Isaac Asimov (1920–92) was a Russian-born American writer and scientist. Though he published several serious scientific works, he is mainly celebrated for his works of science fiction and his books on science for non-scientists.
Asimov was born in Petrovich, Russia. His Jewish parents immigrated to the United States when he was three. He took a PhD in chemistry at Columbia University and led a distinguished career as an academic biochemist.
Asimov authored over four hundred books on science, science fiction, history, and humor. As a science-fiction writer, he produced an extraordinary body of work including Foundation (1951,) Foundation and Empire (1952,) Second Foundation (1953,) The Caves of Steel (1954,) The Naked Sun (1957,) and the short stories, which form the collection I, Robot (1950.)
A leading spokesperson for science fiction, Asimov became ubiquitous on television and the lecturing circuit and was a tireless contributor to newspapers and magazines. Often regarded as a scientific seer, he coined the term ‘robotics.’
Asimov’s prominent nonfiction titles include Building Blocks of the Universe (1957,) The Stars in Their Courses (1971,) A Choice of Catastrophes (1979,) and The Exploding Suns: The Secrets of the Supernovas (1985.)
Asimov also published a history of the world, an anthology of humor, a two-volume plain man’s Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare (1970,) and three volumes of autobiography—In Memory Yet Green (1979,) In Joy Still Felt (1980,) and I Asimov: A Memoir (1994, posthumously.) He also wrote space stories for children under the pseudonym Paul French.
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There is nothing frightening about an eternal dreamless sleep. Surely it is better than eternal torment in Hell and eternal boredom in Heaven.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Death
John Dalton’s records, carefully preserved for a century, were destroyed during the World War II bombing of Manchester. It is not only the living who are killed in war.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: War
At two-tenths the speed of light, dust and atoms might not do significant damage even in a voyage of 40 years, but the faster you go, the worse it is—space begins to become abrasive. When you begin to approach the speed of light, hydrogen atoms become cosmic-ray particles, and they will fry the crew. …So 60,000 kilometers per second may be the practical speed limit for space travel.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Space
Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Self-improvement, Progress, Education
No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be….
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Decision
Humanity is cutting down its forests, apparently oblivious to the fact that we may not be able to live without them
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Wilderness
If I were not an atheist, I would believe in a God who would choose to save people on the basis of the totality of their lives and not the pattern of their words. I think he would prefer an honest and righteous atheist to a TV preacher whose every word is God, God, God, and whose every deed is foul, foul, foul.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Atheism
The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.
—Isaac Asimov
There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to brighten it everywhere.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Science
I don’t believe in an afterlife, so I don’t have to spend my whole life fearing hell, or fearing heaven even more. For whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse.
—Isaac Asimov
When asked what he would do if he only had six months to live: Type faster.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Dreams
I … am always glad to touch the living rock again and dip my hand in the high mountain air.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Teamwork, Success & Failure, Women, Mathematics, Legacy
I am not a speed reader. I am a speed understander.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Reading, Books
A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful inquiry that can establish truths of great value.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Values
Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what’s right.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Integrity, Morality, Morals
Science fiction writers foresee the inevitable, and although problems and catastrophes may be inevitable, solutions are not.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Science Fiction
Why is it that you physicists always require so much expensive equipment? Now the Department of Mathematics requires nothing but money for paper, pencils, and erasers…and the Department of Philosophy is better still. It doesn’t even ask for erasers
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Philosophy
We can make inspired guesses, but we don’t know for certain what physical and chemical properties of the planet’s crust, its ocean, and its atmosphere made it so conducive to such a sudden appearance of life …
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Creation
Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right.
—Isaac Asimov
It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be. This, in turn, means that our statesmen, our businessmen, our every man must take on a science fictional way of thinking.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Future, Change
I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Computers
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
—Isaac Asimov
Humanity has the stars in its future, and that future is too important to be lost under the burden of juvenile folly and ignorant superstition.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Future, Humanity, Stars
If knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them.
—Isaac Asimov
An atom-blaster is a good weapon, but it can point both ways.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Weapon
Nothing interferes with my concentration. You could put on an orgy in my office and I wouldn’t look up. Well, maybe once.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Focus, Concentration, Goals
It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Communication, Manners
Though science can cause problems, it is not by ignorance that we will solve them.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Science
Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.
—Isaac Asimov
Although the time of death is approaching me, I am not afraid of dying and going to Hell or (what would be considerably worse) going to the popularized version of Heaven. I expect death to be nothingness and, for removing me from all possible fears of death, I am thankful to atheism.
—Isaac Asimov
Topics: Atheism
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