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Online Great Books Podcast


Jan 28, 2021

Scott and Karl discuss The Naked Sun, a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, the second in his Robot series.

Elijah Baley, a detective from Earth, is given a new assignment to investigate the murder of a Spacer (long-lived humans that colonize space) on a distant world called Solaria. 

Asimov portrays Solaria as a place focused on avoiding physical contact with other people. Communication is frequent, but it is "viewing" of a transmitted image. 

This world may strike a chord in the present day. Scott says, "It's a cautionary tale that no one paid attention to, apparently."

Like any good science fiction, this book makes you practice thinking about the knock-on effects of the decisions we make. 

The duo also dives into what it means to be a robot, mechanization, and more. Brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com.