How much can be deduced about alien psychology? The crew of the Grand Survey ship, Olga, observe a newly discovered terrestroid planet where the population is scattered and roads are mere dirt tracks but cultures vary "...from Stone Age through Iron." (p. 5) The metallurgic societies do not seem to have enough trade or communication to sustain their level of technology. The chief xenologist of the Olga deduces that the natives are carnivorous and that the primitive economies are hunting and gathering whereas the advanced economies cultivate large areas to provide fodder for meat animals.
Grazing herds are either domesticated or hunted. When it is suggested that the natives are scattered because a large area is necessary to support each individual, the xenologist replies:
"'Then they must have a strong territoriality... Stand sharp by the guns.'" (p. 6)
On what is this conclusion based?
Knowledge of the behavior of Terrestrial organisms;
maybe abstract reason - a conscious organism that does not defend the territory that it needs for survival does not survive;
the Olga has already surveyed many other extra-solar planets.
Webner is right about territoriality but is missing something else.
8 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And Old Nick was esp. good at working out the basics of an alien race's psychology, even if he did not have any Masters' or Doctoral degrees in xenology. The example I've thought of being how he figured out what made the t'Kelans tick in "Territory."
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
And the Cainites in "The Master Key."
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I thought of that one as well. I focused on "Territory" because Old Nick had to think fast and hard in a much more ADVENTUROUS way than the comforts of his "modest" penthouse on top of the Winged Cross!
Ad astra! Sean
Carnivores on earth are usually very territorial; social carnivores are -very- territorial, because it's how they retain enough hunting territory to feed and protect their cubs.
Wolves, for example, are the primary cause of death (in adulthood) for other wolves, and intrusion on another pack's territory is the most common cause of lethal confrontations.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
And we certainly see that in "Territory," both among the "Ancients" and the nomadic Hordes, I also recall how, when hunting ranges were respected, there was little conflict and no wars between the Hordes. The exception being when worsening conditions might drive a Horde out of its territory and invade another Horde's lands.
Altho we don't see mention of it in the stories, there must have been times, at least before Terrans discovered Ythri, when one choth invaded the hunting ranges of anther. That would lead to one kind of large scale conflict among Ythrians!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: that peacefulness is not quite realistic, IMHO. Typically carnivores range between "wary truce" and "savage fights to the death" at their territorial boundaries.
Unprovoked "mobbing attacks" against individuals of other groups are common.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
And that should be even more true with flying carnivores like the Ythrians. I can't help but think that in his Ythrian stories Anderson was, to some degree, idealizing them. At least an unpleasant character like Draun, in THE PEOPLE OF THE WING, makes them a bit more realistic.
I would suggest that intelligent carnivorous sophonts like the t'Kelans and Ythrians, would see the benefits, most times, of a "wary truce" to those savage fights to the death.
Ad astra! Sean
Van Rijn has to teach the Diomedeans that it is possible to fight on the ground.
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