Isaac Asimov

I stand four-square for reason, and object to what seems to me to be irrationality, whatever the source. If you are on my side in this, I must warn you that the army of the night has the advantage of overwhelming numbers, and, by its very nature, is immune to reason, so that it is entirely unlikely that you and I can win out. We will always remain a tiny and probably hopeless minority, but let us never tire of presenting our view, and of fighting the good fight for the right.

I wanted to be a psychological engineer, but we lacked the facilities, so I did the next best thing - I went into politics. It's practically the same thing.

The laws of history are as absolute as the laws of physics, and if the probabilities of error are greater, it is only because history does not deal with as many humans as physics does atoms, so that individual variations count for more.

The easiest way to solve a problem is to deny it exists.

You can prove anything you want by coldly logical reason---if you pick the proper postulates.

It's your fiction that interests me. Your studies of the interplay of human motives and emotion.

The human mind works at low efficiency. Twenty percent is the figure usually given. When, momentarily, there is a flash of greater power, it is termed a hunch, or insight, or intuition.

The energy requirements for interstellar travel are so great that it is inconceivable to me that any creatures piloting their ships across the vast depths of space would do so only in order to play games with us over a period of decades. If they want to make contact, they would make contact; if not, they would save their energy and go elsewhere.

I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them.

It was obvious that bigotry was never a one-way operation, that hatred bred hatred!

Education isn't something you can finish

A scientist is as weak and human as any man, but the pursuit of science may ennoble him even against his will.

The significant chemicals of living tissue are rickety and unstable, which is exactly what is needed for life.

All sorts of computer errors are now turning up. You'd be surprised to know the number of doctors who claim they are treating pregnant men.

It is the obvious which is so difficult to see most of the time. People say 'It's as plain as the nose on your face.' But how much of the nose on your face can you see, unless someone holds a mirror up to you?

It is remarkable, Hardin, how the religion of science has grabbed hold.

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.

It was childish to feel disappointed, but childishness comes almost as naturally to a man as to a child.

All normal life, Peter, consciously or otherwise, resent domination. If the domination is by an inferior, or by a supposed inferior, the resentment becomes stronger.

Naturally, there's got to be a limit for I don't expect to live forever, but I do intend to hang on as long as possible.

There is no Master but the Master,” he said, “and QT-1 is his prophet.