Friday 28 October 2016

Cynthia

I recently wondered whether the Cynthians had discovered the hyperdrive independently. Of course not. Since Chee Lan is introduced in "The Trouble Twisters," this is where the introductory data about Cynthia are presented:

when discovered, an Alexandrine technological level on one continent;
scientific method;
no cities;
trade routes instead of nations;
well adapted to fit into the League;
white Angora fur on the dominant species.

We learn elsewhere that:

the trade routes are in the treetops;
Cynthians become independent spacefarers;
they build a forest village on Daedalus;
the trade routes that join the League do not help other Cynthians to develop economically;
some underdeveloped trade routes join Supermetals.

3 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Darn! The most advanced Cynthian trade routes had only reached an Alexandrine level of technology by the time their planet was discovered by humans? I had thought they achieved a 19th century technological level. For the most advanced trade routes to so RAPIDLY mastered modern science and technology says something for how quick they were to learn!

Sean

Jim Baerg said...

"Alexandrine level of technology"

That is consistent with the idea that post-Roman barbarism led to a relative stagnation of scientific & technological advance, for many centuries. Poul Anderson could play with that idea as well as the notion that Christian style monotheism was needed for science.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Jim!

Besides the belief of Christians about God respecting His own laws, Anderson added that developing of strictly logical modes of thinking and a pragmatic turn of mind also contributed to a true science arising in the West. But nowhere else.

Ad astra! Sean