Science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom - Quote Investigator® (2024)

Isaac Asimov?

Dear citation researcher:Science has been extremely successful in making impressive discoveries. But humanity's foresight and judgment have been sorely tested by the new insights and capabilities that have emerged. A prominent science fiction writer said:

Science accumulates knowledge faster than society accumulates wisdom.

Could you please help me identify the author of this statement, along with a quote?

Quote researcher:In 1988, Isaac Asimov and Jason A. Shulman published "Isaac Asimov's Book of Science and Nature Quotations". The work contained 86 chapters, each beginning with a quote from Asimov. The motto for the "Science and Society" section was as follows. Fat added to extract fromQI:[1]1988, Isaac Asimov's Book of Science and Nature Quotations, edited by Isaac Asimov and Jason A. Shulman, Chapter 72: Science and Society, (Quote appears as chapter heading), Quote page...read more

The saddest aspect of life right now is that science is accumulating knowledge faster than society is accumulating wisdom.
ISAAC ASIMOV

Below are additional selected quotes in chronological order.

In 2006, "The Mammoth Book of Zingers, Quips and One-Liners" included the topic "Wisdom", which included an entry for the quote mentioning Asimov.[2]2006 (Kompileret 2004), The Mammoth Book of Zingers, Quips and One-Liners: Over 8.000 Gems of Wit and Wisdom, One-Liners and Wisecracks, samengesteld door Geoff Tibballs, Emne: Wisdom, Citat Side 562, ...read more

Also in 2006, the comment appeared in the Reader's Digest Association's "Treasury of Wit & Wisdom", with an attribution to Asimov.[3]2006, Treasury of Wit & Wisdom: 4,000 of the Funniest, Smartest, and Most Insightful Things Ever Said, compiled by Jeff Bredenberg, subject: Scientific Endeavor, Quote Page 146, The Reader's Digest...read more

In 2011, in "Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100", Michio Kaku printed a slightly modified version of the statement, replacing "society" with "life":[4]2011, Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100 door Michio Kaku (professor i teoretisk fysik, City University of New York), kapitel 8:...read more

In our society, wisdom is hard to find. As Isaac Asimov once said:“The saddest aspect of society right now is that science is accumulating knowledge faster than society is accumulating wisdom.”Unlike information, it cannot be delivered through blogs and internet chats. While we are drowning in a sea of ​​information, wisdom is the most valuable commodity in modern society.

In conclusion, Isaac Asimov deserves credit for the comment he published in 1988. There have also been variant explanations in circulation.

(Many thanks to the Twitter user who included this comment in their profile. This inspired QI to formulate this question and conduct this exploration.)

References

References
↑1 1988, Isaac Asimov's Book of Science and Nature Quotations, edited by Isaac Asimov and Jason A. Shulman, Chapter 72: Science and Society, (Quotation appears as chapter heading), Quotation page 281, A Blue Cliff Editions Book: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, New York. (Verified with scans; Internet Archive)
↑2 2006 (compiled 2004), The Mammoth Book of Zingers, Quips and One-Liners: Over 8,000 Gems of Wit and Wisdom, One-Liners and Wisecracks, compiled by Geoff Tibballs, Subject: Wisdom, Quote Page 562, Carroll & Graf Publishers , New York. (Verified with scans)
↑3 2006, Treasury of Wit & Wisdom: 4,000 of the Funniest, Smartest, Most Insightful Things Ever Said, compiled by Jeff Bredenberg, subject: Scientific Endeavor, Quote Page 146, The Reader's Digest Association, Pleasantville, New York. (Verified with scans)
↑4 2011, Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100 door Michio Kaku (hoogleraar theoretische natuurkunde, City University of New York), Kapitel 8: Future of Humanity: Planetary Civilization, Citat Side 350 , Doubleday, New York. (Verificeret medische scanner)
Science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom - Quote Investigator® (2024)

FAQs

Science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom - Quote Investigator®? ›

“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” ~Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov (/ˈæzɪmɒv/ AZ-ih-mov; c. January 2, 1920 – April 6, 1992) was an American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. During his lifetime, Asimov was considered one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers, along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Isaac_Asimov
, Isaac Asimov's Book of Science and Nature Quotations, 1988 A quote from a man who knew more about our society today than we do now.

What does the saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom mean? ›

As Isaac Asimov once said, “The saddest aspect of society right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” Unlike information, it cannot be dispensed via blogs and Internet chatter. Since we are drowning in an ocean of information, the most precious commodity in modern society is wisdom.

