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"Science fiction is what scientists would do if they could - if they had enough grant money, enough time, and enough brains to do the wonderful things they would like to do."
- Greg Bear
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| Post-Crime | ||
| Criminal activities after they have actually happened. |
You're probably thinking that this is just some sort of needlessly picky sf word. See below.
| As they walked along the busy, yellow-lit tiers of offices, Anderton said: "You're acquainted with the theory of precrime, of course. I presume we can take that for granted."
"I have the information publicly available," Witwer said. "With the aid of your precog mutants, you've boldly and successfully abolished the post-crime punitive system of punishments and jails. As we all realize, punishment was never much of a deterrent, and could scarcely have afforded comfort to a victim already dead." |
| From The Minority Report,
by Philip K. Dick. Published by Fantastic Universe in 1956 Additional resources -
|
Read more about precrime.
"Post-crime" is one of those great sf words that put the ordinary world into a surreal light, like "groundcar" for an ordinary automobile (as opposed to an "aircar"), or a "static home" (as opposed to a "psychotropic house") or inert-wear (as opposed to bio-fabric clothes that moved on their own).
This word may already be needed in the real world. It turns out that criminal profilers working for the London Metropolitan Police's Homicide Prevention Unit are putting together a list of 100 future murderers. See 'Precrime' Database For London Homicide Prevention Unit for details.
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Additional
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More Ideas
and Technology from The Minority Report
More Ideas
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Tech news articles related to works by Philip K. Dick
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'THE red tennis robot scooted desperately across the court...'
'The Consul remembered his first glimpse of the kilometer-long treeship...'
'Do you know what window washing used to cost by the hour?'
'Once the target is confirmed, it uses an IR laser to send a coded signal back to the parent, clearing it to attack.'
'I filled your bullet hole with flesh putty and the lattice.'
'... it will be easy to form an alphabet which shall enable us to converse with the inhabitants of the moon.'
'From the tower's huge octagonal base radiate wide silvery strips...'
'It was about five feet long... a black bullet head and red camera eyes.'
'The Law Society has strict rules on the use of pseudo-intelligent software...'
