Abandon Quote by Thomas Nagel
“It is prima facie highly implausible that life as we know it is the result of a sequence of physical accidents together with the mechanism of natural selection. We are supposed to abandon this naïve response, not in favor of a fully worked out physical/chemical explanation but in favor of an alternative that is really a schema for explanation, supported by some examples. What is lacking, to my knowledge, is a credible argument that the story has a nonnegligible probability of being true.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Mind and Cosmos by Thomas Nagel, 2012
The claim questions that life’s complexity cannot be fully explained by random accidents and natural selection alone, urging alternative explanatory frameworks.
In simple terms: Life’s complexity may need explanations beyond chance and selection.
Key Takeaway
Consider broader explanations for life’s origins.
Themes
philosophy
science
existential inquiry
Mood
thought‑provoking
analytical
Type
philosophical
scientific
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- research proposals
- public lectures
- science education
Key Concepts
metaphysics
probability
theory of mind
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence would strengthen non‑random explanations?
- How do we balance skepticism with open inquiry?
A Different Perspective
Alternative theories may lack empirical support.
![“This argument [that life is too improbable to have arisen by chance] comes up repeatedly: its latest manifestation is Hoyle's discussion of the likelihood of a wind blowing through a junkyard assembling a Boeing 707 [sic]. What is wrong with it? Essentially, it is that no biologist imagines that…” quote by John Maynard Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8b2/john-maynard-smith-28856_argument_this-argument-that-life-is-too-improbabl_1662785.jpg)
