00:00
yes test test oh okay so my to yell
00:05
before meeting Mike do you want to talk
00:07
a bit about this New York cycline can't
00:10
see Meetup and so there is some
00:12
criticism of that from some kind of
00:14
social remain nameless first Tuesday of
00:28
the month with yeah conflicts with the
00:32
KGB yeah which we may actually discuss
00:37
later
00:38
so that is affiliated with this as Amal
00:42
sent me at one time meetup which I'm
00:46
paying fifty bucks a month or so that
00:47
will go away and redirect to the other
00:50
instantiation of the meet up after this
00:53
so that's why there is the URL to level
00:57
new direction adjustable points but the
01:01
URL on the posters should work forever
01:03
despite my fantasy exactly exactly
01:06
okay so now is only welcome to the
01:09
celebration approximately has abandoned
01:11
wells 100th birthday and thank you for
01:13
coming
01:13
unless Sheridan my twenty one for trinka
01:16
when I are the organizers of this video
01:17
thanks the City Tech for hosting us and
01:20
Morales and beans esketh Ortiz for the
01:22
helpful this muna
01:24
and for the annual city type of sci-fi
01:27
symposium now historical I said
01:31
approximately because were no records of
01:33
exactly what I've got a moment
01:35
born in Russia January second possible
01:37
date which each other later life
01:39
you choose default so first I'll explain
01:42
what I'm doing here I've been an Asimov
01:45
fans at the age of 11 the first nights
01:48
fiction writer I ever met a book site
01:50
signing it fair seals is all science
01:52
fiction chocolate village departed was
02:03
also not small fan not entirely
02:05
coincidence but I would like to point
02:06
out that's not the only reason I married
02:08
her so when she was growing up in the
02:13
Soviet Union she was able to obtain some
02:14
of his books but that's also not the
02:16
only reason she came to buy a house so
02:19
when on dr. Oz Mills 99th birthday we
02:22
searched the web to find out who's
02:23
organizing the centennial celebration
02:25
and found a discussion thread on reddit
02:29
as quite surprised to find out the
02:31
answer turned out to be us we've not
02:35
done this before
02:36
unfortunately we were honored
02:37
distinguished as walking guess would be
02:39
to join us so will now briefly introduce
02:42
them mutually gonna say something about
02:44
doctrine as well and all the panel
02:45
discussion involved by questions from
02:47
the audience
02:48
one guest who should be no introduction
02:50
this company she'll fill a woman editor
02:52
of a small science fiction magazine
02:55
ten years our next guest in one of the
02:58
men stationed manifestations may need no
03:00
introduction to some of you in fact
03:03
living here as or when as sprouts is the
03:07
author of the science fiction convention
03:09
calendar and as well magazine which you
03:12
make under electronic copy of I have not
03:14
actually received my physical copy
03:16
because of my school account and may
03:21
contain not just from that listing but
03:23
also like that on grateful the listing
03:30
because when the Munich on convention
03:33
which I've attended my youth and
03:35
wondering ten that I'm back in
03:37
California was canceled I eventually
03:40
found up to the listing that was very
03:45
careful heliosphere existed her Luna
03:49
Khan was canceled and everything uh
03:51
sustained taking sides in dispute out
03:53
the example motivation for that he is
03:58
more cultural incarnation around felt
04:03
sooner from filthy Pierre and evicted
04:05
inferred to be city that's phone version
04:07
of doctor has mostly the scale which is
04:09
what my favorite all songs on my
04:11
highlights at the first wall spotters
04:12
Boston science-fiction convention and
04:16
reporter is a Hugo pudding-headed hurt
04:18
several fanzines sentence semi-pro CDs
04:20
Alamo which in my youth was
04:24
I think was after for me the Golden Age
04:27
of science fiction well I wasn't
04:29
familiar about that later of science
04:31
fiction Chronicle and Algol is what we
04:34
know about the science fiction community
04:36
and then one additional bit of history
04:38
which we don't learn more about is
04:41
doctor Haskell's FBI file so last but I
04:45
waited we came in right here last but I
04:51
think that these decided the nominees
04:52
professor automotive chenko biochemistry
04:55
lectures here at City Tech she's going
04:56
to discuss how even the generation after
04:58
his death as well scientific writing to
05:01
help convey knowledge to a new
05:03
generation of students but before
05:06
eternity panelists I want to demonstrate
05:07
some accomplishments but inside the area
05:11
of public policy
05:13
I found has multi to Shakespeare display
05:15
my high school English teachers as
05:17
