There is hopeful symbolism in the fact that flags do not wave in a vacuum.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Religion is a byproduct of fear. For much of human history, it may have been a necessary evil, but why was it more evil than necessary? Isn’t killing people in the name of God a pretty good definition of insanity?
—Arthur C. Clarke
I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Only feeble minds are paralyzed by facts.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Facts
I don’t pretend we have all the answers. But the questions are certainly worth thinking about.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Questioning, Thinking
When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Possibilities, Science
Every revolutionary idea seems to evoke three stages of reaction. They may be summed up by the phrases: (1) It’s completely impossible. (2) It’s possible, but it’s not worth doing. (3) I said it was a good idea all along.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Ideas
Our lifetime may be the last that will be lived out in a technological society.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Scientists, Science
It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Intelligence, Survival, Values, Intellectuals
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Vision, Technology, Magic
The only way to discover the limits of the possible
is to go beyond them to the impossible.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Discover, Achievement, Possibilities, Discovery, Potential
It may be that the old astrologers had the truth exactly reversed, when they believed that the stars controlled the destinies of men. The time may come when men control the destinies of stars.
—Arthur C. Clarke
The greatest tragedy in mankind’s entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Morality
How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.
—Arthur C. Clarke
The best measure of a man’s honesty isn’t his income tax return. It’s the zero adjust on his bathroom scale.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Honesty
In the long run, there are no secrets. in science. The universe will not cooperate in a cover-up.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Secrets
This is the first age that’s ever paid much attention to the future, which is a little ironic since we may not have one.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Future
People go through four stages before any revolutionary development:
1. It’s nonsense, don’t waste my time.
2. It’s interesting, but not important.
3. I always said it was a good idea.
4. I thought of it first.
—Arthur C. Clarke
Topics: Change
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