Re: Ender's Game (was thinking about the unthinkable)

From: Damien Broderick (damienb@unimelb.edu.au)
Date: Wed Jul 30 2003 - 21:54:27 MDT

  • Next message: Damien Broderick: "Re: Ender's Game (was thinking about the unthinkable)"

    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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