people exceedingly helpful and I keep
05:19
talking much much tastier detail and
05:23
unlikely English teachers I need you to
05:25
know what happened in reality to the
05:27
characters in Shakespeare's history
05:28
plays so let that be a lesson to anyone
05:30
who tries dismissed as a wall as a
05:33
renegade literature and finally in the
05:38
program from a recent performs by the
05:40
unit over insulting players provide one
05:42
thing which I'm afraid I've got to got
05:44
my bag the star James mill were splendid
05:47
were capable chance
06:08
[Applause]
06:25
[Music]
06:35
[Music]
06:38
a celebration of Isaac I but before I
06:42
start any of I do want to take off on
06:45
one thing you said your English teacher
06:48
may not have had a high regard for a
06:49
sauce guy to the Tisch Shakespeare which
06:52
was meant to be a guiding about the
06:55
historical facts more the terminology
06:57
wasn't meant to be a literary analysis
06:59
however I have since learned that the
07:03
either people love it and that they
07:07
consider it their Bible when their the
07:09
Shakespearean actors and the directors I
07:11
was looking we were thinking of moving
07:12
we were looking
07:13
Department and this was turned out the
07:16
guy was a director at he was a major
07:21
shake it directly to the plays at
07:24
Stratford and he said they couldn't do
07:28
it without has no sky for Shakespeare
07:30
that they used it for staging for all
07:33
kinds of you know rolling the props
07:35
staged everything and later a good
07:38
friend of mine and a newer since our
07:41
kids went to kindergarten together and
07:43
she'd gotten divorced that had Menace
07:45
person in her life and she was an
07:47
experiencer and she kept told my job
07:51
our entire time I'm talking 21 years or
07:54
something and we went out to practice
07:57
and she said you know I think a snow I
08:00
said yes this is my boyfriend he really
08:04
wanted me that existing spirited actor
08:07
and he was so him for that's why he was
08:09
impressed so I want to put in a good
08:10
word for me sex coos cut of the fart I
08:13
like Shakespeare um but I was very
08:19
important that's a little kid my father
08:22
talked to told us bring book three books
08:27
called the foundation trilogy but we
08:29
lived in a very world community I read
08:32
every single thing in the library it's a
08:34
tumor library small two-room library and
08:38
there was no foundation in the library
08:41
so then we do things we looked in the
08:44
suburbs but also and my father found out
08:47
about the science fiction book club and
08:48
sorry to subscribe and they got no from
08:51
book club and he was funny my brother
08:57
somehow there's
08:58
first my brother was a year and half
09:00
younger than me and my brother was
09:01
brilliant he was super good student you
09:04
super high SAT scores later on
09:05
everything but he was a slower reader
09:08
than me and he was thinking in my
09:11
opinion so long to read the book that I
09:14
kept stealing it sneaking it away and
09:17
then I was reading it and then my mother
09:19
my brother complained my father my
09:20
father come in yell at me agenda tucked
09:23
away and then there wait a little while
09:25
to my slow brother and you know decided
09:29
I'd steal it again and I would read it
09:31
so that's how I read the foundation
09:32
which I loved from the moment I started
09:35
and so the interesting thing was that my
09:38
own mother fully immigrated to this
09:40
country at nineteen fifty two had a
09:43
master's degree in microbiology and she
09:46
from from the University College Dublin
09:49
and she was very impressive Isaac
09:54
science right she loved it and she said
09:56
that people who spoke the scientist who
09:59
spoke kind of suddenly about ends even
10:01
she felt they were related to a lot of
10:04
people should know what her life who do
10:05
who felt they had a little piece they
10:08
were an expert or something leaders no
10:10
one to share it and she felt like Isaac
10:11
was so good at sharing his knowledge
10:13
with everyone and she she loved him and
10:16
she didn't really read science picture
10:17
but she really was impressed with his
10:21
writing his science right yeah my father
10:23
was this food and it's fiction so I grew
10:26
up in this art to you know a household
10:30
of really really appreciated his writing
10:32
for completely
10:34
so then the I found a TV Guide of the 16
10:43
and the TV Guide there was a little
10:45
yellow part of the TV Guide that used to
10:47
have upcoming events and it said there
10:50
was going to be a Star Trek convention
10:51
in New York City and Isaac Asimov was
10:53
quite few guests at the convention so I
10:57
said to my father
10:58
how would you like to go to the arts
11:00
city and go to this convention and see
11:03
