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We are part of the natural world, and we need to understand our place in it and learn to live in harmony with nature.

Jane Goodall

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Feel Love and Respect

Topic: Love, Compassion, & Kindness

We are part of the natural world, and we need to understand our place in it and learn to live in harmony with nature. Science can help us to do this, but it is also important to have a spiritual connection to the natural world. When we feel love and respect for nature, we are less likely to harm it.

Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall was born on April 3, 1934, in London, England. As a young girl, she was fascinated by animals and nature, which led her to dream of traveling to Africa to observe them in their natural habitats. With limited financial resources but an unwavering determination, she eventually saved enough to make her first journey to Kenya in 1957. There, she met famed anthropologist Louis Leakey, who recognized her potential and offered her the opportunity to study chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. Though she lacked a formal scientific education at the time, her keen observational skills and genuine respect for the natural world laid the groundwork for a revolutionary understanding of animal behavior.

Goodall's work in Gombe radically changed the scientific community's understanding of chimpanzees and, by extension, human beings. Over the years, she discovered that chimpanzees used tools, had complex social structures, and exhibited behaviors previously thought to be uniquely human, such as empathy and even warfare. Her findings were initially met with skepticism, but as the evidence grew, so did her reputation. Goodall earned her Ph.D. in ethology from Cambridge University in 1965, becoming one of the few people to earn a doctorate without first obtaining a bachelor's degree.

Over the ensuing decades, Jane Goodall has become a global advocate for conservation and animal welfare, founding the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977. The organization focuses on conservation, education, and research and has initiated various community-centered conservation programs across Africa. She has authored numerous books, delivered lectures worldwide, and received many awards and honors for her work, including being named a UN Messenger of Peace. Through her ongoing efforts, she seeks to inspire a new generation of individuals to treat the natural world with the same profound respect and deep sense of interconnectedness that has guided her own remarkable life.

Humanism, Arts and Sciences

Goodall, Jane. "The Importance of Loving and Understanding the Natural World." Templeton Prize Foundation, 31 May 2021. Web. 16 Sept. 2023.

Jane Goodall


Theme: Love

About Jane Goodall’s Quotation [Commentary]

Jane Goodall’s quote, “We are part of the natural world, and we need to understand our place in it and learn to live in harmony with nature,” highlights our deep connection to the environment. She reminds us that we are not separate from nature, and this understanding brings a sense of responsibility. By recognizing our role in the ecosystem, we can begin to live in a way that respects and protects the natural world rather than exploiting it.

In her expanded thoughts, Goodall emphasizes the importance of both science and spirituality in guiding our relationship with nature. While science helps us understand how ecosystems function, a spiritual connection fosters a sense of love and respect that leads to care and protection. This bond with nature encourages us to act responsibly, making us less likely to cause harm when we view the world with reverence.

Goodall also suggests that love for the natural world is not just a feeling but a motivation for action. Love compels us to protect what we value, urging us to use our knowledge for the benefit of both humanity and the environment. In doing so, we nurture a relationship where both the Earth and its people can flourish in harmony, driven by a genuine care for the world around us.

Additional Jane Goodall Quotes

“I believe that all living things are interconnected, and that we have a responsibility to care for all of them. We are all part of one big family, and we need to learn to live together in harmony.”

—Goodall, Jane. “The Importance of Compassion for All Living Things.” Jane Goodall Institute, n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2023.

“We need to change our ways of thinking and living. We need to move from a culture of consumerism and exploitation to a culture of sustainability and reverence for life.”

—Goodall, Jane.”The Importance of Sustainable Living.” Jane Goodall Institute, n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2023.