Perfect Answer by Jr. L. J. Stecher

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Author Stecher, L. J., Jr., 1918-1988
Illustrator Francis, Dick
Title Perfect Answer
Credits Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Summary "Perfect Answer" by L. J. Stecher, Jr. is a science fiction novella that was published in the late 1950s. This story explores the intersections of humanity and technology through the encounter of two space explorers, Jack Bates and Bill Farnum, with an advanced artificial intelligence known as the Oracle. The narrative focuses on the implications of having access to absolute knowledge and the potential consequences for civilization. In the story, Bates and Farnum land on a seemingly civilized planet where they encounter the Oracle, a machine designed to provide accurate answers to any questions posed to it. The Oracle reveals that it was created to serve as a weapon against humanity's tendency toward depravity and self-destruction, with the aim of keeping human progress in check. As Farnum perceives the danger of the Oracle's influence, he becomes increasingly desperate to warn Earth of the threat it poses. Meanwhile, Bates, driven by greed and ambition, wishes to control the Oracle’s knowledge for personal gain. This clash of motivations leads to tragic consequences, culminating in a moral dilemma that questions the nature of power, dependence, and the very fabric of civilization itself. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Science fiction
Subject Short stories
Subject Human-alien encounters -- Fiction
Subject Explorers -- Fiction
Subject Artificial intelligence -- Fiction
Subject Interstellar travel -- Fiction
Subject Computers -- Fiction
Subject Questions and answers -- Fiction
Category Text
EBook-No. 51482
Release Date
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
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