--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's natural to think that living things…" description: "\"“It's natural to think that living things must be the handiwork of a designer. But it was also natural to think that the sun went around the earth. Ove..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/steven-pinker-526_believe-in-god_it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things_2438778.jpg" --- # It's natural to think that living things must be the… ![“It's natural to think that living things must be the handiwork of a designer. But it was also natural to think that the sun went around the earth. Overcoming naive impressions to figure out how things really work is one of humanity's highest callings. [ Can You Believe in God and Evolution? Time…” quote by Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/steven-pinker-526_believe-in-god_it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things_2438778.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/steven-pinker-526_believe-in-god_it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things_2438778.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/steven-pinker-526_believe-in-god_it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things_2438778.jpg) > ““It's natural to think that living things must be the handiwork of a designer. But it was also natural to think that the sun went around the earth. Overcoming naive impressions to figure out how things really work is one of humanity's highest callings. \[ Can You Believe in God and Evolution? Time Magazine, August 7, 2005 \]”” [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human progress involves questioning intuitive beliefs and using evidence to understand reality, a core scientific endeavor. **In simple terms:** Science challenges naive ideas to discover truth. Key Takeaway Question assumptions, pursue evidence. Themes science skepticism intellectual growth Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - education - policy making - public discourse - personal belief systems Key Concepts epistemology critical thinking evolutionary biology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance evidence with personal values? - What methods help overcome deep‑seated misconceptions? A Different Perspective The quote may downplay the role of cultural and emotional factors in belief formation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-god/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Intuition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intuition/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-things/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Skepticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skepticism/) [Superstition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstition/) ## Related quotes > [It's natural to think that living things must be the handiwork of a designer. But it was also natural to think that the sun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things-must-be-the-handiwork-of-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Overcoming naive impressions to figure out how things really work is one of humanity's highest callings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/overcoming-naive-impressions-to-figure-out-how-things-really-work-is/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, "Go throughout the earth!" So they went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zechariah-6-7/when-the-powerful-horses-went-out-they-were-straining-to-go/) Zechariah 6:7 > [There is no joy equal to that of being able to work for all humanity and doing what you're doing well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/there-is-no-joy-equal-to-that-of-being-able-to-work-for-all-humanity/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [Observation of my life to date shows that the larger the number for whom I work, the more positively effective I become. Thus, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/observation-of-my-life-to-date-shows-that-the-larger-the-number-for/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [I know of no greater work for humanity than in the cause of peace, which can only be achieved by the earnest efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-kellogg/i-know-of-no-greater-work-for-humanity-than-in-the-cause-of-peace/) [Frank B. Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-kellogg/) > [“If we were created from the very fiber of our birth parents' physical and emotional beings, don't you think our need to think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrie-eldridge/if-we-were-created-from-the-very-fiber-of-our-birth-parents-physical/) [Sherrie Eldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrie-eldridge/) > [It's true that the level of scientific knowledge among adults is very low, but that's not because there isn't a natural interest. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/it-s-true-that-the-level-of-scientific-knowledge-among-adults-is-very/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I feel like people can feel when something is natural. I think they can tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pusha-t/i-feel-like-people-can-feel-when-something-is-natural-i-think-they/) [Pusha T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pusha-t/) > [“One's true work is never merely 'my work,' but humanity's work. It's not really self-expression, unless by 'self' we mean it with a capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-g-boldt/one-s-true-work-is-never-merely-my-work-but-humanity-s-work-it-s-not/) [Laurence G. Boldt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-g-boldt/) > [I believe I am doing the work for humanity. This show is so uplifting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stern/i-believe-i-am-doing-the-work-for-humanity-this-show-is-so-uplifting/) [Howard Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stern/) > [In our time we have come to the stage where the real work of humanity begins. It is the time where we partner Creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-houston/in-our-time-we-have-come-to-the-stage-where-the-real-work-of-humanity/) [Jean Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-houston/) > [I think my strength is always been in being very natural. I think Shakespeare and things like that would be more a stretch for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-gilford/i-think-my-strength-is-always-been-in-being-very-natural-i-think/) [Zach Gilford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-gilford/) > [Being a professional philosopher is, I would say, feeling natural to think about small and great problems. It is the only pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/being-a-professional-philosopher-is-i-would-say-feeling-natural-to/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [I think I do have my own technique. I don't like to depend on teachers. So I'm walking on my own way, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klaus-nomi/i-think-i-do-have-my-own-technique-i-don-t-like-to-depend-on-teachers/) [Klaus Nomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klaus-nomi/) ## More by Steven Pinker > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Consistent style prevents presentation from getting in the way of content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/consistent-style-prevents-presentation-from-getting-in-the-way-of/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [The supposedly immaterial soul, we now know, can be bisected with a knife, altered by chemicals, started or stopped by electricity, and extinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-supposedly-immaterial-soul-we-now-know-can-be-bisected-with-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I've never argued that humans are massively hot-wired. What I was trying to point out was that you can't understand how we learn unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/i-ve-never-argued-that-humans-are-massively-hot-wired-what-i-was/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [As many political writers have pointed out, commitment to political equality is not an empirical claim that people are clones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/as-many-political-writers-have-pointed-out-commitment-to-political/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Since violence is largely a male