Is Human Immortality Beneficial - 1774 Words

â€Å"Sustainable† Growth Advances in technology have really boomed over the last couple of decades. Not too long ago it was impossible to do many of our daily tasks taken for granted today. Tasks such as checking cell phones to browse Facebook, text friends, or even just play games to kill time. We are in the middle of a technological revolution. Aside from the concrete technological advancements, what about the biotechnological side? Well it is to no surprise medicine has been greatly improving, which typically leads to an increase of our life expectancy. We have also genetically modified organisms to better our society. If our life expectancy goes up due to our advancements, our death rate will most likely go down. Also if our birth rate is higher than our death rate, then this will lead to a population growth. Nonetheless, to prevent a bigger problem in the future, we need to implement a plan into our governments offering incentives toward having a limited number of children. It has even been theorized human immortality is a reachable goal through this method of replacing organs. Even more astonishing, it is estimated to be reached in our lifetimes. This is possible by using the same concept involved in automobiles and applying it to humans. When a car breaks down, it is possible to replace or fix the part. So why would it not be possible to do the same with organs? Well in most cases it does not work because the human body rejects the organs. It would be different if weShow MoreRelatedEssay The Debate Concerning Stem Cell Research1409 Words   |  6 Pagesdebates around the world. In the blink of an eye, clones, perfect children, and immortality are no longer a myth told by elders around campfires. Through various techniques, scientists are able to better the lives of those living, but at what cost? In their articles â€Å"Cloning Human Beings: An Assessment of Pro and Con,† by author Dan W. Brock; â€Å"The Ethical Implications of Guman Cloning,† by Michael J. Sa ndel; â€Å"Theriputic Human Cloning Is Ethical,† by Ian Wilmut and Roger Highfield; and various other articlesRead MoreThe Burden And Blessing Of Mortality1327 Words   |  6 Pages causing them to distract themselves from a serious debate on the effects of mortality to our earth. Hans Jonas writes in The Burden and Blessing of Mortality about the universal advantage of human mortality and the perceived burdens of it as well. Like Jonas, I will argue that mortality is a beneficial concept in the realm of external issues like preserving our earth’s resources, and internal issues like existential meaning and motivation. Diametrical opposition to this idea from a logical standpointRead MoreCloning: The Synthetic Way of Life754 Words   |  3 Pagespeople, but in all reality, it is just a synthetic way of life. If we accept cloning as an acceptable option, an example would be human cloning; it will devalue our human lives, lessen our way of adapting, and cause undesirable traits from the clone. Life is a wonderful gift that is given to us. We live life to the fullest to experience the natural way of life. Creating human clones will devalue our lives in different ways. If you are a clone, then it is likely that you will be held in captivity forRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh : Gilgamesh1013 Words   |  5 Pageschallenges. First, they went into Cedar Forest to slay Humbaba, the beast and cut down the tallest cedar tree. Second, they killed the Bull of Heaven that Ishtar, the godess of love and war, unleashed. Lastly, Gilgamesh goes alone on a journey to find immortality, which he fails to do. By the end of all the journeys, Gilgamesh becomes a wise, devoted, and heroic king. Like Gilgamesh, some challenges are won and others are lost, but the outcome of the journey is what matters. This lesson shows current readersRead MoreEssay on Taoism and Nature In Chinese Medicine 1481 Words   |  6 Pagesthat which is naturally so. Taoism teaches that human beings should be in harmony with nature, that is, with Tao† (Y). Taoism celebrates the forces of nature and recognizes the interplay of yin and yang in all things. The Taoist principles of Yin-Yang, the eight principles, Chi energy, and the five elements are tools used in Chinese medicine to comprehend the web of phenomena as it relates to health and well-being. The philosophic view of the human body is to regard it as a microcosmic reflectionRead MoreThe Theory Of A Soul Essay1408 Words   |  6 PagesThe topic I have chosen for my final project is the argument of whether or not we as humans have a soul. If so, is it something different from the brain and does this â€Å"force† survive after our physical death? The concept of a soul has long been rooted in religion and we still debate its existence to this day. As humans, we fear the unknown