guys a gala Bob and my father was like
11:05
two green I dunno I couldn't believe it
11:08
and was during the energy process so he
11:11
took the train and he brought to Isaac
11:13
ahead of time and Isaac wrote back that
11:15
he loved to meet us but that was what we
11:17
didn't realize of course was that
11:18
million other people would love to meet
11:20
him but we actually did get to meet him
11:23
and sit with him at the bank right and
11:25
we got to meet Cal Clement at the same
11:27
time and it was really bad then later my
11:32
father said I was looking for positives
11:34
my father why didn't you write Isaac a
11:35
sum up and asked him what college you
11:38
should invite away okay I thought my
11:43
father wrote the letter but I actually
11:45
brought it and I
11:47
you could apply for you know because I
11:51
think I did actually didn't to as it to
11:53
transfer as engineering college I did
11:55
ago but my it was funny I thought my
12:00
father written it and then many years
12:02
later many years
12:04
Stanley Asma of Isaac's brother was
12:06
putting together a collection of Isaac's
12:08
letters and he was going through
12:11
thousands of thousands of letters from
12:15
library were Isaac had sent through
12:17
black letters and the U and he found
12:23
both pieces of Correspondence the
12:25
earlier corresponds to my father and
12:27
Isaac about Bosco I thinking about the
12:30
Star Trek convention and then my
12:32
correspondence than they were both
12:34
college and he said he said partly
12:39
because when I played Tony I said oh my
12:40
god you really have been reading all
12:42
those letters so he said you thought
12:44
that was a validation for all the rest
12:46
of the world that he had read every
12:47
letter and that's how I found out that I
12:52
that I had missed remember so it was
12:55
really you know I never my luck science
13:02
fiction had an early age it was what I
13:04
like to read the most of anything but
13:06
never and I love the more confident that
13:09
I disease but I just would never would
13:12
have believed this at 14 year old that I
13:13
would have been working on the magazine
13:15
with Isaac Asimov and that was just an
13:18
amazing dream come true so it was funny
13:22
that ten years later I was working
13:26
diagonally across the street from where
13:28
I met first met him and we work together
13:31
for 10 years
13:32
yes at the Commodore hotel I know when I
13:41
will let all the other panelists to talk
13:43
first
13:44
oh that's how like originally I started
13:51
[Applause]
13:56
one letter that you never read is this
13:58
one because I published it and here's
14:00
the original and it talks about
14:02
astounding time you should read that so
14:04
1988 letter coming anyway Isaac was also
14:11
a tenor do you know he was a tenor and
14:15
he sang that there was an SFWA and
14:19
nebula banquet in New York and he was
14:24
singing to various people he was saying
14:26
- he's saying - Anne McCaffrey and to
14:31
the tune of San Francisco he's saying
14:34
that the words are I would try to sing
14:37
it but it was Anne McCaffrey opened your
14:39
golden gate and she tried singing with
14:42
Oregon heat means there he asked me and
14:45
a whole bunch of other people it was a
14:46
very very strange because he actually
14:48
had a very good voice but if this really
14:50
strange he seemed singing and at this
14:52
gathering science-fiction notables he
14:57
never wrote he never stayed anywhere
14:59
else today
15:00
I'm aware be under convention you know
15:10
he said that the Gilbert and Sullivan
15:12
society and he's saying every time you
15:14
came into the office that he was in a
15:15
good mood but he psyched out the hallway
15:18
might be to our authenticity and once in
15:21
a while he said in the office with us
15:24
but he's saying all the time he yeah we
15:27
started that and that's why it is
15:29
Memorial the Gilbert and Sullivan
15:30
Society that was so beautiful they did
15:34
where they were there were 12 speakers
15:37
it doesn't really matter I was one of
15:39
them and they would have about I think
15:41
three of us and I have performance from
15:43
the Gilbert O'Sullivan Society and then
15:45
of us it was one of the speakers but
15:52
that's not why I thought the the whole
15:55
combination was gorgeous it was at the
16:01
ethical culture Memorial it was the
16:04
culture Memorial and they were there
16:05
performing I don't know I mean it's just
16:20
Isaac was just always there I think I
16:23
never had any professional relationship
16:27
with him there's a literal comment that
16:29
he sent me in 1988 to correct something
16:32
that I published in science fiction
16:34
central and that was wrong and he
16:39
corrected me and and here she or gets to
16:42
read it for the first time can really
16:44
