Wednesday 27 August 2014

The Future

Poul Anderson, Brain Wave (London, 1977).

In the future of Brain Wave:

less intelligent human beings and animals will have Earth;
post-change human beings will build an interstellar civilization;
average IQ races will be covertly helped by that civilization;
a few other high IQ races might be met.

Lewis thinks that every "'...pure logical mind...'" (p. 141) will be "'...just like ourselves...'" (p. 142), even if physically they are like giant spiders. I am not sure about "'...just like...'" but there should be no possible reason for conflict, exploitation, oppression, extermination etc. Corinth replies that he would have no objection to partnering with a giant spider. Higher intelligence has taken them far beyond any prejudice based on bodily shape. Lewis adds that it would be "'Fun to meet them.'" (p. 142)

We want to read a long novel set in that future, as in many others of Poul Anderson's imagined futures.

2 comments:

Jim Baerg said...

Might the enhanced humans decide to subject an artificial intelligence depressing field to some world for millions of years to eventually produce another super intelligent race when they stop the field?

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Jim and Paul!

Jim> And I would oppose such a monstrous idea because it would be an outrageous interference with how other intelligent races might come to exist and evolve.

Paul: I disagree, because if two or more intelligent races desires, for example, the same kinds of planets, that alone sets up the conditions needed for rivalry, conflict, hostility, etc.

Ad astra! Sean