George O. Smith

“ In the empty crevasses of his capable mind, Wan Nes Stan was packing enormous quantities of information and education gained on the spot. With perfect memory, he stored the details away and reviewed them with perfection before he tried another change in the circuits of his machine. Sheer reasoning power had failed to solve his problem, not even unreal mathematics served. There was no solution to the problem of how to transfer knowledge from brain to brain.
What is knowledge? he asked himself again and again.
Knowledge is a matter of know-how. ”

“ What did it matter if Terra received no help?
A culture of missionary-minded altruists.
Owners of the galaxy—and so mentally soft that any man could wrest it from them single-handed.
Any man.
And yet he, Wan Nes Stan, who had the drive, the power, and the capability was blocked. Blocked until he could spend five centuries in service to gain the experience necessary. Five hundred years in the second-place chair. Half a millennium of inactivity before he could begin to take that which he should have now!
Frustrated by a machine. Frustrated by a galaxy full of fools! ”

“ Our plan is endless, Wan Nes Stan, a project that only we, the Galactics can appreciate in its entirety. You understand the magnitude of any plan of steering a galaxy of races into the full realization of their destiny—and then spreading out through the universe to the countless other galaxies to do likewise. ”

“ But the Galactics are doddering old fools! With the galaxy at the tips of their fingers, they play games. An ounce of ambition in one of them would put that one in the governor's seat. Yet they prate about adaptability and aptitude and experience and juggle their figures, consult their computing tables and select a man for each job. Has ambition no place?
Ambition is a factor. To not-want the governor's position would reduce the aptitude factor.
Wan Nes Stan left the building where he lived and roamed idly through the streets. Galactics walked in the afternoon sun oblivious to him. ”

“ Wanniston was self-centered and introverted and wanted nothing more than to run the show himself. Tremaine could not live in a world alone—and with his energized brain, he was in a world alone. Gerd Lel Rayne could be his only friend, he and Gaya, and their friendship must necessarily be one kept under cover. But Wanniston could, did, and liked a world alone. He had no intention of letting the world know.
That would be disastrous.
The world would rush to the machine, to partake of its offerings, in order to gain the benefit of the increased intelligence. ”

“ Wanniston's intellect was most certainly capable of telling the lie detector a lie and making the insensate machine believe it true. Gerd knew that Wanniston knew that—and Wanniston knew that Gerd knew it also. But Gerd was intelligent enough to know that Wanniston was smart enough to avoid murder or running afoul of any man-made law. Any killing would have come up immediately, and the evidence would be natural and honesty a matter of self-defense. ”

“ It was a philosophy that Wan Nes Stan never entertained. It was completely altruistic. It offered with no consideration of self, the most good for the greatest number. It was a fool's philosophy—but then, all the Galactics were fools.
The governor said: "You have shown a most magnificent level of intellectual aptitude. I congratulate you."
"You have no resentment?"
"Can a man resent that which he knows to be right and honest—unless he himself is unright and dishonest?"
"I suppose not," said Wan Nes Stan. He was safe. Continued use of his mind machine would keep him far and above all comers. ”

“ But Wanniston was smart. He knew where he'd be appreciated. In the galaxy were men of intellect that would welcome him. Give him another month at the machine.
Gerd Lel Rayne. Now he knew the truth about Gerd. Emissary! Magnificent creature; supergenius!
Bah! One whose intellect was moronic compared to the Galactic Ones. One who had been placed on Terra because only a moron could be understood by Terrans. The Galactic Ones could understand Terrans after much painful, wearisome prodding and waiting while the Terrans, idiotlike, stumbled through their clumsy sentence structure. ”

“ I don't mind, at all. You replace me whenever you gain sufficient experience to balance your superior intelligence."
"How do I get experience?"
"By being governor," laughed the governor.
"Look," snorted Wan Nes Stan, "prerequisite for the position is experience in the position itself? That's a fool's statement."
"It is the rule of the Galactic Council."
"It remains a fool's rule."
"Is it not sensible," asked Len Dor Vale, "to demand experience before one is given the chance to rule a galaxy-wide civilization such as this?" ”

“ Intelligence is not sufficient. Experience can and will prepare a man for—"
"Be careful," smiled Len Dor Vale. "In gaining experience one gains also knowledge."
"My mind," said Wan Nes Stan sharply, "has the ability to contain ... a capacity for learning far above all. I know that the prime factor is the capacity. Without capacity, one cannot fill it with experience and knowledge. But get the knowledge—proper and well-balanced—and experience is really unnecessary."
"Providing that your knowledge is gained from one having the experience. Then you will get experience vicariously. ”

“ I care nothing for sterility. I only hope to become as intelligent as you are."
"If that were all," smiled Gerd, "I would look the other way. But again—I could not. For I am responsible for every Terran in the eyes of my superiors. I must try to protect even those who attempt mental suicide. Along that line lies oblivion, Wanniston."
"You do all right," snapped the financier.
"I," smiled Gerd Lel Rayne, "was ... born to this. I used nothing to enhance my ... native intellect."
"What's wrong with it, though? I can do without progeny."
"Civilization can not." ”

“ Nowadays, the kids insist upon using miniature directive-generators.
"Directive power," continued Gerd, "is the daily work. Years ago it took men most of their lives to study it, today the kids play with it in toys. Tomorrow—perhaps one of your race will discover interstellar power—Galactic Power—and your sons and grandsons will demand minute galactic generators to run their gadgets. Ten centuries ago, children were toying with electricity—today they are playing with directives. That, Wanniston, is wisdom gained in the proper way." ”

