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196 Comments
- bagold51, on 10/12/2007, -4/+119This has got to be one of the best short stories I have ever read....but then again, it's written by the master himself.
- flernk, on 11/08/2007, -1/+100I have been looking for this for years! THANK YOU!!! I read it in a book of short stories in my pre-teen years and it has been a source of inspiration for nearly 2 decades. I had no idea who wrote it or which book it was in, so it disappeared into the fog of youth. I'm stoked to have found it again! THANK YOU for posting this!
- Bluth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+91Not down with entropy? You obviously haven't studied MC Hawking's "A Brief History of Rhyme"...
"I explode like a bomb. No one is spared. My power is my mass times the speed of light squared." - from E=MC Hawking - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+63Entropy sucks
- jammerb, on 10/12/2007, -1/+39The Last Question is one of my favorites... but my absolute favorite Asimov short story is Nightfall:
http://doctord.dyndns.org:8000/Stories/Nightfall.htm - navster15, on 10/12/2007, -4/+38D'oh! I forgot that I was giving away a spoiler. Sorry about that. No offense taken. Digg me down to oblivion!
- jjsonickde, on 10/12/2007, -2/+36'The Last Question' sneaks up on you so slowly and so unassumingly that when you reach the end and realize what transpired, you are utterly floored. Once you have absorbed the shock of the obvious answer presented, you spend the next few days reviewing its ramifications on your own outlook on the universe. In the end you realize your own answer is, 'Why not?' This story made a huge impact when I read it as a teenager, and that is something considering I've read nearly all of his non-fiction work. I'm happy to see this article on Digg. Now many more people can enjoy it. Asimov RULES! (sorry, had to get that out... ;) )
- rompom7, on 10/12/2007, -2/+36Great read... But I accidentally scrolled too far down and my eyes jumped to the capital letters, giving the ending away. I was already at the last 'stage' then anyway so it wasn't a big deal, still a great twist...
Again, what a fantastic story, I've read some of Isaac Asimov's stories before. I might just start reading some of his novels.
(tip to those who haven't read yet... don't scroll too far down... read from the bottom of your browser window and scroll down bit by bit) - stellamaris, on 10/12/2007, -1/+32I first discovered Asimov when I got my first all-day in school suspension in ninth grade. The day before, I went to the library to get a good book. I wandered over to the science section and noticed a great deal of books by this one guy Asimov. I picked up "Life and Time" and the next day, I read the whole thing while incarcerated. That's when my love affair started with his writings.
I read everything of his I could get my hands on. I started with a lot of Nonfiction at first, and he basically re-sparked my interest in science in High School (I'm a girl, and the natural curiosity had faded somewhat after adolescence. Asimov brought it back with a vengeance). Even though his books were 40, 50, 60 years old, most of what he said was still relevant. He was warning us back in the 70's that if we didn't do something about pollution and global warming back then, we'd get to a critical point where the earth couldn't handle it and the climate would change dramatically at the beginning of the next century... Gee, wonder is he was right?
Then I read "Asimov's Mysteries" and "I, Robot", and I knew I was a die hard Asimov-fan for life. I'm a librarian, and I feel like there are very few books worth owning (because of free access to almost anything), but my small collection is dominated by Asimov's works. Did you guys know that Asimov is the only author to be in every section of the Dewey Decimal system? He also wrote a series of science books for kids.
The man was truly a genius and it's a shame that he had to die in such a way. He will always be remembered and he'll always have fans, for the rest of time. I suggest that instead of beaming cosmic messages or music at stars, hoping they'll answer, we should read Asimov's stories to them.
P.S. All you guys need to bring back the Asimov 'chops. You know what I'm talking about: http://atuleirus.weblog.com.pt/arquivo/Asimov-thumb.gif - Nephilym, on 10/12/2007, -0/+28"For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn."
This was Hemingway's favourite short story and he claimed it was the best thing he ever wrote. - diggfinity, on 10/12/2007, -1/+28Ouroboros.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros - soogy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+25Wow, this story was written back in 1956. It's 50 years old, and yet time hasn't diminished its relevance nor its value.
- carazy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+25That was a great story. I love all of Asimov's work, certainly one of the best writers of his time, I would say him and Frank Herbert would have to be my favorite authors.
