How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Line)
Quote #7
"Without the human presence it is just a collection of atoms, no different than any other random speck of matter in the universe. It's we who understand it, and we who give it meaning. All our centuries of looking up at the night sky and watching it wander through the stars." (3.6.121)
Sax argues that without humans to give Mars meaning, Mars would have no meaning. It's kind of like have a painting but no one to look at it. What's the value in the painting then?
Quote #8
"Yeah, yeah. But who knows what our kids will think is beautiful? It's sure to be based on what they know, and this place will be the only place they know. So we terraform the planet; but the planet areoforms us." (5.2.141)
As new environments change us, we aren't just altered on the genetic level. Our concepts of art and beauty shift, too.
Quote #9
And below them the round orange floor of Mars looked just as blank as it had on their first approach so long ago, unchanged despite all their meddling. One only had to get far enough away. (6.5.2)
It's like the novel is saying that we shouldn't worry too much about destroying a planet. After all, we're not even ants compared to the big, old thing. On the other hand, just because we don't destroy a planet doesn't mean it'll stay habitable for us either.