A Computer And A Shadow

Poul Anderson, "Progress" IN Anderson, Maurai And Kith (New York, 1982), pp. 73-137.

"'That's why humans are aboard, you know. Theoretically, our computer could be built to do everything. But in practice, something always happens that requires a brain that can think.'

"'A computer could be built to do that, too,' said Dhananda." (p. 84)

This issue has come up too often before and I do not propose to summarize the arguments again! See here.

The text continues:

"'But could it be built to give a damn?' Ranu muttered in his own language. As he started down a ladder, one of the soldiers came between him and the sun, so that he felt the shadow of a pike across his back." (ibid.)

Ranu mutters in his own language about giving a damn. Dhananda is accompanied by soldiers and Ranu feels the shadow of a weapon on his back. All of this conveys the potential ideological and physical conflict between the two men.