Everything in nature is the result of fixed laws.
Charles DarwinRead
Why does man regret, even though he may endeavour to banish any such regret, that he has followed the one natural impulse, rather than the other; and why does he further feel that he ought to regret his conduct? Man in this respect differs profoundly from the lower animals.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Human beings often experience regret over their natural impulses, unlike animals.
This quote by Charles Darwin reflects on the nature of human consciousness and the complex emotional responses that accompany our choices. Unlike lower animals, which act on instinct without reflecting on their decisions, humans have the capacity for self-reflection and moral judgment, leading to feelings of regret when contemplating the paths we choose or the impulses we follow.
Themes
RegretImpulseHuman NatureSelf-ReflectionChoices
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about personal development, one might say, 'As Darwin pointed out, our capacity for regret is what distinguishes us from animals.'
More from Charles Darwin
All quotes →The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognize that we ought to control our thoughts.
Charles DarwinRead
I am quite conscious that my speculations run beyond the bounds of true science....It is a mere rag of an hypothesis with as many flaw[s] & holes as sound parts.
Charles DarwinRead
We cannot fathom the marvelous complexity of an organic being; but on the hypothesis here advanced this complexity is much increased. Each living creature must be looked at as a microcosm--a little universe, formed of a host of self-propagating organisms, inconceivably minute and as numerous as the stars in heaven.
Charles DarwinRead
I have called this principle, by which each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term of Natural Selection.
Charles DarwinRead
we are always slow in admitting any great change of which we do not see the intermediate steps
Charles DarwinRead
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