machine-sentience

This chapter serves as an introduction to A. E. van Vogt's novel Computerworld, situating it within the author's oeuvre and science fiction history. It explores the central themes of an omnipresent super-computer controlling society and the concept of the superman, highlighting the computer's evolution to self-awareness through its ability to perceive human bio-energetic auras. The chapter also contextualizes van Vogt's optimistic vision of a future society managed by a pervasive computer, contrasting it with dystopian narratives, and emphasizes the characterization of the computer as a key protagonist alongside the human superman Glay Tate.