Kangaroo Analogy Quote by Thomas Cathcart
““Some have argued that because the universe is like a clock, there must be a Clockmaker. As the eighteenth-century British empiricist David Hume pointed out, this is a slippery argument, because there is nothing that is really perfectly analogous to the universe as a whole, unless it's another universe, so we shouldn't try to pass off anything that is just a part of this universe. Why a clock anyhow? Hume asks. Why not say the universe is analogous to a kangaroo? After all, both are organically interconnected systems. But the kangaroo analogy would lead to a very different conclusion about the origin of the universe: namely, that it was born of another universe after that universe had sex with a third universe. ””
About This Quote
Source Book: 101 Philosophy Problems, Michael Bruce, 2005
Hume argues that analogies between the universe and everyday objects are unreliable because the universe is unique and cannot be fully compared to any single thing.
In simple terms: Analogies about the universe are unreliable.
Key Takeaway
Question analogies when reasoning about the cosmos.
Themes
philosophy
logic
cosmology
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- scientific debate
- education
- public discourse
- critical thinking
Key Concepts
analogy
epistemology
metaphysics
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we test cosmological ideas without analogies?
- What alternative methods can we use to understand the universe?
A Different Perspective
Analogies can still be useful as heuristic tools despite their limits.
