IsaacAsimov

IsaacAsimov

AphotographofAsimovtakenbyJayKayKlein

Pseudonym(s):

PaulFrench,GeorgeE.Dale

Born:

January2,1920

Petrovichi,RussianSFSR

Died:

April6,1992

NewYork,NewYork,USA

Occupation(s):

Novelist,shortstoryauthor,essayist,historian,biochemist,textbookwriter,humorist

Genre(s):

Sciencefiction(hardSF),popularscience,mysteryfiction,essays,literarycriticism

Literarymovement:

GoldenAgeofScienceFiction

Debutwork(s):

"MaroonedOffVesta"

Influences:

CliffordD.Simak

Influenced:

ThomasPynchon

Dr.IsaacAsimov(c.January2,1920–April6,1992)wasaRussian-bornAmericanauthorandbiochemist,ahighlysuccessfulandexceptionallyprolificwriterbestknownforhisworksofsciencefictionandforhispopularsciencebooks.

Asimovwroteoreditedmorethan500booksandanestimated90,000lettersandpostcards,andhasworksineverymajorcategoryoftheDeweyDecimalSystemexceptPhilosophy.Asimoviswidelyconsideredamasterofthescience-fictiongenreand,alongwithRobertA.HeinleinandArthurC.Clarke,wasconsideredoneofthe"BigThree"science-fictionwritersduringhislifetime.Asimov'smostfamousworkistheFoundationSeries;hisothermajorseriesaretheGalacticEmpireseriesandtheRobotseries,bothofwhichhelatertiedintotheFoundationSeries.Healsowrotemysteriesandfantasy,aswellasagreatamountofnon-fiction.AsimovwrotetheLuckyStarrseriesofjuvenilescience-fictionnovelsusingthepennamePaulFrench.

MostofAsimov'spopularizedsciencebooksexplainscientificconceptsinahistoricalway,goingasfarbackaspossibletoatimewhenthescienceinquestionwasatitssimpleststage.Heoftenprovidesnationalities,birthdates,anddeathdatesforthescientistshementions,aswellasetymologiesandpronunciationguidesfortechnicalterms.ExamplesincludehisGuidetoScience,the3-volumesetUnderstandingPhysics,andAsimov'sChronologyofScienceandDiscovery.

Asimovwasalong-timememberandVicePresidentofMensaInternational,albeitreluctantly;hedescribedthemembersofthatorganizationas"intellectuallycombative".HetookmorejoyinbeingPresidentoftheAmericanHumanistAssociation.Theasteroid5020Asimov,themagazineAsimov'sScienceFiction,andtwodifferentIsaacAsimovAwardsarenamedinhishonor.

Biography

AsimovwasbornaroundJanuary2,1920(hisdateofbirthforofficialpurposes—theprecisedateisnotcertain)inPetrovichishtetlofSmolenskOblast,RSFSR(nowRussia)toAnnaRachelBermanAsimovandJudahAsimov,aJewishfamilyofmillers.TheyimmigratedtotheUnitedStateswhenhewas3yearsold.SincehisparentsalwaysspokeYiddishandEnglishwithhim,heneverlearnedRussian.GrowingupinBrooklyn,NewYork,Asimovtaughthimselftoreadattheageof5,andremainedfluentinYiddishaswellasEnglish.Hisparentsownedasuccessionofcandystores,andeveryoneinthefamilywasexpectedtoworkinthem.Sciencefictionpulpmagazinesweresoldinthestores,andhebeganreadingthem.Aroundtheageof11hebegantowritehisownstories,andbyage19hewassellingthemtothesciencefictionmagazines.

IsaacAsimovin1965

AsimovattendedNewYorkCityPublicSchools,includingBoysHighSchool,inBrooklyn,NewYork.FromtherehewentontoColumbiaUniversity,fromwhichhegraduatedin1939,laterreturningtoearna.inbiochemistryin1948.Inbetween,hespent3yearsduringWorldWarIIworkingasacivilianatthePhiladelphiaNavyYard'sNavalAirExperimentalStation.Afterthewarended,hewasdraftedintothe.Army,servingforjustunder9monthsbeforereceivinganhonorabledischarge.Inthecourseofhisbriefmilitarycareer,herosetotherankofcorporalonthebasisofhistypingskills,andnarrowlyavoidedparticipatinginthe1946atomicbombtestsatBikiniAtoll.

