When Harlie was one
Edición de la obra When HARLIE Was One
| Autor | David Gerrold |
|---|---|
| Editorial | Ballantine Books |
| Fecha de publicación | 1972 |
| Lugar | New York |
| Idioma | inglés |
| Páginas | 279 |
| Serie | Ballantine Books science fiction |
| Número de Cutter | G378w |
A stunning first novel that grapples with the definition of consciousness and what it is to be human. The novel is primarily a series of conversations between a computer programmer / psychologist and his invention, H.A.R.L.I.E., a self-programming computer that has total access to information and knowledge through something similar to the Internet. As the computer matures, the question of what it means to be human becomes a serious one for the financial backers of the project concerned with the cost of the program. If HARLIE is conscious then he can't be disconnected: That would be murder. However, to keep him connected and working for the company amounts to slavery. HARLIE must figure out a way to be both financially viable and free at the same time. HARLIE reappears in Gerrold's later Starwolf novels.