But the only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) British writer
“Hazards of Prophecy: The Failure of Imagination,” Profiles of the Future (1962)
Also known as Clarke's Second Law.
Quotations by:
Clarke, Arthur C.
At the very least, comsats and personalized transceivers will banish forever the exasperation of waiting on a corner for a friend while he mistakenly waits for you on another.
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) British writer
“Man and Space,” Life Science Library (1964)
The best measure of a man’s honesty isn’t his income tax return. It’s the zero adjust on his bathroom scale.
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) British writer
(Attributed)
Sometimes I think we’re alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we’re not. In either case the idea is quite staggering.
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) British writer
(Attributed)
also attrib. Abraham Maslow
Look, Dave … I can see you’re really upset about this …. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly …. Take a stress pill, and think things over.
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) British writer
2001: A Space Odyssey [HAL 9000] (1968) [with Stanley Kubrick]
The Universe appears to be a device contrived for the perpetual astonishment of astronomers.
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) British writer
How the World Was One: Beyond the Global Village, Part 4, ch. 27 (1992)
(Source)
A number of variants can be found, e.g., "I sometimes think the universe is a machine designed for the perpetual astonishment of astronomers" or "The universe: a device contrived for the perpetual astonishment of astronomers." The above is the only one I could find from a source by Clarke himself.
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.
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) British writer
Profiles of the Future, “Hazards of Prophecy: The Failure of Imagination” (Clarke’s First Law) (1962; rev. 1973)
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) British writer
Profiles of the Future, “Hazards of Prophecy: The Failure of Imagination” (Clarke’s Third Law) (1962; rev. 1973)
For a faith which cannot survive collision with the truth is not worth many regrets.
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) British writer
The Exploration of Space (1951)
On people who fear contact with intelligent non-humans would "destroy the foundations of their religious faith."
The greatest tragedy in mankind’s entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion.
Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) British writer
Essay (1990), “Credo,” Living Philosophies [ed. Clifford Fadiman] (1990 ed.)
(Source)
Later collected in Greetings Carbon-Based Bipeds!: Collected Essays 1934-1998, Part 5, No. 10 (1999).