Aftercompletinghisdoctorate,AsimovjoinedthefacultyoftheBostonUniversityMedicalSchool,withwhichheremainedassociatedthereafter.From1958,thiswasinanon-teachingcapacity,ashebecameafull-timewriter(hiswritingincomehadalreadyexceededhisacademicsalary).Beingtenuredmeantthatheretainedthetitleofassociateprofessorand,in1979,theuniversityhonoredhiswritingbypromotinghimtofullprofessorofbiochemistry.Asimov'spersonalpapersfrom1965onarearchivedattheuniversity'sMugarMemorialLibrary,towhichhedonatedthemattherequestofcuratorHowardGottlieb.Thecollectionfills464boxes,on71metresofshelfspace.

AsimovmarriedGertrudeBlugerman(1917,Canada–1990,Boston)onJuly26,1942.Theyhadtwochildren,David(b.1951)andRobynJoan(b.1955).Afteraseparationin1970,heandGertrudedivorcedin1973,andAsimovmarriedJanetO.Jeppsonlaterthatyear.

Asimovwasaclaustrophile;heenjoyedsmall,enclosedspaces.Inthefirstvolumeofhisautobiography,herecallsachildhooddesiretoownamagazinestandinaNewYorkCitySubwaystation,withinwhichhecouldenclosehimselfandlistentotherumbleofpassingtrainswhilereading.

Asimovwasafraidofflying,onlydoingsotwiceinhisentirelife(onceinthecourseofhisworkattheNavalAirExperimentalStation,andoncereturninghomefromthearmybaseinOahuin1946).Heseldomtraveledgreatdistances,partlybecausehisaversiontoaircraftcomplicatedthelogisticsoflong-distancetravel;thisphobiainfluencedseveralofhisfictionworks,suchastheWendellUrthmysterystoriesandtheRobotnovelsfeaturingElijahBaley.Inhislateryears,hefoundheenjoyedtravelingoncruiseships,andonseveraloccasionshebecamepartofthecruises'"entertainment,"givingscience-themedtalksonshipssuchastheRMSQueenElizabeth2.Asimovwasanenormouslyentertaining,prolific,andsought-afterpublicspeaker.Hissenseoftimingwasexquisite;heneverlookedataclock,butinvariablyspokeforpreciselythetimeallocated.

Asimovwasafrequentfixtureatsciencefictionconventions,whereheremainedfriendlyandapproachable.Asnotedabove,hepatientlyansweredtensofthousandsofquestionsandothermailwithpostcards,andwaspleasedtogiveautographs.Althoughhewasgladtoshowhistalent,healsorarelyseemedtotakehimselftooseriously.

Hewasofmediumheight,stocky,withmuttonchopwhiskersandadistinctBrooklyn-Yiddishaccent.Hisphysicaldexteritywasverypoor.Heneverlearnedhowtoswimorrideabicycle;however,hedidlearntodriveacarafterhemovedtoBoston.InhishumorbookAsimovLaughsAgain,hedescribesBostondrivingas"anarchyonwheels."

Asimov'swideinterestsincludedhisparticipationinhislateryearsinorganizationsdevotedtotheoperettasofGilbertandSullivanandinTheWolfePack,agroupofdevoteesoftheNeroWolfemysteriesauthoredbyRexStout.HewasaprominentmemberoftheBakerStreetIrregulars,theleadingSherlockHolmessociety.From1985untilhisdeathin1992,hewaspresidentoftheAmericanHumanistAssociation;hissuccessorwashisfriendandfellowwriterKurtVonnegut.HewasalsoaclosefriendofStarTrekcreatorGeneRoddenberry,andearnedascreencreditonStarTrek:TheMotionPictureforadvicehegaveduringproduction(generally,confirmingtoParamountPicturesthatRoddenberry'sideaswerelegitimatescience-fictionalextrapolation).

AsimovdiedonApril6,1992.Hewassurvivedbyhissecondwife,Janet,andhischildrenfromhisfirstmarriage.Tenyearsafterhisdeath,JanetAsimov'seditionofAsimov'sautobiography,It'sBeenaGoodLife,revealedthathisdeathwascausedbyAIDS;hehadcontractedHIVfromabloodtransfusionreceivedduringaheartbypassoperation.ThespecificcauseofdeathwasheartandrenalfailureascomplicationsofAIDS.JanetAsimovwroteintheepilogueofIt'sBeenaGoodLifethatAsimovhadwantedto"gopublic,"buthisdoctorsconvincedhimtoremainsilent,warningthatanti-AIDSprejudicewouldextendtohisfamilymembers.Asimov'sfamilyconsidereddisclosinghisAIDSinfectionafterhedied,butthecontroversywhicheruptedwhenArthurAsheannouncedthathehadcontractedAIDSconvincedthemotherwise.Tenyearslater,afterAsimov'sdoctorshaddied,JanetandRobynagreedthattheAIDSstorycouldbemadepublic.

