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Isaac Asimov Quotes
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Isaac Asimov was a Jewish-American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. He was known for his works of science fiction and popular science. Asimov was a prolific writer, and wrote or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards. His books have been published in 9 of the 10 major categories of the Dewey Decimal Classification.

Asimov wrote hard science fiction and, along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, he was considered one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers during his lifetime. Asimov's most famous work is the Foundation Series; his other major series are the Galactic Empire series and the Robot series. The Galactic Empire novels are explicitly set in earlier history of the same fictional universe as the Foundation series. Later, beginning with Foundation's Edge, he linked this distant future to the Robot and Spacer stories, creating a unified "future history" for his stories much like those pioneered by Robert A. Heinlein and previously produced by Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson. He wrote hundreds of short stories, including the social science fiction novelette "Nightfall", which in 1964 was voted by the Science Fiction Writers of America the best short science fiction story of all time. Asimov wrote the Lucky Starr series of juvenile science-fiction novels using the pen name Paul French.

Asimov also wrote mysteries and fantasy, as well as much nonfiction. Most of his popular science books explain scientific concepts in a historical way, going as far back as possible to a time when the science in question was at its simplest stage. He often provides nationalities, birth dates, and death dates for the scientists he mentions, as well as etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Examples include Guide to Science, the three-volume set Understanding Physics, and Asimov's Chronology of Science and Discovery, as well as works on astronomy, mathematics, history, William Shakespeare's writing, and chemistry.

Asimov was a long-time member and vice president of Mensa International, albeit reluctantly; he described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs". He took more joy in being president of the American Humanist Association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, a crater on the planet Mars, a Brooklyn elementary school, and a literary award are named in his honor.

✵ 1920 – 6. April 1992
Isaac Asimov photo
Isaac Asimov: 303   quotes 30   likes

Isaac Asimov Quotes

““Ponyets! They sent you?”
“Pure chance,” said Ponyets, bitterly, “or the work of my own personal malevolent demon.””

Isaac Asimov

Part IV, The Traders, section 3
The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation (1951)

Chance , Personality

“It’s a poor atom blaster that won’t point both ways.”

Isaac Asimov

Part V, The Merchant Princes, section 18
The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation (1951)

Way

“The foundation of all technology is fire.”

Isaac Asimov book Asimov's Chronology of the World

Asimov's Chronology of the World (1991), p. 11
General sources

“If you're going to write a story, avoid contemporary references. They date a story and they have no staying power.”

Isaac Asimov book Buy Jupiter and Other Stories

Buy Jupiter and Other Stories (1975), p. 134
General sources

“Surely there is no language more majestic than that of Shakespeare, Milton, and the King James Bible, and if I am to have one language that I know as only a native can know it, I consider myself unbelievably fortunate that it is English.”

Isaac Asimov book Before the Golden Age

Before the Golden Age (1974), Vol. 1, p. 5 of the 1975 Orbit edition
General sources

“To him, a stilted geometric love of arrangement was “system,” an indefatigable and feverish interest in the pettiest facets of day-to-day bureaucracy was “industry,” indecision when right was “caution,” and blind stubbornness when wrong, “determination.””

Isaac Asimov

Source: The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation and Empire (1952), Chapter 12 “Captain and Mayor”

Love , Indecision

“The history of science is full of revolutionary advances that required small insights that anyone might have had, but that, in fact, only one person did.”

Isaac Asimov

"The Three Numbers" in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine (September 1974); reprinted in More Tales of the Black Widowers (1976)
General sources

History , Science , Personality

“In my fiction I am careful to make everything probable and to tie up all loose ends. Real life is not hampered by such considerations.”

Isaac Asimov book Puzzles of the Black Widowers

Puzzles of the Black Widowers (1984), p. 132
General sources

Life

“Books … hold within them the gathered wisdom of humanity, the collected knowledge of the world's thinkers, the amusement and excitement built up by the imaginations of brilliant people. Books contain humor, beauty, wit, emotion, thought, and, indeed, all of life. Life without books is empty.”

Isaac Asimov book Puzzles of the Black Widowers

Puzzles of the Black Widowers (1990), pp. 74-75
General sources

Life , Wisdom , People , Books

“It seems an uncommonly woundabout and hopelessly wigmawolish method of getting anywheahs.”

Isaac Asimov

Part II, The Encyclopedists, section 4
The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation (1951)

“You wait for the war to happen like vultures. If you want to help, prevent the war. Don't save the remnants. Save them all.”

Isaac Asimov book The Gentle Vultures

"The Gentle Vultures" in Super-Science Fiction (December 1957)
General sources

War , Waiting , Help

“Milton Ashe is not the type to marry a head of hair and a pair of eyes.”