pastime, cultures that empower women tend to move away from the glorification of violence and are less likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/since-violence-is-largely-a-male-pastime-cultures-that-empower-women/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [When it comes to explaining human thought and behavior, the possibility that heredity plays any role at all still has the power to shock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/when-it-comes-to-explaining-human-thought-and-behavior-the/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Morality is not just any old topic in psychology but close to our conception of the meaning of life. Moral goodness is what gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/morality-is-not-just-any-old-topic-in-psychology-but-close-to-our/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“The biblical story of the binding of Isaac shows that human sacrifice was far from unthinkable in the 1st millennium BCE. The Israelites boasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-biblical-story-of-the-binding-of-isaac-shows-that-human-sacrifice/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Part of the bargain of being alive is that one takes a chance at dying a premature or painful death, be it from violence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/part-of-the-bargain-of-being-alive-is-that-one-takes-a-chance-at/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [In fact, without a specification of a creature's goals, the very idea of intelligence is meaningless. A toadstool could be given a genius award…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/in-fact-without-a-specification-of-a-creature-s-goals-the-very-idea/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“The obvious cure for the tragic shortcomings of human intuition in a high-tech world is education. And this offers priorities for educational policy: to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-obvious-cure-for-the-tragic-shortcomings-of-human-intuition-in-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [If you look in general at people who live in anarchy, they have quite high rates of death from either homicide or warfare or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/if-you-look-in-general-at-people-who-live-in-anarchy-they-have-quite/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“In some eras, self-control defines the paragon of a decent person: a grown-up, a person of dignity, a lady or a gentleman, a mensch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/in-some-eras-self-control-defines-the-paragon-of-a-decent-person-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Knowledge is a continuous fabric, in which ideas are connected to other ideas. Reason-free zones, in which people can assert arbitrary beliefs safe from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/knowledge-is-a-continuous-fabric-in-which-ideas-are-connected-to/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) [Explore all 495 Steven Pinker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## More Believe in god quotes > [“The events of the world can have no separate life from the world. And yet the world itself can have no temporal view of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-events-of-the-world-can-have-no-separate-life-from-the-world-and/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [I believe in God, because he is the only thing that kept me going. He's my best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/i-believe-in-god-because-he-is-the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-he-s/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. "For He giveth His beloved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/he-who-believes-in-god-is-not-careful-for-the-morrow-but-labors/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [In life, we don't know why things happen. I believe God is not responsible for the bad things that happen to you. Sometimes I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-brannaman/in-life-we-don-t-know-why-things-happen-i-believe-god-is-not/) [Buck Brannaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-brannaman/) > [I don't believe in angels and I have trouble with the whole God thing. I don't want to say I don't believe in God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-connolly/i-don-t-believe-in-angels-and-i-have-trouble-with-the-whole-god-thing/) [Billy Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-connolly/) > [“if I asked people whether they believed in life, they’d never understand what I meant. It’s a bad question. It can mean so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-asked-people-whether-they-believed-in-life-they-d-never/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you believe in GOD you should never fear death. If human fears death then hill be easily enslaved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadair-desmar/if-you-believe-in-god-you-should-never-fear-death-if-human-fears/) [Nadair Desmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadair-desmar/) > [I have never come to know God, to see God, to believe in God through doing science. He's not the conclusion of some sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-coyne/i-have-never-come-to-know-god-to-see-god-to-believe-in-god-through/) [George Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-coyne/) > [“Most witches don’t believe in gods. They know that the gods exist, of course. They even deal with them occasionally. But they don’t believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/most-witches-don-t-believe-in-gods-they-know-that-the-gods-exist-of/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I believe God has called His people to be a light in darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherri-shepherd/i-believe-god-has-called-his-people-to-be-a-light-in-darkness/) [Sherri Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherri-shepherd/) > [“She stood and tried hard not to believe in God. It seemed mean and petty to have more belief in God when things were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galsworthy/she-stood-and-tried-hard-not-to-believe-in-god-it-seemed-mean-and/) [John Galsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galsworthy/) > [People often ask me if I believe in God, and I kinda have to, because I'm still here. I had not planned on living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-walsh/people-often-ask-me-if-i-believe-in-god-and-i-kinda-have-to-because-i/) [Joe Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-walsh/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Browse all 1,413 Believe in god quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's natural to think that living things must be the handiwork of a designer. But it was also natural to think that the sun went around the earth. Overcoming naive impressions to figure out how things really work is one of humanity's highest callings. [ Can You Believe in God and Evolution? Time Magazine, August 7, 2005 ]”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven Pinker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things-must-be-the-handiwork-of-a-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe in god" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things-must-be-the-handiwork-of-a-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/steven-pinker-526_believe-in-god_it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things_2438778.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/steven-pinker-526_believe-in-god_it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things_2438778.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/steven-pinker-526_believe-in-god_it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things_2438778.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's natural to think that living things must be the handiwork of a designer. But it was also natural to…” — Steven Pinker", "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": "Steven Pinker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It's natural to think that living...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things-must-be-the-handiwork-of-a-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/it-s-natural-to-think-that-living-things-must-be-the-handiwork-of-a-2/#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 } } ] } ```