The Philosopher
Arthur C. Clarke
The face
The background
- Nationality:
- British
- Schools:
- Hard science fiction, Popular science
- Branchs:
- Science fiction, Science Writing, Futurism, Astronautics
- Period:
- 20th century
The synopsis
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke CBE FRAS (16 December 1917 – 19 March 2008) was an English science fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host. Clarke was a science fiction writer, an avid populariser of space travel, and a futurist of distinguished ability. He wrote many books and many essays for popular magazines. In 1961, he received the Kalinga Prize, a UNESCO award for popularising science. Clarke's science and science fiction writings earned him the moniker "Prophet of the [Space Age](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Age)". His science fiction writings in particular earned him a number of Hugo and Nebula awards, which, along with a large readership, made him one of the towering figures of the genre. For many years, science fiction had a "Big Three", comprising Clarke and American writers Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov. Clarke co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film "2001: A Space Odyssey", widely regarded as one of the most influential films of all time. Clarke was a lifelong proponent of space travel. In 1934, while still a teenager, he joined the British Interplanetary Society (BIS). In 1945, he proposed a satellite communication system using geostationary orbits. He was the chairman of the BIS from 1946 to 1947 and again in 1951–1953. Clarke emigrated to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1956, to pursue his interest in scuba diving. That year, he discovered the underwater ruins of the ancient original Koneswaram Temple in Trincomalee. Clarke augmented his popularity in the 1980s, as the host of television shows such as "Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World". He lived in Sri Lanka until his death.
The works
Childhood's End
2001: A Space Odyssey
Rendezvous with Rama
The Fountains of Paradise
The quotes
The limits of the possible can only be defined by going beyond them into the impossible.
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering.
The best measure of a man's honesty isn't his income tax return. It's the zero adjust on his bathroom scale.
It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.
Reading computer manuals without the hardware is as frustrating as reading sex manuals without the software.
I don't believe in God but I'm very interested in her.
This is the first age that's ever paid much attention to the future, which is a little ironic since we may not have one.
Every revolutionary idea seems to evoke three stages of reaction. They may be summed up by the phrases: 1- It's completely impossible. 2- It's possible, but it's not worth doing. 3- I said it was a good idea all along.
We have to abandon the idea that schooling is something restricted to youth. How can it be, in a world where half the things a man knows at 20 are no longer true at 40 - and half the things he knows at 40 hadn't been discovered when he was 20?
It is not easy to see how the more extreme forms of nationalism can long survive when men have seen the Earth in its true perspective as a single small globe against the stars.
I have a fantasy where Ted Turner is elected President but refuses because he doesn't want to give up power.
There is hopeful symbolism in the fact that flags do not wave in a vacuum.
I don't believe in astrology; I'm a Sagittarius and we're skeptical.
I don't pretend we have all the answers. But the questions are certainly worth thinking about.
The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.
If an elderly but distinguished scientist says that something is possible, he is almost certainly right; but if he says that it is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
The greatest tragedy in mankind's entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion.
Human judges can show mercy. But against the laws of nature, there is no appeal.
Perhaps, as some wit remarked, the best proof that there is Intelligent Life in Outer Space is the fact it hasn't come here. Well, it can't hide forever - one day we will overhear it.
The intelligent minority of this world will mark 1 January 2001 as the real beginning of the 21st century and the Third Millennium.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.
New ideas pass through three periods: 1) It can't be done. 2) It probably can be done, but it's not worth doing. 3) I knew it was a good idea all along!
It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God - but to create him.
Our lifetime may be the last that will be lived out in a technological society.
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.