cover you ready the next time
16:51
and I have I have all sorts of stuff for
16:53
show-and-tell here right I was learning
16:55
and looking and looking for Isaac's FBI
16:58
final because you know Russian guy and
17:02
you know up to no good probably
17:05
someone's officious minded and this on
17:07
the internet I printed it out here is I
17:10
know you can you can look at it pass it
17:12
out and people like that and I have
17:15
other things one of the big items I
17:18
published was that Isaac died of AIDS
17:25
and he got it during a transfusion of 99
17:29
3 he had heart bypass surgery it was
17:32
before they were screening the blood
17:36
transfusions but donated for AIDS and he
17:41
and Arthur Ashe as a result both died of
17:45
AIDS and it was not known at the time
17:46
and it became a big big item and here's
17:51
my before dying and I have a whole bunch
17:56
of photos Isaac in the background as
18:01
forry ackerman is getting his first the
18:04
first to go the 1950 fruit will come or
18:07
in that I would and Tassimo and here's
18:11
Isaac in 1942 not my photo since before
18:15
I was born with with Ellsberg to cam and
18:17
Robert Heinlein at the
18:19
aviary and here's a picture of Isaac
18:26
with lieutenant which somewhat wanted to
18:31
publish except they wanted to by all
18:33
rights and pay nothing and take the
18:36
copyright and I told him that where to
18:38
go and that was and I think it's a great
18:44
quote oh no and here's a photo I took in
18:49
1967 at night Guthrie with with Harlan
18:52
Ellison my second part on the Nelson
18:56
baby government and here's a picture of
19:00
Isaac with arthur c clarke and mr. del
19:03
rey and he was a great one here's isaac
19:08
using windows engraving tools for you
19:11
know your freedom being burglarized he
19:15
he's photographing this guy's back his
19:18
mcintyre ha ha great I have no idea what
19:22
happened that Macintosh the weddings
19:25
it's great to wonder what but and here's
19:28
here's classic with his incredible
19:31
mutton chops with David Hartwell and
19:33
gene wolfe he did mutton chops really
19:41
well
19:51
well my direct attention when asked was
19:54
really very limited anyway he was guest
19:56
of honor at the first convention I ever
19:58
ran in 1966 busgang
20:01
three puts him in charge of the camera
20:03
myself Oh max my guest mr. gates in here
20:07
but interesting because recently there
20:10
was an editorial of the Scientific
20:13
American which it was the writer took
20:16
casts the billionaire space cadet times
20:20
is it tuk tuk they should be spending
20:22
that money on problems here on earth and
20:23
not squandering in space yo yo thing
20:26
1492 Isabella should've used the money
20:28
she got for jewels - Pete the court
20:30
Madrid and not Banco Columbus that's
20:33
that's another story is not that my
20:34
point here but you blame these
20:37
proclivities on as you put it boyhood
20:39
summers spend reading Robert Heinlein
20:41
and Isaac Asimov I said was I'm lying
20:45
okay she's better pointed that no doubt
20:47
about that that didn't spare it by him
20:49
but I I beg to differ a lot as I'm often
20:51
as a mother wasn't really writing about
20:54
space even if they were set in the space
20:55
it was a very unusual kind of space with
20:58
no aliens it could have been all of them
21:00
on earth just as well and you have seen
21:02
better things like if you want to know
21:05
who spent their spoil in someone's
21:07
reading azimoff's and being influenced
21:09
there was the is the New York Times
21:11
columnist Paul Krugman who said that's
21:14
that's what got him to be an economist
21:16
thanks me he wanted to grow up to be
21:18
Harry so we didn't quite make that gonna
21:20
get a Nobel Prize so I that wasn't too
21:23
wasn't too shabby
21:24
it was interviewing at the Montreal
21:27
yes he ain't gay but yes if that's where
21:30
that's why I learned about that Betty's
21:31
then he said it himself so
21:34
questioning it if I'm going on but feel
21:36
obliged by the security confessor yes so
21:41
but anyway
21:42
for example the robot stories we're not
21:45
really about what we know as robots it
21:47
they the robot representing any member
21:50
of a oppressed underclass Jews blacks
21:53
with the untouchables in India be a
21:56
ten-inch of man and the other moral was
21:59
that they're just as good as anybody
22:00
else in to be treated equally or as his
22:03
comic Randall Garrett hooded with
22:04
apology to the Kipling as friend I
22:08
wouldn't trade to buy the Asimov
22:09
teenager you're a better man than I am
22:12
of you tend and then yet foundation
22:16
stories against nominee said in space
22:19
that could have been done by terrorists
22:21
and they're basically about about
22:24
Keynesian economics and psychohistory is
22:26
based in Keynesian economics writ large
