In an age that promises expanded lifetimes and even the “singularity,” a melding of humans with technology for the purposes of immortality, grappling with the finality of death doesn’t seem like a topic for science fiction. But it was for science fiction legend Isaac Asimov. Fifty years ago, he wrote a story that tackled the subject head on with grace, humanity, and empathy: “The Bicentennial Man.” In this short but poignant tale, Asimov paradoxically reflects on the finality of death in a way that celebrates life, and ultimately concludes that consciously anticipating our death is what makes us fully human.