Isaac Asimov book I, Robot

“Liar!”, p. 89
I, Robot (1950)

“If you were to insist I was a robot, you might not consider me capable of love in some mystic human sense, but you would not be able to distinguish my reactions from that which you would call love — so what difference would it make?”

Isaac Asimov

Source: The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation’s Edge (1982), Chapter 20 “Conclusion” section 4, p. 420

Love , Sense

“I recognize the necessity of animal experiments with my mind but not with my heart.”

Isaac Asimov

"Doctor, Doctor, Cut My Throat" (August 1972), in The Tragedy of the Moon (1973), p. 153
General sources

Heart , Animals

“It was easy to cover up ignorance by the mystical word “intuition.””

Isaac Asimov

Source: The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation’s Edge (1982), Chapter 18 “Collision” section 4, p. 377

“Asimov: Well, I liked Star Wars. I thought Battlestar Galactica was such a close imitation of Star Wars, emphasizing the less attractive portions, that I was a little impatient with it.”

Isaac Asimov

An Interview with Isaac Asimov (1979)

War , Star

“Titles are an important part of a story and I take considerable care in choosing one. In fact, I cannot start a story until I have chosen a title.”

Isaac Asimov book Banquets of the Black Widowers

Banquets of the Black Widowers (1984), p. 27
General sources

Parting

“Tritt listened placidly, clearly understanding nothing, but content to be listening; while Odeen, transmitting nothing, was as clearly content to be lecturing.”

Isaac Asimov book The Gods Themselves

Section 2 “...the gods themselves...”, Chapter 1b, p. 82
The Gods Themselves (1972)

Understanding

“Why, Stephen, if I am right, it means that the Machine is conducting our future for us not only simply in direct answer to our direct questions, but in general answer to the world situation and to human psychology as a whole. And to know that may make us unhappy and may hurt our pride. The Machine cannot, must not, make us unhappy.
"Stephen, how do we know what the ultimate good of Humanity will entail? We haven't at our disposal the infinite factors that the Machine has at its! Perhaps, to give you a not unfamiliar example, our entire technical civilization has created more unhappiness and misery than it has removed. Perhaps an agrarian or pastoral civilization, with less culture and less people would be better. If so, the Machines must move in that direction, preferably without telling us, since in our ignorant prejudices we only know that what we are used to, is good—and we would then fight change. Or perhaps a complete urbanization, or a completely caste-ridden society, or complete anarchy, is the answer. We don't know. Only the Machines know, and they are going there and taking us with them."
"But you are telling me, Susan, that the 'Society for Humanity' is right; and that Mankind has lost its own say in its future."
"It never had any, really. It was always at the mercy of economic and sociological forces it did not understand—at the whims of climate, and the fortunes of war. Now the Machines understand them; and no one can stop them, since the Machines will deal with them as they are dealing with the Society,—having, as they do, the greatest of weapons at their disposal, the absolute control of our economy."
"How horrible!”

Isaac Asimov book I, Robot

"Perhaps how wonderful! Think, that for all time, all conflicts are finally evitable. Only the Machines, from now on, are inevitable!"
“The Evitable Conflict”, p. 192
I, Robot (1950)

War , People , World , Understanding

“Korell is that frequent phenomenon in history: the republic whose ruler has every attribute of the absolute monarch but the name. It therefore enjoyed the usual despotism unrestrained even by those two moderating influences in the legitimate monarchies: regal “honor” and court etiquette.”

Isaac Asimov

Part V, The Merchant Princes, section 4
The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation (1951)

History

“Where any answer is possible, all answers are meaningless.”

Isaac Asimov book The Road to Infinity

The Road to Infinity (1979), p. 170
General sources

“All life is nucleic acid; the rest is commentary”

Isaac Asimov book The Relativity of Wrong

"The Relativity of Wrong" (1988) - "Beginning with Bone" (May 1987)
General sources

Life

“There is more to a science fiction story than the science it contains. There is also the story.”

Isaac Asimov

Robot Dreams (1986), introduction
General sources

Science

“The military mind remains unparalleled as a vehicle of creative stupidity.”