22:28
expanded to include all human affairs
22:31
and I was about the idea of which is my
22:34
called technocracy or expertise of that
22:36
these matters can be reduced to exact
22:38
Sciences and then they policy should be
22:41
run by technicians learning in those
22:43
Sciences and politicians and other white
22:46
boy should not should not interfere and
22:49
now a very popular idea at the time but
22:51
then Along Came Vietnam and we saw where
22:54
this where scientific management could
22:56
leave and so the idea is only tarnished
22:58
but at the time it was a perfectly
23:00
legitimate idea with its entirety about
23:02
social issues here and now just what the
23:04
editorial is one India the billionaires
23:07
to be concerned so I said
23:10
I set off a letter who to take exception
23:12
I defend the honor of Isaac Asimov I
23:15
didn't build myself as a member of the
23:17
staff of the magazine that I've been
23:20
evicted presumptive but presumptuous but
23:24
that's so that's so that's what I have
23:27
to say about my other than of course of
23:30
course I've been my boyhood some
23:32
coverage reading them and continue to
23:36
continue to enjoy them and that's not a
23:39
lot I have to say help me I have a poem
23:47
that Gregory Benford wrote fairly
23:50
recently which I believe was submitted
23:54
to tomorrow's SF magazine and it was
24:00
published there anyway if I could read
24:09
it its pages for years I knew Isaac from
24:21
the outside through dreadknight Falls
24:24
and fresh grape day breaks over the
24:26
Galactic Empire seeking as a teenage kid
24:29
from Alabama to know a future that come
24:31
to foggy shadow so I met him in his
24:35
penthouse
24:35
I saw shades drawn down against the
24:38
events of the lurking over Central Park
24:40
he would not lie in a bed against that
24:43
outer wall he who deployed battle
24:46
cruisers through the Stargate Sarah
24:47
Graham it was a guy who would not fly in
24:50
airplanes one roller coaster was no no
24:53
not tough that way afraid of heights
24:56
yet he lived in a penthouse because
24:58
Janet wanted to for the view and once
25:01
when he once in a tux high above
25:03
Manhattan slugs he backed out on the
25:06
balcony for a photo of never looking
25:08
around or hearing the sound of times
25:11
sure falling still he's talking Sophie
25:14
Roman above even if those City clinic
25:17
welders of Trent or also feared their
25:20
heavens New Yorkers home
25:22
they left their warrants why not look
25:25
further
25:26
I wonder why don't you debate the
25:28
galactic empires politics and comfy
25:30
rooms he would not entertain when I
25:37
brought it up the actual idea of
25:40
cryonics I'll die with my books on he
25:43
said and we gone and the other dreamers
25:46
crisp Heinlein folksy semuc crusty Jack
25:50
Williamson wise Silverberg every young
25:53
Clark even fred pol and his rational
25:55
rigor Allroad of passing like sunrise
25:58
raised to the cold nitrogen lens to see
26:01
landscapes beyond our grave reality but
26:05
not my phone would take a free freeze as
26:08
when krietor had told me Jenny Heinlein
26:11
said he and she didn't want him to come
26:13
back from that cold silence that dark
26:16
silent cold though he was bold they sure
26:19
had better destiny brimmed ahead
26:21
Bradbury sipped a cool dry martini
26:23
having gotten two from all this as one
26:26
its employed than they ever could
26:28
argument I'll be alone in a world I
26:30
don't know didn't know forgetting this
26:32
and we came in
26:34
no more wife her daughters maybe the
26:37
white couldn't they come yet fans plenty
26:39
time steeped in his voice nostalgic
26:42
they're up ahead beckons a new life
26:45
splashed across a bright new world and
26:47
more this is strange beyond the country
26:50
patella sky huge above metropolis so I
26:55
wondered why he did not rage against the
26:57
foam of that night there's much up ahead
27:00
he said but you'll be dead whatever the
27:03
odds Isaac and yes they are small as the
27:06
very worst you would lie the sterile dry
27:09
hospital bed on the inside wall please
27:11
mid all those strange dim faces dear hue
27:15
they were past peeling out behind a
27:17
flat-out lying
27:19
backward work being soft hair and
27:22
coughing up your last about to endow
27:24
your foundation and the story yes yet
27:28
the chorionic text down the hall waiting
27:30
for the last note strumming in the back
27:33
of your woozi mind that is still
27:35
centered would give a gift you'd smile
27:37
and go to that great deep release to the
27:40
thin sliver of hope and then the
28:10
majority stood on my bookshelves among
28:13
his favorite science fiction writers but
28:17
distinguished participants who attended
28:20
today of course know about theis advised
28:23
