The ethics of reverence for life makes no distinction between higher and lower, more precious and less precious lives. It has good reasons for this omission. For what are we doing, when we establish hard and fast gradations in value between living organisms, but judging them in relation to ourselves, by whether they seem to stand closer to us or farther from us. This is a wholly subjective standard. How can we know what importance other living organisms have in themselves and in terms of the universe?

He also studied piano at that time with Marie Jaëll. Schweitzer also studied piano under Isidor Philipp head of the piano department at the Paris Conservatory. Schweitzer's interpretative approach greatly influenced the modern understanding of Bach's music.

Schweitzer a Lutheran challenged both the secular view of Jesus as depicted by historical-critical methodology current at his time in certain academic circles as well as the traditional Christian view. As a music scholar and organist he studied the music of German composer Johann Sebastian Bach and influenced the Organ reform movement (Orgelbewegung). He was born in Kaysersberg in the province of Alsace-Lorraine at that time part of the German Empire.