Isaac Asimov book In Memory Yet Green

In Memory Yet Green (1979), p. 461
General sources

Stupidity

“Asimov: Science fiction always bases its future visions on changes in the levels of science and technology. And the reason for that consistency is simply that—in reality—all other changes throughout history have been irrelevant and trivial. For example, what difference did it make to the people of the ancient world that Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire? Obviously, that event made some difference to a lot of individuals. But if you look at humanity in general, you'll see that life went on pretty much as it had before the conquest.
On the other hand, consider the changes that were made in people's daily lives by the development of agriculture or the mariner's compass… and by the invention of gunpowder or printing. Better yet, look at recent history and ask yourself, "What difference would it have made if Hitler had won World War II?" Of course, such a victory would have made a great difference to many people. It would have resulted in much horror, anguish, and pain. I myself would probably not have survived.
But Hitler would have died eventually, and the effects of his victory would gradually have washed out and become insignificant—in terms of real change—when compared to such advances as the actual working out of nuclear power, the advent of television, or the invention of the jet plane.”

Isaac Asimov

Mother Earth News interview (1980)

Life , Pain , War , People

“Weisinger, a couple of years ago, made up the following story: "Isaac Asimov was asked how Superman could fly faster than the speed of light, which was supposed to be an absolute limit. To this Asimov replied, 'That the speed of light is a limit is a theory; that Superman can travel faster than light is a fact.'"
I assure you it never happened and I never said it, but it will be repeated, I am quite certain, indefinitely, and it will probably be found in Bartlett's quotations a century from now, attributed to me, after all my writings have been forgotten.”

Isaac Asimov

"Science Fiction, 1938" Nebula Winners 14 (1980) edited by Frederick J. Pohl, p. 97
General sources

Travel , Light , Speed , Flying

“I believe that only scientists can understand the universe. It is not so much that I have confidence in scientists being right, but that I have so much in nonscientists being wrong.”

Isaac Asimov

Quasar, Quasar, Burning Bright (1978), p. 235
General sources

Confidence , Understanding , Universe

“I suppose he’s entitled to his opinion, but I don’t suppose it very hard.”

Isaac Asimov

“Seven Steps to Grand Master” in Nebula Awards 22 (1988), edited by George Zebrowski
General sources

“I wouldn't give an astrologer the time of day.”

Isaac Asimov book In Memory Yet Green

In Memory Yet Green (Avon Books, 1979), p. 18
General sources

Time

“He is energetic only in evading responsibility.”

Isaac Asimov

Part V, The Merchant Princes, section 2
The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation (1951)

“The unwritten motto of United States Robot and Mechanical Men Corp. was well-known: “No employee makes the same mistake twice. He is fired the first time.””

Isaac Asimov book I, Robot

“Catch That Rabbit”, p. 65
I, Robot (1950)

Men , Time

“Just you think first, and don’t bother to speak afterward, either.”

Isaac Asimov book I, Robot

“Catch That Rabbit”, p. 71
I, Robot (1950)

Thinking

“All mankind, right down to those you most despise, are your neighbors.”

Isaac Asimov

"Lost in Non-Translation" (1989), in Magic (Voyager, 1997) p. 270
General sources

““You’re the U. S. Robot’s psychologist, aren’t you?”
“Robopsychologist, please.”
“Oh, are robots so different from men, mentally?”
“Worlds different.” She allowed herself a frosty smile, “Robots are essentially decent.””

Isaac Asimov book I, Robot

“Evidence”, p. 151
I, Robot (1950)

Men , World , Smile

““That was the time to begin all-out preparations for war.”
“On the contrary. That was the time to begin all-out prevention of war.””

Isaac Asimov

Part III, The Mayors, section 1
The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation (1951)

War , Time

“Science is a systematic method for studying and working out those generalizations that seem to describe the behavior of the universe. It could exist as a purely intellectual game that would never affect the practical life of human beings either for good or evil, and that was very nearly the case in ancient Greece, for instance. Technology is the application of scientific findings to the tools of everyday life, and that application can be wise or unwise, useful or harmful. Very often, those who govern technological decisions are not scientists and know little about science.”

Isaac Asimov

"By the Numbers" (May 1973), in The Tragedy of the Moon (1973), p. 190
General sources

Life , Behavior , Game , Decision

“Plowboy: In your opinion, what are mankind's prospects for the near future?
Asimov: To tell the truth, I don't think the odds are very good that we can solve our immediate problems. I think the chances that civilization will survive more than another 30 years—that it will still be flourishing in 2010—are less than 50 percent.
Plowboy: What sort of disaster do you foresee?
Asimov: I imagine that as population continues to increase—and as the available resources decrease—there will be less energy and food, so we'll all enter a stage of scrounging. The average person's only concerns will be where he or she can get the next meal, the next cigarette, the next means of transportation. In such a universal scramble, the Earth will be just plain desolated, because everyone will be striving merely to survive regardless of the cost to the environment. Put it this way: If I have to choose between saving myself and saving a tree, I'm going to choose me.
Terrorism will also become a way of life in a world marked by severe shortages. Finally, some government will be bound to decide that the only way to get what its people need is to destroy another nation and take its goods … by pushing the nuclear button.
And this absolute chaos is going to develop—even if nobody wants nuclear war and even if everybody sincerely wants peace and social justice—if the number of mouths to feed continues to grow. Nothing will be able to stand up against the pressure of the whole of humankind simply trying to stay alive!”

