When, however, the lay public rallies round an idea that is denounced by distinguished but elderly scientists and supports that idea with great fervor and emotion - the distinguished but elderly scientists are then, after all, probably right. Isaac Asimov More Quotes by Isaac Asimov More Quotes From Isaac Asimov You show me someone who can't understand people and I'll show you someone who has built up a false image of himself. Isaac Asimov show-me shows people If you suspect that my interest in the Bible is going to inspire me with sudden enthusiasm for Judaism and make me a convert of mountain-moving fervor and that I shall suddenly grow long earlocks and learn Hebrew and go about denouncing the heathen - you little know the effect of the Bible on me. Properly read, it is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived. Isaac Asimov inspire long moving Despite all that education and experience can do, I retain a certain level of unsophistication that I cannot eradicate and that my friends find amusing. In fact, I think I sometimes detect conspiratorial plottings among my friends to protect me against my own lack of sophistication. I don't mind. I suspect that I am never quite as unsophisticated as they think I am, but I don't mind. Isaac Asimov mind facts thinking I expect death to be nothingness and, for removing me from all possible fears of death, I am thankful to atheism. Isaac Asimov atheism atheist religion If we only obey those rules that we think are just and reasonable, then no rule will stand, for there is no rule that some will not think is unjust and unreasonable. Isaac Asimov unreasonable unjust thinking The Bible contains legendary, historical, and ethical contents. It is quite possible to consider them separately, and one doesn't have to accept the legends in order to get the ethics. Fundamentalists make a grave mistake to insist on the letter of the writings, because they drive away many who can't swallow the Adam-and-Eve bit. Isaac Asimov mistake writing order There is an art to science, and a science in art; the two are not enemies, but different aspects of the whole. Isaac Asimov two enemy art When asked for advice by beginners. Know your ending, I say, or the river of your story may finally sink into the desert sands and never reach the sea. Isaac Asimov sea rivers advice I prefer rationalism to atheism. The question of God and other objects-of-faith are outside reason and play no part in rationalism, thus you don't have to waste your time in either attacking or defending. Isaac Asimov waste atheism play 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 atheist spiritual fear Any planet is 'Earth' to those that live on it. Isaac Asimov planets earth Suppose we were to teach creationism. What would be the content of the teaching? Merely that a creator formed the universe and all species of life ready-made? Nothing more? No details? Isaac Asimov details teaching would-be I have never, in all my life, not for one moment, been tempted toward religion of any kind. The fact is that I feel no spiritual void. I have my philosophy of life, which does not include any aspect of the supernatural and which I find totally satisfying. I am, in short, a rationalist and believe only that which reason tells me is so. Isaac Asimov atheist spiritual philosophy Words are a pretty fuzzy substitute for mathematical equations. Isaac Asimov fuzzy mathematical-equations substitutes Many a prophecy, by the mere force of its being believed, is transmuted to fact. Isaac Asimov law-of-attraction positive facts Every period of human development has had its own particular type of human conflict---its own variety of problem that, apparently, could be settled only by force. And each time, frustratingly enough, force never really settled the problem. Instead, it persisted through a series of conflicts, then vanished of itself---what's the expression---ah, yes, 'not with a bang, but a whimper,' as the economic and social environment changed. And then, new problems, and a new series of wars. Isaac Asimov bangs expression war All the suffering that humanity ever knew can be traced to the one fact that no man in the history of the Galaxy ... could really understand one another. Every human being lived behind an impenetrable wall of choking mist within which no other but he existed. Isaac Asimov wall loneliness men Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It's the transition that's troublesome. Isaac Asimov depressing sympathy death 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 boredom sleep death Suppose that we are wise enough to learn and know - and yet not wise enough to control our learning and knowledge, so that we use it to destroy ourselves? Even if that is so, knowledge remains better than ignorance. Isaac Asimov ignorance wisdom wise