Intellectualpositions

IsaacAsimovwasaHumanistandarationalist.Hedidnotopposegenuinereligiousconvictioninothers,butvocallyopposedsuperstitiousorunfoundedbeliefs.Duringhischildhood,hisfatherandmotherobservedOrthodoxJewishtraditions,butdidnotforcethisbeliefuponAsimov.Thushegrewupwithoutstrongreligiousinfluences,comingtobelievethattheBiblerepresentedHebrewmythologyinthesamewaythattheIliadrecordedGreekmythology.(Forabriefwhilehisfatherworkedinthelocalsynagoguetoenjoythefamiliarsurroundingsand"shineasalearnedscholar"versedinthesacredwritings.ThisexperiencehadlittleeffectuponIsaacbeyondteachinghimtheHebrewalphabet.)Formanyyears,Asimovcalledhimselfanatheist,thoughhefeltthetermwassomewhatinadequate,describingmorewhathedidnotbelievethanwhathedid.Later,hefoundtheterm"humanist"ausefulsubstitute.

Inhislastautobiographicalbook,Asimovwrote,"IfIwerenotanatheist,IwouldbelieveinaGodwhowouldchoosetosavepeopleonthebasisofthetotalityoftheirlivesandnotthepatternoftheirwords.IthinkhewouldpreferanhonestandrighteousatheisttoaTVpreacherwhoseeverywordisGod,God,God,andwhoseeverydeedisfoul,foul,foul."ThesamememoirstateshisbeliefthatHellis"thedroolingdreamofasadist"crudelyaffixedtoanall-mercifulGod;ifevenhumangovernmentswerewillingtocurtailcruelandunusualpunishments,wonderedAsimov,whywouldpunishmentintheafterlifenotberestrictedtoalimitedterm?Asimovrejectedtheideathatahumanbelieforactioncouldmeritinfinitepunishment.Ifanafterlifeofjustdesertsexisted,heclaimed,thelongestandmostseverepunishmentwouldbereservedforthosewho"slanderedGodbyinventingHell".AshisTreasuryofHumorandAsimovLaughsAgainrecord,hewasamplywillingtotelljokesinvolvingtheJudeo-ChristianGod,Satan,GardenofEden,andotherreligioustopics,expressingtheviewpointthatagoodjokecandomoretoprovokethoughtthanhoursofphilosophicaldiscussion.

Asimovreferredtohimselfasa"Progressive"onmostpoliticalissues,andwasastaunchsupporteroftheDemocraticParty.HewasavocalopponentoftheVietnamWarinthe1960s,andinatelevisioninterviewintheearly1970shepubliclyendorsedGeorgeMcGovern.Hewasunhappyatwhathesawasanirrationalisttracktakenbymanyliberalpoliticalactivistsfromthelate1960sonwards.InhisautobiographyInJoyStillFelt,herecallsmeetingthecounterculturefigureAbbieHoffman;Asimov'simpressionwasthatthe1960s'countercultureheroeshadriddenanemotionalwavewhich,intheend,leftthemstrandedina"no-man'slandofthespirit"fromwhichhewonderediftheywouldeverreturn.(ThisattitudeisechoedbyafamouspassageinHunterS.Thompson'sFearandLoathinginLasVegas.)HisdefenseofcivilapplicationsofnuclearpowerevenaftertheThreeMileIslandincidentdamagedhisrelationswithsomeofhisfellowliberals.InaletterreprintedinYours,IsaacAsimov,hestatesthatthoughhewouldpreferlivingin"nodangerwhatsoever"thannearanuclearreactor,hewouldstillpreferahomenearanuclearpowerplantthaninaslum,onLoveCanalornear"aUnionCarbideplantproducingmethylisocyanate"(referringtotheBhopaldisaster).Heissuedmanyappealsforpopulationcontrol,reflectingaperspectivearticulatedbypeoplefromThomasMalthusthroughPaulR.Ehrlich.AsimovconsideredhimselfafeministevenbeforeWomen'sLiberationbecameawidespreadmovement;hejokedthathewishedwomentobefree"becauseIhateitwhentheycharge".Moreseriously,hearguedthattheissueofwomen'srightswascloselyconnectedtothatofpopulationcontrol.Furthermore,hebelievedthathomosexualitymustbeconsidereda"moralright"onpopulationgrounds,asmustallconsentingadultsexualactivitywhichdoesnotleadtoreproduction(Yours,IsaacAsimov).

Intheclosingyearsofhislife,AsimovblamedthedeteriorationofthequalityoflifethatheperceivedinNewYorkCityontheshrinkingtaxbasecausedbymiddleclassflighttothesuburbs.Hislastnon-fictionbook,OurAngryEarth(1991,co-writtenwithhislong-timefriendsciencefictionauthorFrederikPohl),dealswithelementsoftheenvironmentalcrisissuchasglobalwarmingandthedestructionoftheozonelayer.