that follows this existence; after this physical life. Due to this fear we have created this idea of a force larger than ourselves. Many scien tists and philosophersRead MoreEssay on Comparison of Taoism and Confucianism1153 Words   |  5 Pages attacked Taoism because they feel it lacks the necessities for social order. Taoism, unlike Confucianism, is filled with mysticism. There are two forms of Taoism: philosophical and esoteric and both place a huge emphasis on metaphysics and immortality through religion as well as relying greatly on cosmic forces. The central teaching of Taoism is similar to Buddhism in the way that it centers around emptiness. The meaning of emptiness used in Taoist and Buddhist beliefs is not that of the WesternRead MoreShi Huangdi and his Legacy in China1503 Words   |  6 Pagesyou will die. Even people of the highest royalty/power fear death, and this was no exception to Shi Huangdi. His quest for immortality ironically led to his death, but it also fueled him to push his empire further. â€Å"After surviving three assassination attempts, Qin Shi Huangdi became obsessed with avoiding death and devoted his energies to discovering the secrets of immortality. He tried many different tactics to become immortal, all to his dismay† (Case Study: Entombed Warriors from Xian). Shi HuangdiRead MoreHow Technology Can Improve The Human Bodies986 Words   |  4 Pagesbecome cyborgs won’t necessarily mean that we will all feel superhuman. While these developments that have been made in the progress of improving the human bodies possess unbelievable potential to change many lives, but most of the enhanced needs to make some sacrifices to be augmented. Gabril Licina, who experimented with unlocking infrared vision in humans stated that â€Å"The myth to dispel is that with an augmentation, people will easily become superhuman. It’s important that we stay grounded in scientificRead MoreConfucianism And Daoism As Forms Of Philosophy And Religion902 Words   |  4 Pagesas binary, for instance hot and cold or day and night, but even though they are opposites they are still connected to each other and everything is still connected to the cosmos itself (IWR, 280). Humans are no different in the sense that yin and yang make up the physical mani festation that is the human body, though the immaterial self is made up of another binary: hun (representative of yang, purity, and upward-rising) and po (representative of yin, turgidity, and downward-sinking) (IWR, 281); once

Persuasive Essay Euthanasia - 1446 Words

Euthanasia: A Legal Murder According the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Euthanasia is â€Å"the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (such as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy. This procedure seems appealing to the many people around the world who suffer from terminal illnesses. In the minds of these people euthanasia or doctor-assisted suicide seems like the only escape. As stated in a journal, â€Å"My friend now believes that the only humane act would be to end her mother’s suffering. ‘Whats she is going through is cruel,’ she said. ‘She has no life.’† (Wheatley). This shows how sometimes people think that ending their life would be the only way†¦show more content†¦People who have a condition that clouds their judgment could be affected by this. Arthur Caplan uses this example from Kevorkians work to illustrate this, â€Å"Janet Adkins decided to kill hersel f when she learned that she has Alzheimers disease. Let’s assume the diagnosis was correct. Would the fact that she had Alzheimers complicate the assessment of her competence to decide to kill herself† (Caplan 36). Ms. Adkins was not in the right state of mind when she asked Dr. Kevorkian to help assist her in suicide. Another example of a different patient this happened to was a woman who was diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis). This story is about Rebecca Badger who was diagnosed with MS and decided killed herself. Later an autopsy showed that the diagnosis was wrong and that a second opinion would have saved her life ( â€Å"Impact of Euthanasia on the Family†). This is yet another example of how euthanasia could end a perfectly healthy persons life. Also when patients receive this diagnoses it makes them feel as if they have no other choice but to kill themselves. Yet doctors do nothing to check or convince them that euthanasia is not the right decision. This proves the real danger of euthanasia, especially in the hands of doctors who do not understand their patients frame of mind. This will cause the death rate in the United States to go up, even if the procedure is legal.Show MoreRelatedEuthanasia Persuasive Essay1064 Words   |  5 PagesAn Avoidable Loss Death by choice or euthanasia is a very controversial subject that is typically one-sided. The very concept of death alone is somewhat a taboo, but controlling death itself is another monster. Death by choice or â€Å"euthanasia† should not be legalized because it promotes defeatism, may lead to the strict procedures to become more accessible to people with non-fatal illnesses, could legitimize murder, or pressure the elderly. When an unfortunate illness befalls, people have a tendencyRead MorePersuasive Essay on Euthanasia963 Words   |  4 PagesEuthanasia - The Right to Decide The definition of euthanasia from the Oxford Dictionary is: â€Å"The painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or is in an incurable coma.