Conversations with a Lady on the Plurality of Worlds or Etretiens sur la Pluralité des Mondes (1686) as quoted by Mark Brake, Alien Life Imagined: Communicating the Science and Culture of Astrobiology (2012)
“

Behold a universe so immense that I am lost in it. I no longer know where I am. I am just nothing at all. Our world is terrifying in its insignificance.

— Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Behold a universe so immense that I am lost in it. I no longer know where I am. I am just nothing at all. Our world is terrifying in its insignificance." in the context of "Conversations with a Lady on the Plurality of Worlds or Etretiens sur la Pluralité des Mondes (1686) as quoted by Mark Brake, Alien Life Imagined: Communicating the Science and Culture of Astrobiology (2012)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

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Source: Wikiquote: "Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle" (Quotes) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle

About Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle

Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle (February 11, 1657 – January 9, 1757) also called Bernard Le Bouyer de Fontenelle, was a French author noted especially for his accessible treatment of scientific topics during the unfolding of the Age of Enlightenment.