The Unthinking Destroyer: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Unthinking Destroyer: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The Unthinking Destroyer is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Phillips, Rog (1909–1965).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Unthinking Destroyer" by Rog Phillips is a philosophical science fiction short story published in the late 1940s. The narrative explores the complexities of intelligence, both human and extraterrestrial, through the dialogues of two characters, Gordon Marlow and Harold Harper, as they contemplate potential life on Mars. The story raises critical questions about how intelligence might manifest in forms that are radically different from human understanding. The plot centers around a dialogue between Gordon, a philosopher, and Harold, an undergraduate student, as they discuss the nature of intelligence and the dangers of assuming that extraterrestrial beings would recognize or manifest intelligence in recognizable forms. They speculate on the possibility of intelligent life on Mars that may think and reason in ways incomprehensible to humans, warning of the risks humanity could pose by unwittingly destroying advanced beings due to their inability to recognize them as intelligent. The story culminates in a poignant reflection on the arrogance of human assumptions when encountering the unknown, ultimately prompting readers to consider the broader implications of intelligence beyond human experience.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Unthinking Destroyer
- Author credits: Phillips, Rog (1909–1965)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Science fiction
- Short stories
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Philosophy & Ethics
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
- Category: Short Stories
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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