If anyone feels like a good long read I recommend the Foundation series by Asimov. - Lord_oftheTrons, on 10/12/2007, -0/+24http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/sixwords.html
They had those six word fiction stories in wired a few issues ago inspired by that very quote Nephilym. That is a link to a few of them, my favs:
Computer, did we bring batteries? Computer?
- Eileen Gunn
Vacuum collision. Orbits diverge. Farewell, love.
- David Brin
Machine. Unexpectedly, I’d invented a time
- Alan Moore
Epitaph: Foolish humans, never escaped Earth.
- Vernor Vinge
Lie detector eyeglasses perfected: Civilization collapses.
- Richard Powers
The baby’s blood type? Human, mostly.
- Orson Scott Card
We went solar; sun went nova.
- Ken MacLeod
TIME MACHINE REACHES FUTURE!!! … nobody there …
- Harry Harrison - arnar, on 10/12/2007, -2/+19Brilliant story. One could guess the ending though by the stage where men became Man.
- theshelf, on 10/12/2007, -6/+22An intriguing story to say the least, and not untypical of humanistic philosophy. Yet I would argue that this is not the last question as there is another question still left unanswered by this story. How did time begin? This story assumes that time is infinite, yet this is impossible. Mathematically, infinity may make sense, but in practicality science and philosophy tells us that this is impossible. If we had an infinite past (meaning that this universe was created from a previously dying universe which, in turn, was created from another dying universe, etc.) then *today* would never come. There would be no present because time keeps stretching backward before you can get to today. So we know time had a beginning, and if time had a beginning, then there must at least have been a prime universe that was not created from a previous universe. This is ultimately the limitation of science which is why religions can never die.
Just a thought. ;-) - stellamaris, on 10/12/2007, -1/+17More Asimov Quotes:
"If knowledge creates problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them."
"I wish that I could say I was optimistic about the human race. I love us all, but we are so stupid and shortsighted that I wonder if we can lift our eyes to the world about us long enough not to commit suicide. I keep trying to make people do so."
"Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers."
"When I read about the way in which library funds are being cut and cut, I can only think that American society has found one more way to destroy itself."
"True literacy is becoming an arcane art and the United States is steadily dumbing down." - kooft, on 10/12/2007, -0/+16That was the word printed on the crate they found Dave Lister in you smeghead.
- zanzibuz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15My favorite Asimov Quote:
"Just because I wrote it doesn't mean I understand it."
I love his robot novels! The Gods Themselves was also good. - lukas88, on 10/12/2007, -1/+15What a great story. Classic science fiction is the most thought provoking kind. I found a couple hardback books at a library sale for like 50 cents each that were full of short science fiction stories by Isaac Asimov and his kind. Best reading I have had in a long time.
Modern day science fiction seems to pale in comparison. Instead of provoking thought, it just seems to focus on special effects and how wierd they can make the characters, not to mention being pretty unorigional. Star Wars, Star Trek, etc are all entertaining but they don't seem to ask any deep questions, at least not in the classy way these old short stories do. The art is not lost, however. Movies like Children of Men, AI, and probably a dozen others that I can't remember in this moment... they all carry the torch. These movies, like all science fiction, stray from reality in an attempt to ask he question, "what if....?" The difference between good science fiction and bad science fiction is how it answers that question. If the answer gives you insight or provokes thought about our own human nature, then you know that you are experiencing great science fiction. - filipeanut, on 10/12/2007, -1/+15"Why is it my favorite? For one thing I got the idea all at once and didn't have to fiddle with it; and I wrote it in white-heat and scarcely had to change a word. This sort of thing endears any story to any writer."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov
An article on what made the "big bang" bang: http://www.discover.com/issues/feb-04/cover/ - gravylookout, on 10/12/2007, -0/+14Asimov is without a doubt one of the greatest science fiction authors of all time (in my top three) and this is some of his best work. It kind of reminds me of Philip K. Dick's "Story to End All Stories". If someone could find that and post it here I bet it would be greatly apprechiated. (It's only a paragraph long but it shows off Dick's style so well)
- thunderhammer, on 10/12/2007, -2/+15I'm pretty sure the question he was trying to answer is whether Miller Light is so enjoyable because it tastes great or because it's less filling. Apparently there is insufficient data for a meaningful answer.
- Thuktun, on 10/12/2007, -3/+15@chohmann
Not sure why anyone would digg you down for a Futurama reference.
