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1. 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. 2. The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible. 3. Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Arthur C. Clarke
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the importance of pushing boundaries and recognizes that advanced technology can seem magical.

Arthur C. Clarke's quote reflects on the nature of scientific understanding and discovery. The first part suggests that respected scientists are likely accurate in their assessment of what is possible, but may misjudge what is impossible. The second part encourages exploration beyond current limits to uncover new possibilities, while the final statement highlights that as technology becomes more advanced, it can appear magical to those who do not understand it. Together, these thoughts inspire innovation and a willingness to challenge perceived limits in science and technology.

Themes

SciencePossibilityInnovationTechnologyExploration

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of scientific innovation.

More from Arthur C. Clarke

Nowhere in space will we rest our eyes upon the familiar shapes of trees and plants, or any of the animals that share our world. Whatsoever life we meet will be as strange and alien as the nightmare creatures of the ocean abyss, or of the insect empire whose horrors are normally hidden from us by their microscopic scale.
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As our own species is in the process of proving, one cannot have superior science and inferior morals. The combination is unstable and self-destroying.
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It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.
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It was the mark of a barbarian to destroy something one could not understand.
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My favorite definition of an intellectual: 'Someone who has been educated beyond his/her intelligence'.
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