"Who Can Replace a Man?" Rating: 4 planets
by Brian Aldiss  
pub. June 1958 in Infinity Science Fiction
Preview Background
Data 		Navigation
Guide		 Further
Exploration
Preview
Believing mankind to be extinct, several machines with higher-class brains set off to establish a city for themselves.

Button: top of Page

Background Data

Button: top of Page

Navigation Guide
Atom BulletDescribe the organizational structure of the Agricultural Station.
Atom BulletHow do Class Two and Class Three Brains differ from the lower class Brains?
Atom BulletWhat conclusions do the machines derive from the evidence? Are there any flaws in the machines' logic?
Atom BulletWhy does the penner declare "It is better that man should never come back"? In what way is this a revolutionary statement?
Atom BulletWhat seems to be the goal of the machines who are travelling together? What is the likelihood that these machines will be able to implement their plan? Explain.
Atom BulletWhy do the machines respond to the starving man the way that they do?
Atom BulletHow do you think Aldiss would answer the question he poses in the story's title? How would you answer that same question? Explain.

Button: top of Page

Further Exploration
Atom BulletHow has Aldiss borrowed from and adapted Asimov's Laws of Robotics?

Button: top of Page

Sci Fi HomeButton: AuthorsDefinitionsHistoryMediaResourcesButton: Works
SciFi Guide
© 2002 Agatha Taormina
Last Revised: January 6, 2005