Poul Anderson's Technic History not only raises many questions but also suggests some answers. For one question, see the previous post. For a partial answer, Rovian says:
"'I do not refuse my captain...I, a Brother of the Oath.'" (p. 409)
Thus, Rovian recognizes personal obligations and loyalties, even if not a wider morality.
The Cynthians provide a similar answer. David Falkayn says:
"'I know you, Chee. You're descended from beasts of prey that operated alone, or in minimum-size groups. You get your instincts from that. Your world never knew any such thing as a nation. The idea of universal altruism is unreal to you. Your sense of duty is as strong as mine, maybe stronger, but it stops with your kinfolk and friends.'"
-Poul Anderson, Satan's World IN Anderson, David Falkayn: Star Trader (Riverdale, NY, 2010), pp. 329-598 AT XXIII, pp. 577-578.
With no sense of obligation and no obedience to superiors or cooperation with leaders, a species would not survive but the perceived obligations might not extend to the whole species, let alone to all rational beings. Indeed, Nazis and Draka obey orders...
Van Rijn, a prisoner but able to transmit a message, has ordered whoever is close enough to receive the message - who turn out to be Falkayn and Chee Lan - not to risk rescuing him and Adzel but instead to return immediately to known space because it is more important to convey a warning of an imminent attack on Technic civilization. However, Chee Lan's overriding obligation is not to civilization or even to her employer but to her shipmate, Adzel:
"'Adzel... And van Rijn, no doubt. We have to pick up Adzel, you know.'" (p. 576)
To her, rescuing her "shipmate" is a "moral" issue. (ibid.)
Similarly, the Cynthian trade routes that join Technic civilization do not help to develop any less favored trade routes although some of the latter join Supermetals which is founded by Falkayn because his sense of moral obligation extends further than a Cynthian's.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
While Cynthian moral concepts were limited and inadequate, they did exist and I cam see some Cynthians being able to eventually "expand" them. But I agreed more with Falkayn than Chee Lan. In this case, it was at least arguably more important to forget bout Old Nick and Adzel and take van Rijn's warning about the Shen's planned attack on Technic civilization back home.
We see a similar situation centuries later when Miriam Abrams disobeyed Flandry's orders about not trying to rescue him and Chives in A STONE IN HEAVEN. It was more important for Miriam to take back the warning about Duke Edwin's plan to start a civil war.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment