— Isaac Asimov
Could he have been talking about religion as well? Please explain.
Answers:
While many people have used this quote on commercially to exploit their point of view on t-shirts and mugs, Isaac Asimov was clearly referrring to "false" sciences such as the paranormal, and this is supported by his peers in their works.
As reviewers of the book, "Cult Archaeology and Creationism: Understanding Pseudoscientific Belied about the Past, An Expanded Edition," note: "The theme of this book is concisely summed up in Chapter 1, "The Nature and Danger of Cult Archaeology," by Stiebing, who quotes the late Isaac Asimov (p. 4): "Inspect every piece of pseudoscience and you will find a security blanket, a thumb to suck, a skirt to hold. What have we to offer in exchange? Uncertainty! Insecurity!" Four of the chapters in the book (Chapters 3-6) deal with studies designed to determine the pervasiveness of creationist and pseudoscientific beliefs among college students. The alarmingly high percentages of students who believe in paranormal phenomena, particularly ESP and UFOs, clearly reflect Asimov's statement: These are young people, many of whom are living away from their parents for the first time, facing an intimidating world and an uncertain future. Beliefs in phenomena that defy rational explanation and potentially can furnish one with power to control future events indeed provide the security blanket that wards off uncertainty."
I don't think so. "Pseudo" is a rather derogatory addition to the word science and usually put there by those who wish to distinguish that what the "pseudoscience" is postulating is not science. Religion usually makes no claim to being a science but rather a belief that must be accepted on faith. So, no, I don't think this quote could encompass religion.
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