Who is it that speaks to us in DILEMMAS - a naysayer or a rationalist? A deeply involved commentator and participant of reality or merely a skeptical observer of the theatrum mundi? What habits and antipathies does the author betray to his readers? What problems wake him in the middle of the night?

Stanislaw Lem’s most recent book poses questions that are both universal and specific, disquieting and surprising, current and almost eternal:

Can we safely consume the fruits of our freedom? How do we choose from among products that are all "necessary"? When do we need to be brought back to earth? What are the limits of professionalism? What more do we need if we have Big Brother? What do the Taliban and post-modernists share? Should politicians read opinion polls? Can anything - anything at all - still be foreseen?