--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We want the ability to re-engineer our…" description: "\"“We want the ability to re-engineer our bodies and minds in order, above all, to escape old age, death and misery, but once we have it, who knows what ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/yuval-noah-harari-100_death_we-want-the-ability-to-re-engineer-our-b_1068715.jpg" --- # We want the ability to re-engineer our bodies and minds in… ![“We want the ability to re-engineer our bodies and minds in order, above all, to escape old age, death and misery, but once we have it, who knows what else we might do with such ability? So we may well think of the new human agenda as consisting really of only one project (with many branches)…” quote by Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/yuval-noah-harari-100_death_we-want-the-ability-to-re-engineer-our-b_1068715.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/yuval-noah-harari-100_death_we-want-the-ability-to-re-engineer-our-b_1068715.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/yuval-noah-harari-100_death_we-want-the-ability-to-re-engineer-our-b_1068715.jpg) > ““We want the ability to re-engineer our bodies and minds in order, above all, to escape old age, death and misery, but once we have it, who knows what else we might do with such ability? So we may well think of the new human agenda as consisting really of only one project (with many branches): attaining divinity. If this sounds unscientific or downright eccentric, it is because people often misunderstand the meaning of divinity. Divinity isn’t a vague metaphysical quality. And it isn’t the same as omnipotence. When speaking of upgrading humans into gods, think more in terms of Greek gods or Hindu devas rather than the omnipotent biblical sky father. Our descendants would still have their foibles, kinks and limitations, just as Zeus and Indra had theirs. But they could love, hate, create and destroy on a much grander scale than us. Throughout history most gods were believed to enjoy not omnipotence but rather specific super-abilities such as the ability to design and create living beings; to transform their own bodies; to control the environment and the weather; to read minds and to communicate at a distance; to travel at very high speeds; and of course to escape death and live indefinitely. Humans are in the business of acquiring all these abilities, and then some.”” [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human ambition seeks to transcend mortality through technology, aiming for god‑like abilities, yet this pursuit raises ethical and existential questions. **In simple terms:** Humans want to become god‑like, but face moral dilemmas. Key Takeaway Consider the consequences of seeking divine powers. Themes technology transcendence ethics Mood thought‑provoking cautious Type philosophical speculative When to use this quote - medical research - AI development - longevity treatments - spiritual exploration Key Concepts Post‑humanism bio‑engineering philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What defines humanity if we become god‑like? - Are there limits we should set? A Different Perspective Potential loss of humanity and unforeseen risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Divinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divinity/) [Greek Gods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greek-gods/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“Divinity isn't a vague metaphysical quality. And it isn't the same as omnipotence. 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If this sounds unscientific or downright eccentric, it is because people often misunderstand the meaning of divinity. Divinity isn’t a vague metaphysical quality. And it isn’t the same as omnipotence. When speaking of upgrading humans into gods, think more in terms of Greek gods or Hindu devas rather than the omnipotent biblical sky father. Our descendants would still have their foibles, kinks and limitations, just as Zeus and Indra had theirs. But they could love, hate, create and destroy on a much grander scale than us. Throughout history most gods were believed to enjoy not omnipotence but rather specific super-abilities such as the ability to design and create living beings; to transform their own bodies; to control the environment and the weather; to read minds and to communicate at a distance; to travel at very high speeds; and of course to escape death and live indefinitely. 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