What did Isaac Asimov say about science fiction? ›

Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today - but the core of science fiction, its essence has become crucial to our salvation if we are to be saved at all.

What are some quotes from Asimov's books? ›

Any planet is 'Earth' to those that live on it. Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. 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... Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is.

What did Isaac Asimov believe in? ›

However, Asimov gravitated to more humanist beliefs from an early age, and as an adult identified vocally with atheism until his death in 1992. On the one hand, Asimov became one of pop culture's most prominent atheists; and on the other, he was open and proud of his Jewish heritage.

Who said science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom? ›

“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” ~Isaac Asimov, Isaac Asimov's Book of Science and Nature Quotations, 1988 A quote from a man who knew more about our society today than we do now.

Does science make our lives better? ›

Science and technology have made our lives easier by providing knowledge, tools, and ideas that help solve problems and improve efficiency in various aspects of life. Science and technology have made our lives easier through advancements in various fields such as medicine, communication, transportation, and automation.

What was the IQ of Isaac Asimov? ›

“Asimov had to take an IQ test during his days in the army. He scored a 160 where everyone else didn't score over a 100. Asimov didn't get any promotion or anything because the IQ tested how book smart he was and those skills aren't needed as much for the army.”

What is Isaac Asimov most famous for? ›

His most famous works were the Foundation trilogy and I, Robot, in which he introduced his famous “Three Laws of Robotics.” On their face, the laws are meant to be rules for controlling technology. Asimov, however, used them to explore the unintended consequences of technology, and how humanity could overcome them.

What is the most exciting phrase to hear in science? ›

Isaac Asimov once said “The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka! ' but 'That's funny…'” “That's funny…” is the sound of something catching in your brain. A contradiction, an anomaly, just plain weird: something doesn't fit what you expected.

What is the quote about AI importance? ›

  • “Artificial intelligence is not a substitute for human intelligence; it is a tool to amplify human creativity and ingenuity.”
  • “I believe AI is going to change the world more than anything in the history of humanity.
Jul 25, 2023

What Isaac Asimov can teach us about AI? ›

The humanity of Asimov's robots—a streak that emerges again and again in spite of the laws that shackle them—might just be the the key to understanding them. What AI picks up, in the end, is a desire for us, our pains and pleasures; it wants to be like us. There's something hopeful about that, in a way.

What are 5 quotes of Mark Twain? ›

More Quotes by Mark Twain
  • Self. We can secure other people's approval if we do right and try hard; but our own is worth a hundred of it, and no way has been found out of securing that.
  • Adversity. By trying we can easily learn to endure adversity. ...
  • Alcohol. Water taken in moderation cannot hurt anybody.
  • Faults. ...
  • Writing.

What are the three laws Isaac Asimov? ›

A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

What does Asimov think about how we get ideas? ›

Echoing Einstein and Seneca, Asimov believes that new ideas come from combining things together. Steve Jobs thought the same thing. What if the same earth-shaking idea occurred to two men, simultaneously and independently? Perhaps, the common factors involved would be illuminating.

What can we learn from Isaac Asimov? ›

Never Stop Learning

If anything besides sheer productivity defined Asimov, it was a thirst for knowledge. He simply never stopped learning, and with that attitude, he grew into a mental giant who was more than once accused of “knowing everything”: Nothing goes to waste, if you're determined to learn.

How does science affect your life right now? ›

Basic science fuels advances in technology, and technological innovations affect our lives in many ways everyday. Because of science, we have complex devices like cars, X-ray machines, computers, and phones. But the technologies that science has in- spired include more than just hi-tech machines.

What is the impact on our everyday lives or on the advancement of science? ›

Your digital alarm clock, the weather report, the asphalt you drive on, the bus you ride in, your decision to eat a baked potato instead of fries, your cell phone, the antibiotics that treat your sore throat, the clean water that comes from your faucet, and the light that you turn off at the end of the day have all ...

What does science is the father of knowledge mean? ›

"Science is the father of knowledge" declares that scientific inquiry, with its systematic and evidence-based approach, holds a primordial role in the generation and expansion of human understanding.

How has science done more harm than good to the society? ›

The debate on whether science has done more harm than good often revolves around topics like environmental impact, ethical concerns, and unintended consequences of technological advancements. Those arguing for the motion might emphasize issues like nuclear weapons, pollution, or loss of privacy due to surveillance.

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