“ Again there came that shake of the head. "No, Wanniston, you cannot shake yourself loose like that. You are not alone. I failed my superiors when I told you the tale of Andy Tremaine. I thought that the knowledge of what had happened to another who tried the same thing would deter you. Remember?"
"Yes, I remember. I asked you why it wouldn't be possible to energize the human brain so that it could use the whole thing instead of the usual ten percent. You countered with the yarn about Tremaine."
"Time alone will fill the brain, John. No machine will do it properly. It is forced." ”

“ In other galaxies near by, we have found no race to compare with us. There are rising races in all of them, but our prime job is to bring about the completeness of this, the First Galaxy before we struggle with the rest. Our job, Wan Nes Stan, is to co-relate and to advise. Our compensation is the fulfillment of our every desire. We—must carry the burden of all intelligence. We are repaid by those races just below us who are enlightened enough to know what we are doing and who appreciate it.
"Terra is not yet one of these, but another Galactic year and they will be. ”

“ A complete theorist cares nothing for reduction of theory into practice; manipulation of ultra-theoretical concepts into solution is the end-all for us, and the obtaining of impractical mathematics can be handled in a super-energized mind without unbalance.
"But Wan Nes Stan's philosophy includes violence where necessary, and there will be violence. But not dangerous violence. No man can do anything irreplaceably devastating."
"Frankly," offered Len Dor Vale, "I feared that in taking his next step he might take Planet One with him." ”

“ Len Dor Vale nodded. "What have you in mind?"
"I want your help in securing me a grand overseer's position."
"We'll see. It might be done."
"Who must we convince?"
"Convince? Only the aptitude machine."
"A machine?" asked Wan Nes Stan.
"Certainly. You are rated on your ability alone, and the aptitude machine has been devised to best select those with the greatest aptitude." ”

“ Len Dor Vale returned to the governor-select's quarters. "Wan Nes Stan," he said, "you realize that your machine has done its work."
The other nodded. "It has had practically no effect for a couple of weeks, now."
"Your mind is apt. In fact its increase in capacity surpasses even our greatest dreams. But like the untutored genius, you lack the manipulatory facility. Your mind—like the false fiction of the farmer that suddenly composes the brilliant symphony; the unlearned blacksmith that becomes world-acclaimed as a genius with the paintbrush ”

“ I fear that the race would die out anyway, Gaya. The machine can not be circumvented; its effects may not be counteracted once it is used. Schoolboys and schoolgirls would try it once, throwing away their futures with the youthful willingness to take chances. They would stand above the others in their classes—until their fellows tried it. Forbid it? Like sin, Gaya, you can legislate against it but you can not make it unpopular. Ban it and you will have its effects smuggled in to the youth of Terra—who will try it if only because their folks forbid it. They will see the effects. ”

“ It is, in a sense, experience whether original or vicarious. A schoolboy need not perform the generation of calculus in order to study it; the myriad of false trails have been weeded out. Thus schooling can pack a lifetime of learning into a few short weeks by merely pointing the way instead of letting the schoolboy follow all the red-herring trails that the original thinker did. In semantics, the student is offered problems and if he fails to solve them properly, he is immediately prevented from basing other solutions on this false premise—pyramiding his illogic. ”

“ So Wan Nes Stan answered himself.
To trace the life-patterns of one brain onto another should not be hard. Yet no theory would permit it.
And a thought came to the governor-select. What is philosophy?
Philosophy is a man's personal evaluation of data.
Based upon what?
Evaluation of data based upon experience and knowledge and reason.
What is reason?
The ability to extrapolate beyond present experience and knowledge so as to apply the extrapolation correctly to a problem not yet filed in the realm of experience.
Then philosophy is to efficiently apply one's experience in evaluation of data. ”

“ Every man must be permitted his opportunity to excel as long as he does no irreparable harm."
"His actions on Terra prior to being forced out were not beneficent or benevolent."
"There were no permanent scars," mused the Student. "As for his use of the machine—it has done all Students good. Evidence to the effect that the mind is limitless is valuable, Len Dor Vale."
"But his is not the type that should use such a machine."
"Agreed. One should have a purely theoretical mind before one uses the machine. Otherwise the mind becomes agile and capacious with nothing for it to do. ”

“ Nature has her safeguards. She knows the dangers of becoming too wise too soon. Therefore she causes sterility. Strange thing, Wanniston, but there is absolutely no way in which to energize the brain without it. One must permit evolution to take its course. One must hope that his song will have greater native intelligence. Look, Wanniston. ”

“ Your father, when a boy, played with toys of a technical nature not even known ten centuries before. You as a boy scorned making your construction toy operate as a prime mover, with anything so archaic as an atomic converter. ”

“ You'll not be doing anything childish, Wan Nes Stan."
"Len Dor Vale, I eschewed a future long years ago. I gave up my right to wife and family. Women have little lure for me since all women per se look upon men as possible fathers for their children. Games have as their fundamental concept the desire to excel in the mind or the body as an exhibition of desirability to the female. I shall continue to work."
"Then I'll be returning as soon as I can. Sorry, but it is necessary."
"No resentment," smiled Wan Nes Stan affably. "I can get along."
Len Dor Vale smiled at the governor-select and left. ”

“ Like all the rest of the Galactics, the governor was willing that a better man be found, and insisted that when, as, and if a better man is discovered, that he be placed properly, even though it meant stepping aside. ”

“ He began to scorn the idea of being a crow, and resented the attitude of his fellows. They were satisfied to be crows, and could not understand his resentment nor his desires, and they even scorned the idea that he was above them because he wanted to be other than a crow. In fact, they did not even understand his concept of being anything else. ”

“ Under suspicion himself, any moves he made would be viewed with distrust by the human race, who had cause to know him as the most hated man on earth. Any jury, hearing of his legal trickery, knowing and hearing the account of his masterful moves in business, which gained him fortune upon fortune as other men fell under his steam-roller tactics. ”