Computers are programmed and might be made to self-program. Conscious organisms are motivated. Intelligent conscious organisms can question, come into conflict with and modify their motivations.
Isaac Asimov thought that robots were merely mobile computers which they are not. His robots had artificial brains that were programmed with Three Laws and a few reasoned their way beyond those Laws.
Some Merseians should be able to reason or intuit their way beyond the supposed Racial destiny of the Roidhunate. Brydan tells Uroch that, if surrounded, he must let himself and his crew die rather than unleash their full firepower. Even if it becomes possible, he must not destroy the enemy. He might even have to retreat unsuccessful and forever remain silent about the real limited objective. Thus, all his natural motivations must be subordinated to an alleged Racial destiny which:
"'...reaches ahead through millionfold years. Good hunting, afal.'" (p. 308)
But, if the Racial destiny is that abstract, then it should be possible to transcend with a greater good for all species, not just Merseians.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I certainly agree on the desirability of the Merseians renouncing or "transcending" mere racial supremacism. We see some hints in "Day of Burning" about how, with the Star Believers (however naively expressed their beliefs were), the Merseians could have chosen a better path.
I think the racial supremacism of the Roidhunate springs from a merging of both the affronted pride of the Wilwidh Ocean vachs and the Demonists hostility to non-Merseians.
I have also speculated that some of the Merseians who settled on Dennitza descended from the losers in the power struggles leading to the rise of the Roidhunate: Star Believers, defeated vachs, refugees from other Merseian nations resenting the Roidhunate, and even some reformed ex-Gethfennu. Not all, of course.
Ad astra! Sean
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