Prelude to Foundation (Foundation, #6)

by Isaac Asimov

“I’m considering my own ignorance.” “A useful task. Quadrillions could profitably join you.

As for status, that’s the sort of push and pull I’d just as soon avoid. I’ve seen many people with status, but I’m still looking for a happy one. Status won’t sit still under you; you have to continually fight to keep from sinking.

“In that case, you won’t ever formulate the laws of psychohistory.”

Why, he wondered, did so many people spend their lives not trying to find answers to questions—not even thinking of questions to begin with? Was there anything more exciting in life than seeking answers?

“Oh yes, but with both people and computers on the job, computer error can be more quickly tracked down and corrected by people and, conversely, human error can be more quickly corrected by computers. What it amounts to is that nothing serious can happen unless human error and computer error take place simultaneously. And that hardly ever happens.” “Hardly ever, but not never, eh?” said Seldon. “Almost never, but not never. Computers aren’t what they used to be and neither are people.”