“There's no real objection to escapism, in the right places... We all want to escape occasionally. But science fiction is often very far from escapism, in fact you might say that science fiction is escape into reality... It's a fiction which does concern itself with real issues: the origin of man; our future. In fact I can't think of any form of literature which is more concerned with real issues, reality.”

“In accordance with the terms of the Clarke-Asimov treaty, the second-bestscience writer dedicates this book to the second-best science-fictionwriter.[dedication to Isaac Asimov from Arthur C. Clarke in his book Report on Planet Three]”

“Those wanderers must have looked on Earth, circling safely in the narrow zone between fire and ice, and must have guessed that it was the favourite of the Sun's children.”

“Our lifetime may be the last that will be lived out in a technological society.”

“The best measure of a man's honesty isn't his income tax return. It's the zero adjust on his bathroom scale.”

“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 don't pretend we have all the answers. But the questions are certainly worth thinking about.”

“It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God - but to create him.”

“I have a fantasy where Ted Turner is elected President but refuses because he doesn't want to give up power.”

“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!”

“The greatest tragedy in mankind's entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion.”