of us book much more than iron however
28:26
for me dr. Cosimo's book on science I
28:29
equally important and engaging his
28:32
ability to pierce into the future in
28:35
foresee for spending complications of
28:38
recent discoveries was enlightening and
28:43
influential and it helps it inspire
28:46
generations of engineers and scientists
28:49
I just got a letter from a friend in
28:52
Baileys molecular biologist whose son
28:55
enthusiastically reads Isaac Asimov and
28:57
he's going to be an engineer innocently
29:01
there right from my home country Ukraine
29:05
is the Europe for my way if your
29:08
scientific professor
29:10
molecular biologist my third supervisor
29:13
in normally it would discuss poetry or
29:17
decent dissident leader chained USSR if
29:21
I need to deliberate the war USSR
29:24
apparently remember countries and does
29:27
not exist union of social circuit
29:30
socialist republics but she turned out
29:33
to be a fan of doctor azimuth in thank
29:38
you doctor Asimov thank you doctor
29:44
azimuth with inspiration and who for
29:47
mankind I wish that scientists social
29:54
and political leaders had at least
29:59
partial clarity of mind and wisdom of
30:02
doctor ASIMO I teach biology and City
30:09
Tech College and they paragraphs from
30:12
hicimos book to my students because they
30:15
are so eloquent and so persuasive and
30:19
please allow me to read a couple of
30:21
short messages from his books also I
30:24
don't need the persuade training this
30:27
auditorium nevertheless is an example
30:36
so accumulation of human knowledge but
30:41
noticed was the point of developing
30:43
techniques of genetic engineering can we
30:47
look forward to a near future in which
30:49
we can redesign human genes in such a
30:52
way that we can arrange for babies to be
30:55
born without appendices all these don't
30:58
ease into develop larger paralysis for
31:01
their babies to be born and so on yes we
31:05
can but there are two kitchens first we
31:08
have to learn a great deal more about
31:10
genes and gene combinations that you
31:13
know we have to learn techniques for
31:17
gauging and altering genes and this
31:19
techniques already exist you probably
31:21
heard of CRISPR technology etc it's easy
31:24
now just recently on Zee News where the
31:28
Chinese gene engineer engineer to
31:30
various but we have to know exactly the
31:37
changes in the genes produce lis changes
31:41
in supporting second what about the side
31:44
effects of changes that appear useful it
31:49
will pay groups of souls and lots of
31:52
hesitation and modern scientists forget
31:55
about it
32:02
science has been able to place great
32:05
knowledge at the disposal of human
32:07
beings but the human beings himself
32:09
remain beyond the understand
32:11
of science chemists scientists still
32:18
didn't discover what makes sunny around
32:21
so we came face to face his effect man
32:25
knows how to kill million men in single
32:27
day when an act of his will but yet he
32:31
is not capable of understanding what
32:33
lies behind this act of you know thyself
32:37
on Socrates - in the car thousand years
32:41
ago in no mankind had by the Lord to
32:44
know itself what we all do thank you
32:47
very much my attention just writing
33:08
about humans and the president he didn't
33:23
know how worked he wasn't like trying to
33:28
well in trying to undercut science you
33:31
know he actually didn't really think
33:32
faster than like space travel was ever
33:35
really happen
33:40
and he he didn't he didn't know how
33:45
robots would work he just but he was
33:48
using these really interesting concepts
33:52
to explore the human condition and as
33:55
most science fiction writers so he was
33:58
not and he was very proud of the space
34:00
program but he was also very very you
34:06
know pretty compassion for people he
34:09
very proud of how selfish humanists
34:11
especially during the time when that
34:13
word was considered and he really so he
34:19
was he he had both views you know he
34:22
felt both then I'd say that he actually
34:26
probably even had a stronger view for
34:30
compassionate Ettore humanity but he did
34:33
have the excitement you know science and
34:35
certainly love sciences certainly loved
34:39
exploring technology and science and not
34:42
not being afraid of it one of the big
34:44
things already his robot stories was
34:46
that before that everyone's most robot
34:50
stories were all about the horror the
34:52
horror that the robots were going to be
34:55
like Frankenstein and turn around and
34:57
kill their their creator and and that
35:02
they'd be monsters and so he felt that
35:04
was ridiculous you know that there's
35:06
being a sense of all reasonable
35:10
yeah but at the same time you did very
35:12
much use it to explore people who are
35:19
