Isaac Asimov Quotes

And so after three years of a war which was certainly the most unfought war on record, the Republic of Korell surrendered unconditionally, and Hober Mallow took his place next to Hari Seldon and Salvor Hardin in the hearts of the people of the Foundation.

History was interesting to the extent that it was catastrophic and, while that might make absorbing viewing, it made horrible living.

Mire számít? Háziasszony-lázadásra talán? Ribilliórra? Hogy a mészárosok meg a szatócsok hirtelen fölkelnek, s húsvágó bárdjaikkal meg kenyérvágó késeikkel hadonászva, kórusban fognak kiabálni, hogy "adjátok vissza nekünk szuperautomata atommosógépeinket"?

Your bunch here is a perfect example of what's been wrong with the entire Galaxy for thousands of years. What kind of science is it to be stuck out here for centuries classifying the work of scientists of the last millennium? Have you ever thought of working onward, extending their knowledge and improving upon it? No! You're quite happy to stagnate. The whole Galaxy is, and has been for Space knows how long. That's why the Periphery is revolting; that's why communications are breaking down; that's why petty wars are becoming eternal; that's why whole systems are losing atomic power and going back to barbarous techniques of chemical power. 'If you ask me,' he cried, 'the Galaxy is going to pot!

People say 'It's as plain as the noise on your face.' But how much of the nose on your face can you see, unless someone hold a mirror up to you?

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.

...podemos afirmar que hacia 350 a.C. ningún científico dudaba ya de que la Tierra fuese una esfera. Desde entonces, este concepto ha sido admitido en todo momento por cualquier hombre culto del mundo occidental.

Science fiction writers foresee the inevitable, and although problems and catastrophes may be inevitable, solutions are not.

Your emotions are, of course, only the children of your background and are not to be condemned - merely changed.

"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds the most discoveries, is not "Eureka!" (I found it!) but 'That's funny..."

El hombre más irreversiblemente estúpido es aquel que ignora su sabiduría.

Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, and here they are: 1. A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

When you write a short story ... you had better know the ending first. The end of a story is only the end to the reader. To the writer, it's the beginning. If you don't know exactly where you're going every minute you're writing, you'll never get there — or anywhere.

Get this,' the trader spoke forcefully and earnestly, 'there are five or six fat slobs who usually run an average planet. They get the rabbit punch, but I'm not losing peace of mind over them. See. The people? The ordinary run of guys? Sure, some get killed, and the rest pay extra taxes for a while. But it settles itself out; it runs itself down. And then it's the old situation again with a different five or six.

Yeah! Susie herself. That robot's a mathematical wiz. He knows all about everything plus a bit on the side. He does triple integrals in his head and eats up tensor analysis for dessert.