March 18, 2008
Arthur Charles Clarke, 1917-2008
Arthur C. Clarke, a writer whose seamless blend of scientific expertise and poetic imagination helped usher in the space age, died early Wednesday in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he had lived since 1956. He was 90.
Rohan de Silva, an aide to Mr. Clarke, said the author died after suffering from breathing problems, The Associated Press reported.
From his detailed forecast of telecommunications satellites in 1945, more than a decade before the first orbital rocket flight, to his co-creation, with the director Stanley Kubrick, of the classic science fiction film “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Mr. Clarke was both prophet and promoter of the idea that humanity’s destiny lay beyond the confines of Earth.
Other early advocates of a space program argued that it would pay for itself by jump-starting new technology. Mr. Clarke set his sights higher. Paraphrasing William James, he suggested that exploring the solar system could serve as the “moral equivalent” of war, giving an outlet to energies that might otherwise lead to nuclear holocaust.
Posted by Robin Varghese at 07:14 PM | Permalink
Comments
Everybody goes on about "Childhood's End" but my favorite was "The City and the Stars". He wrote it before he gave up on humans and it probably reads as hopelessly quaint (it does take place a billion years from now) but it's got a visionary quality and scope that compliments his prose. Maybe it's more fun to read when you're thirteen but it is (or was) fun.
Posted by: Pete Chapman | Mar 18, 2008 9:32:35 PM
There's something about the hope, the aspiration, the mystery, the danger of going into the final frontier. Clarke captured it, whether it be about a simple elevator into space or a giant tube waiting for us to explore, or a time viewer that lets us watch dinosaurs.
There are few authors with the vision of technology, the dark understanding of humanity, and the yearning for more than Clarke had.
Posted by: beajerry | Mar 20, 2008 9:38:55 AM
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