precise-adaptation-with-each-part-finely-honed-to-perform-a-definite/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [What an odd time to be a fundamentalist about adaptation and natural selection - when each major subdiscipline of evolutionary biology has been discovering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/what-an-odd-time-to-be-a-fundamentalist-about-adaptation-and-natural/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Darwinian natural selection only yields adaptation to changing local environments, and better function in an immediate habitat might just as well be achieved by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/darwinian-natural-selection-only-yields-adaptation-to-changing-local/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Natural selection is a theory of local adaptation to changing environments. It proposes no perfecting principles, no guarantee of general improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/natural-selection-is-a-theory-of-local-adaptation-to-changing/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [A complete theory of evolution must acknowledge a balance between "external" forces of environment imposing selection for local adaptation and "internal" forces representing constraints…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/a-complete-theory-of-evolution-must-acknowledge-a-balance-between/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Throughout his last half-dozen books, for example, Arthur Koestler has been conducting a campaign against his own misunderstanding of Darwinism. He hopes to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/throughout-his-last-half-dozen-books-for-example-arthur-koestler-has/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Some evolutionists will protest that we are caricaturing their view of adaptation. After all, do they not admit genetic drift, allometry, and a variety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/some-evolutionists-will-protest-that-we-are-caricaturing-their-view/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Natural selection is just three factors - over-production, variation, and inheritance combined to produce adaptation to changing local environments. It's not a principle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/natural-selection-is-just-three-factors-over-production-variation-and/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The proof of evolution lies in those adaptations that arise from improbable foundations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-proof-of-evolution-lies-in-those-adaptations-that-arise-from/) [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/) ## 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. In fact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/many-folks-take-them-seriously-because-they-just-know-that-evolution/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Charles Darwin viewed the fossil record more as an embarrassment than as an aid to his theory ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/charles-darwin-viewed-the-fossil-record-more-as-an-embarrassment-than/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Zoocentrism is the primary fallacy of human sociobiology, for this view of human behavior rests on the argument that if the actions of "lower"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/zoocentrism-is-the-primary-fallacy-of-human-sociobiology-for-this/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The world, unfortunately, rarely matches our hopes and consistently refuses to behave in a reasonable manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-world-unfortunately-rarely-matches-our-hopes-and-consistently/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The true beauty of nature is her amplitude; she exists neither for nor because of us, and possesses a staying power that all our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-true-beauty-of-nature-is-her-amplitude-she-exists-neither-for-nor/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [With copious evidence ranging from Plato's haughtiness to Beethoven's tirades, we may conclude that the most brilliant people of history tend to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/with-copious-evidence-ranging-from-plato-s-haughtiness-to-beethoven-s/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [When scientists need to explain difficult points of theory, illustration by hypothetical example - rather than by total abstraction - works well (perhaps indispensably)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/when-scientists-need-to-explain-difficult-points-of-theory/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [The truly awesome intellectuals in our history have not merely made discoveries; they have woven variegated, but firm, tapestries of comprehensive coverage. The tapestries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-truly-awesome-intellectuals-in-our-history-have-not-merely-made/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I believe that we can still have a genre of scientific books suitable for and accessible alike to professionals and interested laypeople. The concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-believe-that-we-can-still-have-a-genre-of-scientific-books-suitable/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Science simply cannot adjudicate the issue of God's possible superintendence of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/science-simply-cannot-adjudicate-the-issue-of-god-s-possible/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [But if we laugh with derision, we will never understand. 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 Adaptation quotes > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) [Edward Einhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-einhorn/) > [“Why I am Passionate and Dedicated 1000% to producing and bringing my books Loving Summer, Bitter Frost, and other book series to the Screen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailin-gow/why-i-am-passionate-and-dedicated-1000-to-producing-and-bringing-my/) [Kailin Gow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailin-gow/) > [My familiarity with the successful use of very long steel ropes for mining purposes naturally suggested their adaptation to the new purpose of deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-agassiz/my-familiarity-with-the-successful-use-of-very-long-steel-ropes-for/) [Alexander Agassiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-agassiz/) > [The survival of the fittest is the ageless law of nature, but the fittest are rarely the strong. The fittest are those endowed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-smalley/the-survival-of-the-fittest-is-the-ageless-law-of-nature-but-the/) [Dave Smalley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-smalley/) > [The facts of variability, of the struggle for existence, of adaptation to conditions, were notorious enough; but none of us had suspected that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-facts-of-variability-of-the-struggle-for-existence-of-adaptation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is a law of nature we overlook, that intellectual versatility is the compensation for change, danger, and trouble. An animal perfectly in harmony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-law-of-nature-we-overlook-that-intellectual-versatility-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The world may not be ready yet for the film equivalent of books on tape, but this peculiar phenomenon has arrived in the form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/the-world-may-not-be-ready-yet-for-the-film-equivalent-of-books-on/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [“Evolution is more about adaptivity than adaptability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/evolution-is-more-about-adaptivity-than-adaptability/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [There is change by necessity or adaptation, and there is contrived change or novelty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/there-is-change-by-necessity-or-adaptation-and-there-is-contrived/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The tendency for depression to repeat reflects the normal default settings of a plastic mood system that is open to experience. The unfortunate consequence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rottenberg/the-tendency-for-depression-to-repeat-reflects-the-normal-default/) [Jonathan Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-rottenberg/) > [“The unglamorous truth is that there are but a handful of uniquely human traits that we have clearly demonstrated are adaptations evolved to thrive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rutherford/the-unglamorous-truth-is-that-there-are-but-a-handful-of-uniquely/) [Adam Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rutherford/) > [“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/you-must-be-shapeless-formless-like-water-when-you-pour-water-in-a/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [“On the rare occasions on which a movie was shown, there was as much suspense in the audience over whether the electricity would hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-caro/on-the-rare-occasions-on-which-a-movie-was-shown-there-was-as-much/) [Robert A. Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-caro/) > [Working on an adaptation is not as satisfying, because it's not your original work: you're interpreting. With 'L.A. Confidential,' I loved the book. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-helgeland/working-on-an-adaptation-is-not-as-satisfying-because-it-s-not-your/) [Brian Helgeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-helgeland/) [Browse all 476 Adaptation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People talk about human intelligence as the greatest adaptation in the history of the planet. 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