GaryJJSpate: Standing correction: PersonInfobox -> InfoboxPerson

2026-08-05T12:24:23Z

Standing correction: PersonInfobox -> InfoboxPerson

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:24, 5 August 2026
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	{{~~PersonInfobox~~		{{InfoboxPerson
	\|name=Isaac Asimov		\|name=Isaac Asimov
	\|born=2 January 1920 (approximate), Petrovichi, Russian SFSR (now Russia)		\|born=2 January 1920 (approximate), Petrovichi, Russian SFSR (now Russia)

GaryJJSpate: Created page with "{{PersonInfobox |name=Isaac Asimov |born=2 January 1920 (approximate), Petrovichi, Russian SFSR (now Russia) |died=6 April 1992, New York City, New York, USA |occupation=Writer, biochemist |known_for=Science fiction author; founding fellow of CSICOP |status=Deceased }} '''Isaac Asimov''' (born Isaak Ozimov; c. 2 January 1920 – 6 April 1992) was a Russian-born American writer and professor of biochemistr..."

2026-07-29T17:57:16Z

Created page with "{{PersonInfobox |name=Isaac Asimov |born=2 January 1920 (approximate), Petrovichi, Russian SFSR (now Russia) |died=6 April 1992, New York City, New York, USA |occupation=Writer, biochemist |known_for=Science fiction author; founding fellow of CSICOP |status=Deceased }} '''Isaac Asimov''' (born Isaak Ozimov; c. 2 January 1920 – 6 April 1992) was a Russian-born American writer and professor of biochemistr..."

New page

{{PersonInfobox
|name=Isaac Asimov
|born=2 January 1920 (approximate), Petrovichi, Russian SFSR (now Russia)
|died=6 April 1992, [[New York City]], [[:Category:New York|New York]], [[:Category:United States of America|USA]]
|occupation=Writer, biochemist
|known_for=Science fiction author; founding fellow of CSICOP
|status=Deceased
}}

'''Isaac Asimov''' (born Isaak Ozimov; c. 2 January 1920 – 6 April 1992) was a Russian-born American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, one of the most prolific and celebrated science fiction authors of the 20th century. Alongside his literary career, he was a founding fellow of the [[Committee for Skeptical Inquiry]] (originally CSICOP), lending his standing as a scientist and public intellectual to the modern organised skepticism movement.<ref name="skepticalinquirer">{{cite web |title=History of CSICOP |url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/history-of-csicop/ |website=Skeptical Inquirer}}</ref>

== Literary career ==
Asimov wrote or edited more than 500 books across nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey Decimal Classification, and is best known for his ''Foundation'' series, alongside the ''Galactic Empire'' and Robot series, the latter of which introduced his widely referenced Three Laws of Robotics. Along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, he was considered one of science fiction's "Big Three" during his lifetime.<ref name="fandom">{{cite web |title=Isaac Asimov |url=https://ultimatepopculture.fandom.com/wiki/Isaac_Asimov |website=Ultimate Pop Culture Wiki}}</ref> He completed his PhD in chemistry in 1948 and began teaching at Boston University's medical school in 1949, becoming a full-time writer in 1958 once his literary income far exceeded his academic salary; he retained his university title and later returned as a lecturer, being promoted to full professor in 1979.<ref name="imdb">{{cite web |title=Isaac Asimov - Biography |url=https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0001920/bio |website=IMDb}}</ref>

== Founding CSICOP ==
Asimov was a founding fellow of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP) in 1976, alongside [[Paul Kurtz]], [[Martin Gardner]], [[James Randi]], and [[Ray Hyman]], remaining a fellow of the organisation until his death.<ref name="skepticalinquirer" /> He identified as an atheist, humanist, and rationalist, and while he did not oppose genuine religious conviction in others, he frequently argued against superstitious and pseudoscientific claims presented as legitimate science.<ref name="newworld">{{cite web |title=Isaac Asimov |url=https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Isaac_Asimov |website=New World Encyclopedia}}</ref> He served as president of the American Humanist Association from 1985 until his death, succeeded by his friend, fellow writer Kurt Vonnegut, and was among the signatories of Humanist Manifesto II in 1973.<ref name="newworld" /><ref name="grokipedia">{{cite web |title=Isaac Asimov |url=https://grokipedia.com/page/Isaac_Asimov |website=Grokipedia}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Asimov's early social circle centred on the Futurians, a New York science fiction fan group active from 1938 to 1945, where he formed a lasting friendship with fellow writer Frederik Pohl.<ref name="grokipedia" /> He was a close friend of ''Star Trek'' creator Gene Roddenberry, and received a "special science consultant" screen credit on ''Star Trek: The Motion Picture'' for advice he gave during production.<ref name="fandom" /> He was married twice, and was survived by his second wife, Janet, and children from his first marriage.<ref name="newworld" />

== Death ==
Asimov died on 6 April 1992. It later emerged that he had contracted HIV from a blood transfusion received during heart bypass surgery in 1983, and had asked that this not be disclosed until ten years after his death, out of concern for how it might have been received at the time.<ref name="tvtropes">{{cite web |title=Isaac Asimov (Creator) |url=https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Creator/IsaacAsimov |website=TV Tropes}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Committee for Skeptical Inquiry]]
* [[Paul Kurtz]]
* [[Martin Gardner]]
* [[James Randi]]
* [[Skepticism]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://skepticalinquirer.org/history-of-csicop/ Skeptical Inquirer — History of CSICOP]
* [https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Isaac_Asimov New World Encyclopedia — Isaac Asimov]

[[Category:Skeptical Advocates]]
[[Category:People]]

Isaac Asimov - Revision history

GaryJJSpate: Standing correction: PersonInfobox -> InfoboxPerson