From: Damien Broderick (damienb@unimelb.edu.au)
Date: Wed Jul 30 2003 - 21:54:27 MDT
At 08:03 PM 7/30/03 -0700, Lee wrote:
>I just want to know), if you recall, was the other species
>(in *that* book alone) represented as having any compassion
>for humans? Were there such parts?
See, this is what I find most mind-boggling in your faulty recollection of
the book. How could a reader have missed this pivotal moment of cognitive
and affective breakthrough? I guess I just have to type the damned thing out:
Andrew Wiggins (Ender) speaks of the hive species, the `Buggers', he
exterminated:
< They found me through the ansible, followed it and dwelt in my mind. In
the agony of my tortured dreams they came to know me, even as I spent my
days destroying them; they found my fear of them, and found also that I had
no knowledge I was killing them... We are like you; the thought pressed
into his mind. We did not mean to murder, and when we understood, we never
came again. We thought we were the only thinking beings in the universe,
until we met you, but never did we dream that thought could arise from the
lonely animals who cannot dream each other's dreams. How were we to know?
We could live with you in peace. Believe us, believe us, believe us.'
(London: Century, 1985, pp. 353-4) >
>And if somewhere there is a race of totally genetically determined
>entities open to no dialog at all, but among whose purposes is our
>complete elimination, then why don't aren't you in favor of us
>completely wiping them out if we can?
I'd be up for that, implausible though it seems. Although...
>I guess it's good that
>no sentient strains of smallpox have been discovered
...it's been said before that humans approximate to that description for
many biota here on earth. But me, I'm on the side of the humans, poor
genetically biased creature that I am.
Damien Broderick
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