The linked story is really good, but I personally like this one better:
http://www.terrybisson.com/meat.html - rossinio, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11I think AC actually exists in hyperspace, thus outside the same physical plane as the universe, not sure tho..
- adaire, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11I agree. Foundation was awesome, especially how it tied into the same universe as the Robot novels.
- vuke69, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10Your boss must be quite impressed with your work ethic. Now get back to work you lazy SOB.
Although I must admit, I read it at work too. - gummih, on 10/12/2007, -5/+15As some people might be reading the comments before the story, I'll be digging down spoilers. Even good ones
- nsharp, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13Fascinating story. Please do take a moment to read it
- logicalnoise, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11if you had read the story just posted you'd see he has plenty. BTW the Movie Irobot hardly represents Asimov's vison.
- twitchster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I saw this at the strasenburgh planetarium when I was a kid - it was narrated by nimoy. Definately very cool.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Question - peorth, on 10/12/2007, -3/+11Dugg because it's Asimov
- radio1mike, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8One of my all-time favorites.
Asimov was also my favorite popularizers of Science. Read his non-fiction. - Holyfool19, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7May you rest in peace you wise, wonderful old man.
- zanvann, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Holy *****.
I'm gonna go lie down and think that one through. - CanceledCzech, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8"Entropy sucks"
Guess you're not a George Carlin fan. - CanceledCzech, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6This is one of the best pieces of literature I have ever read.
- Schmerz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Because he is an infinite loop, humanity can never become extinct.
- rompom7, on 10/12/2007, -5/+10Please digg navster15 down, no offense. Not a bad post or anything... But people reading the comments before the story will have it spoiled. That was the whole reason Asimov did not tell you at the beginning...
- johnbr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5One of the things I find interesting about some of the comments is the certainty with which they toss off phrases like "matter can't be created."
We are still but microbes in our ability to understand and comprehend the universe we live in. In time, many of our "laws of physics" will be found to be little more than "guidelines". - GiggleStick, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5It was OCRed dingleberry.
- CurtHowland, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5The three Foundation books are wonderful. I'm sad that he felt it necessary to "merge" it all later in life.
So I'll second the recommendation for Foundation, but read the first three and then stop. At least for a while. - twinklyJesus, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Heinlein -- FTW!
- link7373, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5No, AC existed outside of space and time.
- romana, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Heinlein and Asimov (and Clarke) were among the stock fodder of my childhood reading. I heartilyrecommend Asimov's non fiction (his analysis of Shakespeare is stunningly good), and his detective stories. And I cried when Daneel finally, well,no spoilers, but I wept for Daneel - and Andrew. Andrew rocked.
- magnakai, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Mmm, that's a great one. It was expanded into a full novel, which I never got around to reading.
My favourite Asimov book is Second Foundation.
I actually read it without reading the two previous books (Foundation and Foundation And Empire), and the mystery and subtle nods to unseen past events made it quite an experience. Plus the concept (that stretches back into Foundation And Empire) is such a fantastic twist on the original Foundation (both book and fictional organisation.)
Second from that would probably be... I, Robot. An obvious choice, but it's famous for all the right reasons. - Awap, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4You are correct, the total amount of energy (counting matter) does not change. However, the story is talking about entropy, a measure of disorder. In all physical processes, entropy either stays the same (reversible processes), or increases. As the entropy increases, the order and structure of the system breaks down. It is theorized that the universe will eventually experience a "heat death" where all thermal energy is spread uniformly randomly (highest entropy) across the universe, and no physical processes can continue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_death - betterth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4That was the point. Christian theology holds that God exists outside of space and time, which is why we say He is everywhere, in all of us. He is at our birth and deaths simultaneously, he knows our whole lives and is in every moment them always. Since Asimov was saying that over billions of years we created God or AC, that in the very end, when all of mankind merges with his supreme consciousness, he breaks free of whatever tied him to space and time. He exists outside of space and time.
- GiggleStick, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3So even a trillion years in the future, computers will communicate in all caps.
Seriously, though, the Arthur C. Clarke story "The Star" has a similar twist, and is quite good too. - magnakai, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5Nephilym, that IS a fantastic story. Consider exactly what each pair of words implies. There's a lovely amount of (supposed) information you can glean from it.
It's not the best story ever, but it is particularly elegant and efficient.
Thanks for that link Lord OfTheTrons, there are some great things there. I'm particularly pleased that Alan Moore contributed. -
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