Literarythemes

MuchofAsimov'sfictiondealtwiththemesofpaternalism.Hisfirstrobotstory,"Robbie",concernedaroboticnanny.LennydealswiththecapacityofrobopsychologistSusanCalvintofeelmaternallovetowardsarobotwhosepositronicbraincapacitiesarethoseofa3-year-old.Astherobotsgrewmoresophisticated,theirinterventionsbecamemorewide-reachingandsubtle.In"Evidence",arobotmasqueradingasahumansuccessfullyrunsforelectiveoffice.In"TheEvitableConflict",therobotsrunhumanityfrombehindthescenes,actingasnanniestothewholespecies.

Later,inTheRobotsofDawnandRobotsandEmpire,arobotdevelopswhathecallstheZerothLawofRobotics,whichstatesthat:"Arobotmaynotinjurehumanity,nor,throughinaction,allowhumanitytocometoharm".Healsodecidesthatroboticpresenceisstiflinghumanity'sfreedom,andthatthebestcourseofactionisfortherobotstophasethemselvesout.Anon-robot,timetravelnovel,TheEndofEternity,featuresasimilarconflictandresolution.ThesignificanceoftheZerothLawisthatitoutweighsandsupersedesallotherLawsofRobotics:ifarobotfindshimselfinasituationwherebyhemustmurderoneormorehumans(adirectviolationoftheFirstLawofRobotics)inordertoprotectallofhumanity(andpreservetheZerothLaw),thentherobot'spositronicprogrammingwillrequirehimtocommitmurderforhumanity'ssake.

InTheFoundationSeries(whichdidnotoriginallyhaverobots),ascientistimplementsasemi-secretplantocreateanewgalacticempireoverthecourseof1,000years.ThisserieshasitsversionofPlatonicguardians,calledtheSecondFoundation,toperfectandprotecttheplan.WhenAsimovstoppedwritingtheseriesinthe1950s,theSecondFoundationwasdepictedasbenignprotectorsofhumanity.Whenherevisitedtheseriesinthe1980s,hemadethepaternalisticthemesevenmoreexplicit.

Foundation'sEdgeintroducedtheplanetGaia,obviouslybasedontheGaiahypothesis.Everyanimal,plant,andmineralonGaiaparticipatedinasharedconsciousness,formingasinglesuper-mindworkingtogetherforthegreatergood.InFoundationandEarth,theprotagonistmustdecidewhetherornottoallowthedevelopmentofGalaxia,alargerversionofGaia,encompassingtheentiregalaxy.GaiaisoneofAsimov'sbestattemptsatexploringthepossibilityofacollectiveawareness,andiscompoundedfurtherinNemesis,inwhichtheplanetErythrocomposedprimarilyofprokaryoticlifehasamindofitsownandseekscommunionwithhumanbeings.

FoundationandEarthintroducesrobotstotheFoundationuniverse.TwoofAsimov'slastnovels,PreludetoFoundationandForwardtheFoundation,exploretheirbehaviorinfullerdetail.Therobotsaredepictedascovertoperatives,actingforthebenefitofhumanity.

Anotherfrequenttheme,perhapsthereverseofpaternalism,issocialoppression.TheCurrentsofSpacetakesplaceonaplanetwhereauniqueplantfiberisgrown;theagriculturalworkersthereareexploitedbythearistocratsofanearbyplanet.InTheStars,LikeDust,theherohelpsaplanetthatisoppressedbyanarrogantinterplanetaryempire,theTyranni.

OftenthevictimsofoppressionareeitherEarthpeople(asopposedtocolonistsonotherplanets)orrobots.In"TheBicentennialMan",arobotfightsprejudicetobeacceptedasahuman.InTheCavesofSteel,thepeopleofEarthresentthewealthier"Spacers"andinturntreatrobots(associatedwiththeSpacers)inwaysreminiscentofhowwhitestreatedblacks,suchasaddressingrobotsas"boy".PebbleintheSkyshowsananalogoussituation:theGalacticEmpirerulesEarthanditspeopleusesuchtermsas"Earthie-squaw",butEarthisatheocraticdictatorshipthatenforceseuthanasiaofanyoneolderthan60.OneheroisBelArvardan,anupper-classGalacticarcheologistwhomustovercomehisprejudices.TheotherisJosephSchwartz,a62-year-old20th-centuryAmericanwhohademigratedfromEurope,wherehispeoplewerepersecuted(heisquitepossiblyJewish),andisaccidentallytransportedforwardintimetoArvardan'speriod.Hemustdecidewhetherto