In Christian Brannock's period, solar energy is beamed from Mercury and human-AI linkages have begun. Laurinda Ashcroft's generation has sufficient technology to counteract an Ice Age and an interstellar nebula. In Kalava's period:
the civilized nations must resist encroaching barbarians, then, unfortunately, must fight each other;
learning is respected, preserved and extended;
a moot settles a dispute;
Kalava is too quarrelsome to preserve his wealth but then plans a transoceanic expedition.
It is this human spirit that the Solar AI wants to restore despite all the problems that it creates. Poul Anderson not only speculates about the human and post-human future but also reflects on how it is worthwhile to live here and now.
1 comment:
Hi, Paul!
It's my view that Laurinda Ashcroft's generation made a ultimately fatal decision when it agreed to let that AI handle the complexities of handling that prevention of an ice age. It came with too a high a cost in the loss of human autonomy. A point Chapter VI made STARKLY clear when the Belov and Socorro clans were not allowed to even quarrel by Terra Central.
Sean
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