Muddlehead, the ship's computer, claims to own wealth gained on Ikrananka. Chee Lan responds:
"'You're not a person!' Chee shouted. 'Not even in fact, let alone the law!'" (p. 208)
If, as we are given to understand, Muddlehead is self-conscious, then he, not it, is a person in fact and therefore should be recognized as such by the law.
Rereading, I found more action than I wanted toward the end of "The Trouble Twisters." However, what was clever was that, while Falkayn fought off the Ershoka, Chee Lan used local equipment to improvise a radio signal to Muddlehead. Poul Anderson's heroes solve practical problems. Always did. Always will.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I forget the name of the Twilight Zone city state the Katandarans were trying to conquer, but I'm surprised you had not mentioned how the first beginnings of a true science were being worked out there. Probably because the people of that city state did not regard nature as capriciously hostile. And hence could examine natural problems more calmly than the Katandarans.
Ad astra! Sean
Post a Comment