Humanity is cutting down its forests, apparently oblivious to the fact that we may not be able to live without them. Isaac Asimov More Quotes by Isaac Asimov More Quotes From Isaac Asimov Congratulations on the new library, because it isn't just a library. It is a space ship that will take you to the farthest reaches of the Universe, a time machine that will take you to the far past and the far future, a teacher that knows more than any human being, a friend that will amuse you and console you-and most of all, a gateway, to a better and happier and more useful life. Isaac Asimov congratulationswritingteacher He always pictured himself a libertarian, which to my way of thinking means "I want the liberty to grow rich and you can have the liberty to starve". It's easy to believe that no one should depend on society for help when you yourself happen not to need such help. Isaac Asimov meanbelievethinking It is no defense of superstition and pseudoscience to say that it brings solace and comfort to people. . . . If solace and comfort are how we judge the worth of something, then consider that tobacco brings solace and comfort to smokers; alcohol brings it to drinkers; drugs of all kinds bring it to addicts; the fall of cards and the run of horses bring it to gamblers; cruelty and violence bring it to sociopaths. Judge by solace and comfort only and there is no behavior we ought to interfere with. Isaac Asimov horserunningfall Isn't it sad that you can tell people that the ozone layer is being depleted, the forests are being cut down, the deserts are advancing steadily, that the greenhouse effect will raise the sea level 200 feet, that overpopulation is choking us, that pollution is killing us, that nuclear war may destroy us - and they yawn and settle back for a comfortable nap. But tell them that the Martians are landing, and they scream and run. Isaac Asimov cuttingrunningwar Increasingly, our leaders must deal with dangers that threaten the entire world, where an understanding of those dangers and the possible solutions depends on a good grasp of science. The ozone layer, the greenhouse effect, acid rain, questions of diet and heredity. All require scientific literacy. Can Americans choose the proper leaders and support the proper programs if they themselves are scientifically illiterate? The whole premise of democracy is that it is safe to leave important questions to the court of public opinion - but is it safe to leave them to the court of public ignorance? Isaac Asimov ignorancerainscience There seems to be a feeling that anything that is natural is good. Strychnine is natural. Isaac Asimov naturenaturalfeelings You don't need to predict the future. Just choose a future -- a good future, a useful future -- and make the kind of prediction that will alter human emotions and reactions in such a way that the future you predicted will be brought about. Better to make a good future than predict a bad one. Isaac Asimov futurewayneeds Why continue? Because we must. Because we have the call. Because it is nobler to fight for rationality without winning than to give up in the face of continued defeats. Because whatever true progress humanity makes is through the rationality of the occasional individual and because any one individual we may win for the cause may do more for humanity than a hundred thousand who hug their superstitions to their breast. Isaac Asimov giving-upfightingwinning The tyranny that now exists is actual. That which may exist in the future is potential. If we are always to draw back from change with the thought that the change may be for the worse, then there is no hope at all of ever escaping injustice. Isaac Asimov escapingtyrantsmay Jokes of the proper kind, properly told, can do more to enlighten questions of politics, philosophy, and literature than any number of dull arguments. Isaac Asimov wisenumbersphilosophy I made up my mind long ago to follow one cardinal rule in all my writing-to be clear. I have given up all thought of writing poetically or symbolically or experimentally, or in any of the other modes that might (if I were good enough) get me a Pulitzer prize. I would write merely clearly and in this way establish a warm relationship between myself and my readers, and the professional critics-Well, they can do whatever they wish. Isaac Asimov long-agomindwriting Man's greatest asset is the unsettled mind. Isaac Asimov mindmenscience There is no belief, however foolish, that will not gather its faithful adherents who will defend it to the death. Isaac Asimov faithsciencedeath Robots will neither be common nor very good in 2014, but they will be in existence. Isaac Asimov robotsexistencecommon The greatest weapons in the conquest of knowledge are an understanding mind and the inexorable curiosity that drives it on. Isaac Asimov curiosityunderstandingmind I wish that I could say I was optimistic about the human race. I love us all, but we are so stupid and shortsighted that I wonder if we can lift our eyes to the world about us long enough not to commit suicide. Isaac Asimov eyesuicidestupid I am not a speed reader. I am a speed understander. Isaac Asimov inspirationallifescience The great secret of the successful fool is that he's no fool at all Isaac Asimov foolsuccessfulsecret I figure that if God actually does exist, he is big enough to understand an honest difference of opinion. Isaac Asimov opiniondifferencesdoe I am an atheist, out and out. It took me a long time to say it. Isaac Asimov atheismatheistlong
