--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are an intelligent species caught in…" description: "\"We are an intelligent species caught in an historical process. No generation which proceeded us knew what was going on, and there is no reason to assum..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/terence-mckenna-287_assuming_we-are-an-intelligent-species-caught-in_1527427.jpg" --- # We are an intelligent species caught in an historical… ![“We are an intelligent species caught in an historical process. No generation which proceeded us knew what was going on, and there is no reason to assume that we know what's going on or that the generation which follows us will know what's going on. And what kind of trip is it anyway to insist on…” quote by Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/terence-mckenna-287_assuming_we-are-an-intelligent-species-caught-in_1527427.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/terence-mckenna-287_assuming_we-are-an-intelligent-species-caught-in_1527427.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/terence-mckenna-287_assuming_we-are-an-intelligent-species-caught-in_1527427.jpg) > “We are an intelligent species caught in an historical process. No generation which proceeded us knew what was going on, and there is no reason to assume that we know what's going on or that the generation which follows us will know what's going on. And what kind of trip is it anyway to insist on knowing what's going on?” [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that humanity’s knowledge is limited and uncertain, and that seeking absolute understanding is futile. **In simple terms:** We can’t fully know our place in history. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and curiosity. Themes knowledge history uncertainty Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - scientific research - historical analysis - personal reflection - education curricula Key Concepts philosophy epistemology human condition Questions to Reflect On - What can we learn from accepting uncertainty? - How does humility affect progress? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on certainty can stifle innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [In literary history, generation follows generation in a rage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/in-literary-history-generation-follows-generation-in-a-rage/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [I insist on knowing the names, on being interested only in books left ajar, like doors; I will not go looking for keys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andr-breton/i-insist-on-knowing-the-names-on-being-interested-only-in-books-left/) [Andre Breton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andr-breton/) > [Some people cannot understand why I insist on knowing about my role in a film before signing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-dutta/some-people-cannot-understand-why-i-insist-on-knowing-about-my-role/) [Lara Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-dutta/) > [Real education must ultimately be limited to men who insist on knowing, the rest is mere sheep-herding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/real-education-must-ultimately-be-limited-to-men-who-insist-on/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [One of the biggest ways we lose time is not knowing where we’re going next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-vaden/one-of-the-biggest-ways-we-lose-time-is-not-knowing-where-we-re-going/) [Rory Vaden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-vaden/) > [“So, we began our travels knowing nothing, least of all where we were going.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiichi-sigsawa/so-we-began-our-travels-knowing-nothing-least-of-all-where-we-were/) [keiichi sigsawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiichi-sigsawa/) > [It's hard knowing when it's time to move on. The idea alone is one of the most scary things in the world... knowing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-hard-knowing-when-it-s-time-to-move-on-the-idea-alone-is-one-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Knowing where you are going takes the uncertainty out of getting there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/knowing-where-you-are-going-takes-the-uncertainty-out-of-getting-there/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [You don't deploy forces into harm's way without knowing what's going on,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/you-don-t-deploy-forces-into-harm-s-way-without-knowing-what-s-going/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [“Knowing who you are is vastly more important than knowing where you are going or even what you can do. Because he is your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-bevere/knowing-who-you-are-is-vastly-more-important-than-knowing-where-you/) [Lisa Bevere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-bevere/) > [I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia-de-castro/i-see-my-path-but-i-don-t-know-where-it-leads-not-knowing-where-i-m/) [Rosalia de Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia-de-castro/) > [“But I do know that the world is the most beautiful place and that we're lucky to be here. I know that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-malley/but-i-do-know-that-the-world-is-the-most-beautiful-place-and-that-we/) [Gemma Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-malley/) > [The worst part of this all is not knowing if you are going to make the right decision, listening to your heart or your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lmonika-geidane/the-worst-part-of-this-all-is-not-knowing-if-you-are-going-to-make/) [LMonika Geidane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lmonika-geidane/) > [“One goes up in a plane knowing, sometimes, that not all of you is going to come down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/one-goes-up-in-a-plane-knowing-sometimes-that-not-all-of-you-is-going/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [“if I were you, I wouldn’t try and track her down.” “Why not?” “Because when it comes to Dee, you’re better off not knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-laurenston/if-i-were-you-i-wouldn-t-try-and-track-her-down-why-not-because-when/) [Shelly Laurenston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-laurenston/) ## More by Terence McKenna > [History was an incredibly damaging experience, and now it's over . . . in a sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/history-was-an-incredibly-damaging-experience-and-now-it-s-over-in-a/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The history of man that you don't know is what your unconscious is made out of. Just as the history of yourself that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-history-of-man-that-you-don-t-know-is-what-your-unconscious-is/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are consciousness. We may not always be monkeys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-consciousness-we-may-not-always-be-monkeys/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [What is happening here is we are living past the age, by the millions, living past the age where cultural values make any sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/what-is-happening-here-is-we-are-living-past-the-age-by-the-millions/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [What history is, essentially, is a careening, out-of-control effort to find our way back to this state of primordial balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/what-history-is-essentially-is-a-careening-out-of-control-effort-to/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [And what is the primary datum? It's the felt presence of immediate experience. In other words, being here now is the primary datum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/and-what-is-the-primary-datum-it-s-the-felt-presence-of-immediate/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Our culture difinitely takes an egocentric dominator view. The fear of the psychedelic experience is quite literally the fear of losing control. Dominator types…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/our-culture-difinitely-takes-an-egocentric-dominator-view-the-fear-of/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Every step into freedom contains within it the potential for greater bondage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/every-step-into-freedom-contains-within-it-the-potential-for-greater/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [This is the message of your life and my life - it’s that nothing lasts. Heraclitus said it: Panta Rhei. All flows, nothing lasts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/this-is-the-message-of-your-life-and-my-life-it-s-that-nothing-lasts/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I often like to think that our map of the world is wrong, that where we have centered physics, we should actually place literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/i-often-like-to-think-that-our-map-of-the-world-is-wrong-that-where/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Knowledge, or verbal facility, is no proof that you know what you're talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/knowledge-or-verbal-facility-is-no-proof-that-you-know-what-you-re/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [No culture on earth is as heavily narcotized as the industrial West in terms of being inured to the consequences of maladaptive behavior. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/no-culture-on-earth-is-as-heavily-narcotized-as-the-industrial-west/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Man was not put on this planet to toil in the mud. Or the god who put us on this planet to toil in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/man-was-not-put-on-this-planet-to-toil-in-the-mud-or-the-god-who-put/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [If you take psychedelics and the Internet and music and put all of that together you have the basis for a new community that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/if-you-take-psychedelics-and-the-internet-and-music-and-put-all-of/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) [Explore all 745 Terence McKenna quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are an intelligent species caught in an historical process. No generation which proceeded us knew what was going on, and there is no reason to assume that we know what's going on or that the generation which follows us will know what's going on. 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