Humanity cannot lift itself by its own bootstraps; there is no such thing as spontaneous generation; life does not come from crystals; poetry does not come from donkeys; international peace does not come from wars; social justice does not come from selfishness. With all our knowledge of chemistry we cannot make a human life in our laboratories because we lack the unifying, vivifying principal of a soul which comes only from God. Life is not a push from below; it is a gift from above. It is not the result of the necessary ascent of man but the loving descent of God.

Summary

This quote asserts that humanity cannot achieve progress or truly meaningful and transformative outcomes solely through its own efforts. It rejects the notion of spontaneous generation or creating life from inanimate materials, emphasizing that life itself is a divine gift. It also dispels the idea that positive outcomes, such as poetry, peace, and justice, can arise from negative or self-interested actions. The quote highlights the importance of a unifying guiding force, associated here with the concept of a soul from God, that is essential for true progress and a flourishing life. Ultimately, it suggests that true growth and transformation come from a higher power rather than human attempts alone.

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