marginalized and see that stories like I
35:24
wrote robot dreams and tricentennial man
35:31
and you know those of you don't really
35:33
see those things in those stories so
35:36
yeah I totally agree thank you for the
35:43
agreement whether that leads to much
35:47
discussion I hope you find something
35:48
someday
35:49
well some dissension here it's a
35:51
question for you are they publishing the
35:53
letter I haven't heard that just went
35:56
out when was it oh no actually when I
35:59
sent this one out I had no memory so I
36:01
haven't heard so probably not that so it
36:04
comes just gonna be the point is a
36:10
software tester that I wish software
36:13
engineering worlds like this the Three
36:14
Laws of Robotics read site in advance
36:17
what a software can't do I'm afraid to
36:19
make a good living out of that not being
36:21
the case I guess I have experience like
36:25
that am i working the same I'll make you
36:29
did the world war two their craft
36:31
simulators yeah we're starting to do
36:34
software and they had no clue whatsoever
36:37
and then we used to metalbending on the
36:40
factory floor and their idea was
36:41
software was you static your gasket was
36:44
the people then I got
36:45
people and you designed your system then
36:49
they can use circuit diagrams and you
36:51
filled in the connections which were
36:54
then sent to the ladies with some
36:56
regards from the basement who then wired
36:58
up the machine happy I give you bug or
37:01
so far what's the matter with you don't
37:03
you know your business and so the whole
37:06
cooktop work of you know structured
37:08
walkthroughs alpha testing beta testing
37:11
completely oblivious software just so
37:14
different and so even so nice Isaac you
37:19
know he we know who came before that era
37:21
you know he just yeah I can understand
37:24
why I was glad they admitted that you'd
37:26
really know how robots might work
37:28
because it was so different
37:30
what would but that seems so silly once
37:54
I get to a game that had been decided it
37:57
was in I saw it somewhere and it was
38:01
designed by robots that's right
38:05
I am a scientist for viruses and they
38:08
had they had this whole thing was a game
38:15
you know it was like board game it was
38:17
just open it up and it had you know two
38:23
squares a few
38:26
a very center or which the winner got
38:30
was that you've got to be like me Isaac
38:32
as about this being only Braille at the
38:35
center of the game so I suspect that
38:38
there's you know people like to have big
38:40
controversial statements but I suspect
38:42
there so many people who provides
38:48
inspired by him even though they know he
38:51
wasn't robot did you vote so interesting
38:58
and also last question which I then I
39:02
cannot do a lot of the software yet did
39:06
his estate ever get any money from all
39:08
these companies that named like like the
39:11
iRobot in Japan and these companies that
39:17
are named after his original story
39:26
iRobot and and azimoff's voted for him
39:29
he said I only the estate would have
39:30
much of the case and they have very poor
39:33
software testing I noticed he didn't
39:57
come up with iRobot in fact he never
40:00
came
40:12
you can't you can't title but obviously
40:20
the I'm the room that company she you
40:24
know she's the woman who founded it she
40:26
was clearly inspired by eyes asthma she
40:29
was a computer scientist at MIT and she
40:31
didn't call her by accident you know
40:35
what's because of the end over end of
40:39
research where Edward and Otto bender at
40:42
30 Otto's creation robot and they
40:46
weren't nearly as good writers
40:48
I think never wrote about cats writing
40:50
around ever watched a science fiction
41:02
authors they're gonna throw out of like
41:05
that but they're not going to see the
41:07
details so I don't think it was you know
41:12
there's so there most people who wrote
41:16
about the first day here on the rule
41:17
though apparently there's one exception
41:18
but they didn't write about people back
41:23
on the earth watching it on TV you know
41:25
that wasn't a detail that apparently
41:27
there's one story that hasn't
41:30
I don't think it captures the whole idea
41:32
of that that's politics
41:33
really billions of people watch it on TV
41:35
and so science fiction is not
41:38
necessarily got the details right
41:41
but one thing in 2001 cupric got one
41:57
thing right
41:58
everything would be branded was a party
42:10
this is not the function of science
42:13
fiction to predict the invention of the
42:14
car is the function of science fiction
42:16
to predict the traffic jam I think John
42:25
the story Paris in this way mid-century
42:28
and he had me you know the automobiles
42:31
going around there was female but he had
42:34