† Consider the words â€Å"suffering,† â€Å"painful,† â€Å"irreversible† and â€Å"incurable.† These words describe a patients terrible conditions and prospects. Euthanasia is known as â€Å"mercy killing† for a reason, it is the most, humane, moral and logical form of treatment available to patients that have no hopeRead MorePersuasive Essay On Euthanasia811 Words   |  4 PagesEuthanasia In present society Euthanasia is a very controversial topic and must be addressed carefully and thoughtfully out of the respect of others. It is a topic that for those who are undecided on what side to pick really do not know which way to swing until it impacts their life. Euthanasia roughly translates into â€Å"a good death†, so for those who chose to end their life by their own decision, and without them having to deal with pain or the inevitable long incurable diseases, thenRead MorePersuasive Essay On Euthanasia973 Words   |  4 PagesEuthanasia, more commonly known as mercy killing, is the action of killing someone in order to end their suffering. This is a way for patients with terminal illnesses to die a peaceful death rather than a painful one; however, it is illegal throughout most of the United States. People have debated for many years whether or not Euthanasia in people should be legal. In the Bible, Exodus 20:13 states that â€Å"Thou shalt not kill.† This verse brings people to believe that mercy killing is an act of defianceRead MoreFor Euthanasia Persuasive Essay1663 Words   |  7 Pagespain and suffering. Euthanasia is a word that most people avoid because it is very controversial. But why? Euthanasia is a way of ending the prolonging of suffering, while leaving life in peace. Euthanasia is derived from the Greeks where Eu means good and Thanatos means death. When these phrases are combined the word euthanasia is created; meaning â€Å"good death† (6.) There are three types of euthanasia although only two are authentic forms. The first type is active euthanasia. It is described asRead MoreEuthanasia Persuasive Essay1577 Words   |  7 Pagespainful clutch. Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are two ways to end the life of a person. Euthanasia is the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy (Merriam-Webster), also defined by the Oxford dictionary as the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. In places where euthanasia is allowed, itRead MorePersuasive Essay On Euthanasia1498 Words   |  6 PagesEuthanasia is a dilemma which many people have the misfortune of addresing. Whether it be putting down a beloved family pet many years of friendship or administering a lethal dose of morphine to an elderly patient, euthanasia is no easy topic to discuss or decide upon. Euthanasia is the act of intentionally ending someones life to relieve their pain and suffering. Though euthanasia holds the purpose of killing to relieve pain, any people are uncomfortable with killing of any sorts, and hold theRead MoreMy Portfolio Is A Reflection Of The Two Best864 Words   |  4 PagesMy portfolio is a reflection of the two best es says that I wrote during the English 101 course during the 2016 spring semester. It contains my Media Analysis essay, â€Å"Imagine the Possibilities,† and my Research-based Academic Argument (RBAA), â€Å"Euthanasia.† These two essays are my best work, and were both improvements from the first essay that I completed for this class. With many hours being put into both of these papers, I worked hard to stay organized and have good research, both things that I previouslyRead MoreFree Papers1007 Words   |  5 PagesIf you are looking for free academic papers such as free essays, free term papers, free research papers, free dissertations, free book reports/book reviews, free essays, free speeches, there exists a chance of being accused of plagiarism. Free papers downloaded from essay databases and essay sites can be easily detected by plagiarism detection systems and sofwares. You can find a lot of resources and sites with databases of free sample papers and free example papers on any topic. You can use theseRead MoreFree Papers992 Words   |  4 PagesIf you are looking for free academic papers such as free essays, free term papers, free research papers, free dissertations, free book reports/book reviews, free essays, free speeches, there exists a chance of being accused of plagiarism. Free papers downloaded from essay databases and essay sites can be easily detected by plagiarism detection systems and sofwares. You can find a lot of resources and sites with databases of free sample papers and free example papers on any topic. You can use these

