Isaac Asimov

ratticus

"Don't you believe in flying saucers, they ask me? Don't you believe in telepathy? — in ancient astronauts? — in the Bermuda triangle? — in life after death?
No, I reply. No, no, no, no, and again no.
One person recently, goaded into desperation by the litany of unrelieved negation, burst out "Don't you believe in anything?"
Yes", I said. "I believe in evidence. I believe in observation, measurement, and reasoning, confirmed by independent observers. I'll believe anything, no matter how wild and ridiculous, if there is evidence for it. The wilder and more ridiculous something is, however, the firmer and more solid the evidence will have to be.” - Isaac Asimov

indioblack

ratticus wrote: »

"Don't you believe in flying saucers, they ask me? Don't you believe in telepathy? — in ancient astronauts? — in the Bermuda triangle? — in life after death?
No, I reply. No, no, no, no, and again no.
One person recently, goaded into desperation by the litany of unrelieved negation, burst out "Don't you believe in anything?"
Yes", I said. "I believe in evidence. I believe in observation, measurement, and reasoning, confirmed by independent observers. I'll believe anything, no matter how wild and ridiculous, if there is evidence for it. The wilder and more ridiculous something is, however, the firmer and more solid the evidence will have to be.” - Isaac Asimov

I remember reading Asimov's books on astronomy decades ago. They were written for the average person, the layman - but were never condescending.
It was from one of them, (can't remember the title now), that I first understood the workings of a star. I read it, could visualise and understand it thanks to Asimov's easy style - and I've been boring people rigid for years as I pompously explain it to them!
His strictly scientific books, (I had a couple), I could never get me head around - I was happier up in the stars!
I've still got two dog-eared paperbacks from 30 years ago - "A Choice of Catastrophies" - actually quite an optimistic book - and "Extraterrestrial Civilisations" - which, as you can imagine, gets the Asimov touch!
Worth reading, informed speculation of course - but with a solid scientific and logical base - and a fascinating conclusion.
His statement, (which I paraphrase), "If we lead from ignorance we can reach no conclusion" should be carved in stone.
He was being critical of belief and wish-fulfillment masquerading as honest enquiry.

maninasia

If anybody read his books they would know he certainly strongly believed in the 'possibility' of alien civilizations but would not believe in something 100% unless there was some evidence for that.