“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.”
- December 16, 1917 – March 19, 2008
- British
- Science Fiction Writer, Futurist, Inventor, Author of 2001: A Space Odyssey
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Quote
“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.”
Explanation
This quote, a version of Arthur C. Clarke’s Second Law, emphasizes the bold and visionary mindset required for true innovation. Clarke asserts that real progress happens only when we challenge the boundaries of what is currently believed to be achievable. Rather than staying safely within established norms, we must venture into realms that seem impossible, because it is only in that process that we redefine what is truly possible.
Clarke’s long career in science fiction and futurism was filled with examples of such boundary-pushing ideas—satellites, moon landings, and space elevators, all of which were once dismissed as unrealistic. He believed that yesterday’s fantasy often becomes tomorrow’s reality, and that many breakthroughs begin as defiant acts of imagination. His quote champions courage, creativity, and persistence, especially in the face of skepticism.
In the modern world, this perspective is essential in fields such as AI, renewable energy, quantum computing, and space exploration. Visionaries who attempt the impossible—such as landing reusable rockets or curing once-incurable diseases—help shift the boundaries of human capability. Clarke’s words remind us that our limits are often self-imposed, and that progress requires the willingness to step beyond them.
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