Lem’s recent book is in fact a collection of essays, but these writings are interconnected, as if they were a shortened version of one bigger comprehensive essay. After almost four decades the author returns to the main topics of Summa technologiae, and checks his own former predictions against the present plight of human knowledge and creativity.. The recurrent themes are: making connections between biological and technological developments; artificial intelligence; alian civilizationsm in the Universe and the chances of getting in touch with them..

Lem is a genuin eschatological thinker, who always asks the ultimate questions. But he is also a realist, who always asks his questions based on the current reality. As a result, his book is not only an enjoyable read, but provokes thoughts and disseminates knoweledge.

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