--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The United States, and other advanced…" description: "\"The United States, and other advanced nations, will someday be able to produce instruments of death so terrible the world will be in abject terror of i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/thomas-a-edison-866_ability_the-united-states-and-other-advanced-nat_1437312.jpg" --- # The United States, and other advanced nations, will… ![“The United States, and other advanced nations, will someday be able to produce instruments of death so terrible the world will be in abject terror of itself and its ability to end civilization… Such war-making weapons should be developed - but only for purposes of discovery and experimentation” quote by Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/thomas-a-edison-866_ability_the-united-states-and-other-advanced-nat_1437312.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/thomas-a-edison-866_ability_the-united-states-and-other-advanced-nat_1437312.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f82/thomas-a-edison-866_ability_the-united-states-and-other-advanced-nat_1437312.jpg) > “The United States, and other advanced nations, will someday be able to produce instruments of death so terrible the world will be in abject terror of itself and its ability to end civilization… Such war-making weapons should be developed - but only for purposes of discovery and experimentation” [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advanced nations may create weapons so destructive they cause global terror, prompting a paradox of development for study only. **In simple terms:** Powerful weapons could cause worldwide fear, so they should be built only for research. Key Takeaway Develop responsibly, limit to discovery. Themes technology war ethics responsibility Mood anxious reflective Type cautionary philosophical When to use this quote - military planning - policy debates - academic research - international treaties Key Concepts deterrence existential risk scientific inquiry Questions to Reflect On - Should humanity pursue knowledge that could end civilization? - How can we ensure research stays ethical? A Different Perspective Even for study, creation of such weapons may increase the chance of misuse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Experimentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experimentation/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Many of the scientists have believed that their contribution to ending the nuclear race is not to let any new weapons to be developed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/many-of-the-scientists-have-believed-that-their-contribution-to/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [The most advanced nations are always those who navigate the most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-most-advanced-nations-are-always-those-who-navigate-the-most/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Notoriously, the United States is the most religious of the Western advanced nations. It's a bit mysterious why that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/notoriously-the-united-states-is-the-most-religious-of-the-western/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Moving to the forefront of advanced nations is not a choice but a national duty. 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Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [The real measure of success is the number of experiments that can be crowded into 24 hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/the-real-measure-of-success-is-the-number-of-experiments-that-can-be/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [During all those years of experimentation and research, I never once made a discovery. All my work was deductive, and the results I achieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/during-all-those-years-of-experimentation-and-research-i-never-once/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [If we can cultivate in the world the idea that aggressive war-making is the way to the prisoner's dock rather than the way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-jackson/if-we-can-cultivate-in-the-world-the-idea-that-aggressive-war-making/) [Robert H. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-jackson/) > [Going to war accelerated the move from indirect to direct rule. Almost any state that makes war finds that it cannot pay for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tilly/going-to-war-accelerated-the-move-from-indirect-to-direct-rule-almost/) [Charles Tilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-tilly/) > [“Being ready for war is not the same as making war, or liking it, young human. Make war as a last resort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-martelle/being-ready-for-war-is-not-the-same-as-making-war-or-liking-it-young/) Craig Martelle > [“You do not win a war by dying for your country. You win a war by making sure that some poor bastard dies for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mal-peet/you-do-not-win-a-war-by-dying-for-your-country-you-win-a-war-by/) [Mal Peet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mal-peet/) ## More by Thomas A. Edison > [We are striking it big in the electric light, better than my vivid imagination first conceived. Where this thing is going to stop Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/we-are-striking-it-big-in-the-electric-light-better-than-my-vivid/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [I will not say I failed 1000 times, I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that can cause failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-will-not-say-i-failed-1000-times-i-will-say-that-i-discovered-there/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Friendship is the heaven of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/friendship-is-the-heaven-of-life/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Even though I am nearly deaf, I seem to be gifted with a kind of inner hearing which enables me to detect sounds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/even-though-i-am-nearly-deaf-i-seem-to-be-gifted-with-a-kind-of-inner/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/being-busy-does-not-always-mean-real-work-the-object-of-all-work-is/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [The very first thing an executive must have is a fine memory. Of course it does not follow that a man with a fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/the-very-first-thing-an-executive-must-have-is-a-fine-memory-of/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Personally, I enjoy working about 18 hours a day. Besides the short catnaps I take each day, I average about four to five hours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/personally-i-enjoy-working-about-18-hours-a-day-besides-the-short/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [The brain can be developed just the same as the muscles can be developed, if on will only take the pains to train the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/the-brain-can-be-developed-just-the-same-as-the-muscles-can-be/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [“People who will not turn a shovel full of dirt on the project nor contribute a pound of material, will collect more money from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/people-who-will-not-turn-a-shovel-full-of-dirt-on-the-project-nor/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [When I have fully decided that a result is worth getting I go ahead of it and make trial after trial until it comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/when-i-have-fully-decided-that-a-result-is-worth-getting-i-go-ahead/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [I remember that I was never able to get along at school. I was at the foot of the class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-remember-that-i-was-never-able-to-get-along-at-school-i-was-at-the/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Invention is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/invention-is-10-inspiration-and-90-perspiration/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [There seems to be no limit to which some men will go to avoid the labor of thinking. Thinking is hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/there-seems-to-be-no-limit-to-which-some-men-will-go-to-avoid-the/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Somewhere between the ages of eleven and fifteen, the average child begins to suffer from an atrophy, the paralysis of curiosity and the suspension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/somewhere-between-the-ages-of-eleven-and-fifteen-the-average-child/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Not only will atomic power be released, but someday we will harness the rise and fall of the tides and imprison the rays of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/not-only-will-atomic-power-be-released-but-someday-we-will-harness/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) [Explore all 345 Thomas A. Edison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The United States, and other advanced nations, will someday be able to produce instruments of death so terrible the world will be in abject terror of itself and its ability to end civilization… Such war-making weapons should be developed - but only for purposes of discovery and experimentation", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas A. 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