Isaac Asimov

Mother Earth News interview (1980)

Life , War , People , Truth

“Knowledge is indivisible. When people grow wise in one direction, they are sure to make it easier for themselves to grow wise in other directions as well. On the other hand, when they split up knowledge, concentrate on their own field, and scorn and ignore other fields, they grow less wise — even in their own field.”

Isaac Asimov

Source: The Roving Mind (1983), Ch. 25

People , Knowledge

“The facts, gentlemen, and nothing but the facts, for careful eyes are narrowly watching.”

Isaac Asimov book Fact and Fancy

Fact and Fancy (1962), p. 11
General sources

“An atom blaster is a good weapon, but it can point both ways.”

Isaac Asimov

Part V, The Merchant Princes, section 13
The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation (1951)

Way

“SWA Magazine: Talking about spacecraft, what do you think about the shuttle program?
Asimov: Well, I hope it does get off the ground. And I hope they expand it, because the shuttle program is the gateway to everything else. By means of the shuttle, we will be able to build space stations and power stations, laboratory facilities and habitations, and everything else in space.
SWA Magazine: How about orbital space colonies? Do you see these facilities being built or is the government going to cut back on projects like this?
Asimov: Well, now you've put your finger right on it. In order to have all of these wonderful things in space, we don't have to wait for technology - we've got the technology, and we don't have to wait for the know-how - we've got that too. All we need is the political go-ahead and the economic willingness to spend the money that is necessary. It is a little frustrating to think that if people concentrate on how much it is going to cost they will realize the great amount of profit they will get for their investment. Although they are reluctant to spend a few billions of dollars to get back an infinite quantity of money, the world doesn't mind spending $400 billion every years on arms and armaments, never getting anything back from it except a chance to commit suicide.”

Isaac Asimov

An Interview with Isaac Asimov (1979)

Money , People , World , Hope

“It’s one thing to have guts; it’s another to be crazy.”

Isaac Asimov

Source: The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation’s Edge (1982), Chapter 15 “Gaia-S” section 2, p. 302

“You are a valuable subject, Brodrig. You always suspect far more than is necessary, and I have but to take half your suggested precautions to be utterly safe.”

Isaac Asimov

Source: The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation and Empire (1952), Chapter 4 “The Emperor”

“He believes in that mummery a good deal less than I do, and I don’t believe in it at all.”

Isaac Asimov

Part III, The Mayors, section 3
The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation (1951)

“I was once being interviewed by Barbara Walters… In between two of the segments she asked me…"But what would you do if the doctor gave you only six months to live?" I said, "Type faster." This was widely quoted, but the "six months" was changed to "six minutes," which bothered me. It's "six months."”

Isaac Asimov

Asimov Laughs Again (1992)
General sources

Quotes , Change

“Societies create their own history and tend to wipe out lowly beginnings, either by forgetting them or inventing totally fictitious heroic rescues.”

Isaac Asimov

Source: The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation’s Edge (1982), Chapter 17 “Gaia” section 5, p. 363

History , Forgetting

“Miniaturization doesn't actually make sense unless you miniaturize the very atoms of which matter is composed. Otherwise a tiny brain in a man the size of an insect, composed of normal atoms, is composed of too few atoms for the miniaturized man to be any more intelligent than the ant. Also, miniaturizing atoms is impossible according to the rules of quantum mechanics.”

Isaac Asimov

As quoted in Omni's Screen Flights/Screen Fantasies (1984) edited by Danny Peary, p. 5
General sources

Intelligence , Sense

“Were I to use the wits the good Spirits gave me,” he said, “then I would say this lady can not exist — for what sane man would hold a dream to be reality. Yet rather would I not be sane and lend belief to charmed, enchanted eyes.”

Isaac Asimov

Source: The Foundation series (1951–1993), Foundation and Empire (1952), Chapter 13 “Lieutenant and Clown”

Dreams , Reality

“The Law of conservation of energy tells us we can't get something for nothing, but we refuse to believe it.”

Isaac Asimov

Book of Science and Nature Quotations (1988)
General sources

Law

“Science fiction offers its writers chances of embarrassment that no other form of fiction does.”

Isaac Asimov

Robot Dreams (1986), introduction
General sources

Science , Chance