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"Science fiction represents the modern heresy and the cutting edge of speculative imagination as it grapples with Mysterious Time---linear or non-linear time."
- Frank Herbert
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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." |
| Technovelgy 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
and Technology by Philip K. Dick
Tech news articles related to The Minority Report
Tech news articles related to works by Philip K. Dick
| Cognify - A Prison Of The Mind We've Seen Before In SF |
| Robot Preachers Found To Undermine Religious Commitment |
| Gaia - Why Stop With Just The Earth? |
| Splendid View Of Eclipse From Orbit Visualized And Repurposed By Arthur C. Clarke |
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'What would you do,' Eric asked the robot cabdriver, 'if your wife had turned to stone, your best friend were a toad, and you had lost your job?'
'those suits they wear -- call them 'stillsuits' -- that reclaim the body's own water...'
'Now, except for weight and heat, the same conditions prevail in this chamber as in space.'
'there were so many worms and counterworms loose in the data-net...'
'Now, look, let's start with the three fundamental Rules of Robotics...'
'..the synthetic intellects at the Place of Knowledge had far outstripped the minds of men.'
'But after washing and drying clothes had to be smooth - free from fine lines and wrinkles ...'
