CrossHair
Thinker
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2004
- Messages
- 156
Isaac Asimov is one of my favorite authors, but not his Sci-Fi books. I consider his Non-fiction writing to be better than his Fiction. However, I did run accross a "Murder Mystery" book he wrote which contains a very interesting passage. This was written in 1976, so that makes it 30 years old now.
Firstly, he is writing about a murder committed at a conference. The story is told by a writter named Darius Just that is attending this conference. It just so happens that Isaac Asimov is also attending the conference (it is a book seller's conference). During this conference Isaac Asimov takes part in a panel discussion that includes: Asimov, Carl Sagan, Uri Geller, and Charles Berlitz (wrote a book on the "Bermuda Triangle"). At the end of this panel discussion Asimov has this to say:
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"I do not wish to speak specifically of Mr. Geller, though this applies to him, for it is true of anyone who invades the area lying outside the narrow and constricted boundaries of what scientists will, without serious argument, accept.
"The parascientific fringes are intrinsically glamorous, they are exciting and delightful, and they court belief. Million will grant the belief and will not be deterred by anything scientists will say, especially since scientists cannot counter with anything equally evocative but can only grumble a spolsport 'It isn't so!'
"In fact, so eager are people to believe the essentially incredible that they will resent, even with violence, any effort to advance evidence in favor of disbelief. It some mystic, with a wide and ardent following, were to disown all his previous statements, if he were to declare his miracles frauds, and his beliefs charlatanry, he would lose scarcely a desciple, since one and all would say he had made his statements under compulsion or under a sudden stroke of lunacy. The world will believe anything a mystic will say, however foolish, except an admission of fakery. They actively refuse to disbelieve.
"Is there, therefore, anything to be accomplished by arguing against mystics, or by trying to analyze their beliefs rationally? As a healthful exercise to improve and strengthen one's own rationality, certainly. As a hope to reform fools, never."
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I am just glad that if Isaac ever expressed this opinion to Mr. Randi, that he never headed the advice. Certainly many people WILL reform themselves, although it is not common. Also, it was largely through Mr. Randi's efforts that the very Uri Geller mentioned in this book, was discredited, and largely seen as the faker he is.
What other non-Sci-Fi Asimov books have you enjoyed?
Firstly, he is writing about a murder committed at a conference. The story is told by a writter named Darius Just that is attending this conference. It just so happens that Isaac Asimov is also attending the conference (it is a book seller's conference). During this conference Isaac Asimov takes part in a panel discussion that includes: Asimov, Carl Sagan, Uri Geller, and Charles Berlitz (wrote a book on the "Bermuda Triangle"). At the end of this panel discussion Asimov has this to say:
-------------------------------------------
"I do not wish to speak specifically of Mr. Geller, though this applies to him, for it is true of anyone who invades the area lying outside the narrow and constricted boundaries of what scientists will, without serious argument, accept.
"The parascientific fringes are intrinsically glamorous, they are exciting and delightful, and they court belief. Million will grant the belief and will not be deterred by anything scientists will say, especially since scientists cannot counter with anything equally evocative but can only grumble a spolsport 'It isn't so!'
"In fact, so eager are people to believe the essentially incredible that they will resent, even with violence, any effort to advance evidence in favor of disbelief. It some mystic, with a wide and ardent following, were to disown all his previous statements, if he were to declare his miracles frauds, and his beliefs charlatanry, he would lose scarcely a desciple, since one and all would say he had made his statements under compulsion or under a sudden stroke of lunacy. The world will believe anything a mystic will say, however foolish, except an admission of fakery. They actively refuse to disbelieve.
"Is there, therefore, anything to be accomplished by arguing against mystics, or by trying to analyze their beliefs rationally? As a healthful exercise to improve and strengthen one's own rationality, certainly. As a hope to reform fools, never."
---------------------------------
I am just glad that if Isaac ever expressed this opinion to Mr. Randi, that he never headed the advice. Certainly many people WILL reform themselves, although it is not common. Also, it was largely through Mr. Randi's efforts that the very Uri Geller mentioned in this book, was discredited, and largely seen as the faker he is.
What other non-Sci-Fi Asimov books have you enjoyed?
