Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov

BORN2 January 1920 (approximate), Petrovichi, Russian SFSR (now Russia)

DIED6 April 1992, New York City, New York, USA

OCCUPATIONWriter, biochemist

KNOWN FORScience fiction author; founding fellow of CSICOP

STATUSDeceased

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.

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. 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.

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. 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. 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.

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. 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. He was married twice, and was survived by his second wife, Janet, and children from his first marriage.

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.

See also

• Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
• Paul Kurtz
• Martin Gardner
• James Randi
• Skepticism

External links

• Skeptical Inquirer — History of CSICOP
• New World Encyclopedia — Isaac Asimov