Pascal's maxim

Man is only a reed, the weakest in nature, but he is a thinking reed. 

There is no need for the whole universe to take up arms to crush him: a vapour, a drop of water is enough to kill him. But even if the universe were to crush him, man would still be nobler than his slayer, because he knows that he is dying and the advantage the universe has over him. 

The universe knows none of this. Thus all our dignity consists in thought.