The paramathematical theory of man predicts the outcomes of plans for production and distribution. Thus, civilization is stable with high negative feedback and adjusts to changed conditions.
The Technon is a very large sociomathematical computer. Its location is unknown except to the highest ranks of the Technon Servants, a lifelong priesthood conditioned to die rather than reveal their secrets.
Every agency continuously feeds all available data into the Technon. Many agents work only to gather data.
The Technon makes "'...basic policy decisions...'" (CHAPTER THREE, p. 31) It cannot be bribed and is, if not infallible, then at least less fallible than any human being.
The hereditary Minister class executes policies, makes daily decisions and sometimes recruits from the Commons who work but have no political power. Genetic engineering makes heredity less chancy than before.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
I've thought more than once that THE LONG WAY HOME shows Anderson examining concepts roughly similar to what we see him doing in THE HARVEST OF STARS books and GENESIS in the 1990's. A major difference being the Technon remained simply a machine executing what it was programmed to do, while the later books shows us speculations about true AIs.
Altho these truly admirable later books by Anderson were far more sophisticated than THE LONG WAY HOME, I remain skeptical an actual AI is likely. Which means I think the Technon is more plausible.
Ad astra! Sean
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