Great Ideas of Asimov
Isaac Asimov, the American writer and biochemist of Russian origin, is one of the most famous and prominent science fiction authors in history. Born in 1920 in Russia to a Muslim family, he moved with his family to the United States as a child. He later became a professor of biochemistry at Boston University after earning his doctorate in the field, and died in New York City in 1992 at the age of 72. A prolific scientist and writer, he authored and edited more than 500 books across diverse fields, including science fiction, science, history, literature, and theology. He also formulated the famous “Three Laws of Robotics” in his stories, which profoundly influenced science fiction literature and later concepts of artificial intelligence. Among his most renowned works are the “Foundation” series and the “Robots” series.
In a television interview, responding to a question from the host, Asimov remarked: Many people believe that if faith disappears, everything becomes permissible, and this idea frightens them greatly. But the reality is different, especially since this assumption denies that humans possess any sense of right and wrong, as if they were conscienceless and incapable of distinguishing between good and evil. It is dangerous, for example, to believe that the sole reason we refrain from beating our children to death is our fear of going to hell. Such thinking insults sane human beings, implying that a system of rewards and punishments is the only thing keeping us sane and rational, while ignoring the fact that most people wish to be good simply because it makes them feel better. This is what I meant in a previous article: we should not refrain from doing anything wrong or illegal out of fear alone, but because it allows us to feel more at ease and in harmony with ourselves.
Asimov fully agrees with this view, adding that this does not mean he would commit acts of robbery, theft, rape, or other heinous crimes simply because he does not fear punishment. There is a worldly punishment in the form of laws, and there is the punishment of conscience, which has led many criminals, sometimes decades after committing their crimes, to confess in order to escape the torment of their guilty conscience, which had continued to haunt them, so they could find relief from its inner cries. Conscience is a cognitive and emotional process by which humans, regardless of their gender, nationality, race, or religion, distinguish right from wrong. It is the internal moral censor and the inner scale that judges human actions and intentions before and after they occur. It is the source of remorse, and it generates feelings of comfort and peace when doing good, and the opposite when engaging in behavior that contradicts values and ethics. Perhaps conscience is the most important factor that contributed to the survival of the human species. It is a sign of moral responsibility and shared human dignity, regardless of cultural backgrounds or beliefs.
There is also a third, logical factor against taking the easy path of harming others: that other person may one day, when circumstances change, retaliate against us or our families. Therefore, it is essential to coexist with others for the benefit of society and humanity.
Ahmed Al-Sarraf