no clue about the effect of the flubber
42:36
on courtship rights at the American
42:39
which was he I mean this is sort of
42:41
thing we talked about singularity now
42:43
that was something that was beyond his
42:45
can decree no way at European gentleman
42:47
of that Curie couldn't grasp that
42:49
concept and not so it's not an absolute
42:52
barrier to seeing the future but there
42:55
are limits as opposed the event horizon
42:57
does impose limits actually a Heinlein
43:03
pointed out that the bicycle was more of
43:05
an influence on courtship the different
43:12
a different books like banning it you
43:14
couldn't do do my childhood seat of a
43:17
bicycle whereas the back seat of a
43:19
flipper was very convenient
43:28
for a fact I should stop doing that but
43:31
I think it's really interesting that you
43:36
know when you go back to the concept of
43:39
Isaac's or all science fiction authors
43:42
influence scientists and other thinkers
43:48
and technologists be kind of this and if
43:52
that's something that he would have been
43:54
especially happy about it he worried
43:56
when I heard before he died he was very
44:00
concerned about the future of the
44:01
magazine he really was going to the
44:03
magazine blast and I said and he had
44:07
historical reasons for worrying many
44:09
most of the men amazing is he ever seen
44:12
coming and but you know I said well I
44:15
think you you put us on our feet you
44:18
know the magazine wouldn't exist it
44:22
wouldn't have been send such a strong
44:24
launch and picked up so many readers
44:27
without his his real support and he was
44:30
there all along writing editorials and
44:32
it's a little lighter than the letters
44:34
Parliament and just having our backs we
44:37
had issues with the corporate you know
44:41
we had to deal with but out buddy and I
44:46
said so you've really but I said but I
44:47
think you put us on our feet and we're
44:49
in a very good position and so don't
44:51
worry and now you know he died when he
44:54
died the magazine was 15 years old and
44:59
now we're 43 years old so it's been a
45:05
lot of time and no matter what happens
45:07
in the future we're still going strong
45:09
but whenever happens in the future he
45:10
really has had made it was became a
45:13
great place for authors to have some
45:16
kind of chances he had a first place
45:19
so their stories to new places all
45:22
stories to and and so I think he's had
45:26
he hadn't affected their to him bringing
45:28
about him a magazine that we have a
45:31
wide-ranging influence so I think he is
45:36
very pleased with his you see in many
45:39
ways in the fact that the you know
45:41
theater industry you know that there
45:43
that there aren't that scientists and
45:46
you know I I was reading a book and now
45:52
I forget I might move my dadís although
45:56
he was right up to my daughter was born
45:58
and there was something like some
46:07
bestseller or science book in the back
46:09
in one of the books was Isaac Asimov
46:12
history of well it's his biographical
46:16
encyclopedia of all the sciences and
46:21
technologies up to 1900 which he said
46:25
was very convenient I stopped because
46:26
most of them occur after that but it had
46:30
been used for historical research so
46:43
nearly there was one time when he Fred
46:47
Paul phoned him to ask a question he
46:52
didn't know the answer so he looked it
46:54
up the exact the Americana found very
46:56
helpful so we just put a transmitter to
46:58
poll and then at the end he found that
47:01
he had actually written that article so
47:04
you can in later life not quite
47:07
photographic
47:11
but fretful said about Fred that the
47:14
funniest comment about writing he had
47:17
gone out to dinner with Isaac and they
47:18
were working on this final book which
47:20
actually Fred wrote mostly posthumous
47:23
prosperously of Isaac and it was on it
47:28
was on planet Earth environmental
47:33
concerns and very full subject a lot of
47:42
information and and friend said it
47:45
dinner I think this is gonna be such a
47:47
great Footwear both whirlpool our
47:49
general dollars to create this book and
47:51
I think I was like well I'll for putting
47:53
all my Freight over this story why I
48:01
think Paul was excited to be retiring
48:05
this authority on like amber Iberia's
48:07
which is why today is teak birth middle
48:10
initial stance which is so unfair that
48:15
at least by Roman standards when he was
48:37
named the Grandmaster by by the SFWA
48:41
[Music]
48:43
Jane yeoman gave a speech which I have
48:47
here and there's a limerick in here
48:52
there is there is a young fellow named s
48:56
Imam who many consider now has now the
49:00
Giants and prizes of various sizes and a
49:04
rep like that ancient Greek Cosmo
49:44
another
49:50
[Music]
50:51
you know