Second Foundation 6. One Man, the Mule †and Another Free Essays

Two men, apparently relaxed and entirely at ease, poles apart physically – with every nerve that served as emotional detector quivering tensely. The Mule, for the first time in long years, had insufficient surety of his own way. Channis knew that, though he could protect himself for the moment, it was an effort – and that the attack upon him was none such for his opponent. We will write a custom essay sample on Second Foundation 6. One Man, the Mule – and Another or any similar topic only for you Order Now In a test of endurance, Channis knew he would lose. But it was deadly to think of that. To give away to the Mule an emotional weakness would be to hand him a weapon. There was already that glimpse of something – a winner’s something – in the Mule’s mind. To gain time- Why did the others delay? Was that the source of the Mule’s confidence? What did his opponent know that he didn’t? The mind he watched told nothing. If only he could read ideas. And yet- Channis braked his own mental whirling roughly. There was only that; to gain time- Channis said: â€Å"Since it is decided, and not denied by myself after our little duel over Pritcher, that I am a Second Foundationer, suppose you tell me why I came to Tazenda.† â€Å"Oh, no,† and the Mule laughed, with high-pitched confidence, â€Å"I am not Pritcher. I need make no explanations to you. You had what you thought were reasons. Whatever they were, your actions suited me, and so I inquire no further.† â€Å"Yet there must be such gaps in your conception of the story. Is Tazenda the Second Foundation you expected to find? Pritcher spoke much of your other attempt at finding it, and of your psychologist tool, Ebling Mis. He babbled a bit sometimes under my†¦ uh†¦ slight encouragement. Think back on Ebling Mis, First Citizen.† â€Å"Why should I?† Confidence! Channis felt that confidence edge out into the open, as if with the passage of time, any anxiety the Mule might be having was increasingly vanishing. He said, firmly restraining the rush of desperation: â€Å"You lack curiosity, then? Pritcher told me of Mis’ vast surprise at something. There was his terribly drastic urging for speed, for a rapid warning of the Second Foundation? Why? Why? Ebling Mis died. The Second Foundation was not warned. And yet the Second Foundation exists.† The Mule smiled in real pleasure, and with a sudden and surprising dash of cruelty that Channis felt advance and suddenly withdraw: â€Å"But apparently the Second Foundation was warned. Else how and why did one Bail Channis arrive on Kalgan to handle my men and to assume the rather thankless task of outwitting me. The warning came too late, that is all.† â€Å"Then,† and Channis allowed pity to drench outward from him, â€Å"you don’t even know what the Second Foundation is, or anything of the deeper meaning of all that has been going on.† To gain time! The Mule felt the other’s pity, and his eyes narrowed with instant hostility. He rubbed his nose in his familiar four-fingered gesture, and snapped: â€Å"Amuse yourself, then. What of the Second Foundation?† Channis spoke deliberately, in words rather than in emotional symbology. He said: â€Å"From what I have heard, it was the mystery that surrounded the Second Foundation that most puzzled Mis. Hari Seldon founded his two units so differently. The First Foundation was a splurge that in two centuries dazzled half the Galaxy. And the Second was an abyss that was dark. â€Å"You won’t understand why that was, unless you can once again feel the intellectual atmosphere of the days of the dying Empire. It was a time of absolutes, of the great final generalities, at least in thought. It was a sign of decaying culture, of course, that dams had been built against the further development of ideas. It was his revolt against these dams that made Seldon famous. It was that one last spark of youthful creation in him that lit the Empire in a sunset glow and dimly foreshadowed the rising sun of the Second Empire.† â€Å"Very dramatic. So what?† â€Å"So he created his Foundations according to the laws of psychohistory, but who knew better than he that even those laws were relative. He never created a finished product. Finished products are for decadent minds. His was an evolving mechanism and the Second Foundation was the instrument of that evolution. We, First Citizen of your Temporary Union of Worlds, we are the guardians of Seldon’s Plan. Only we!† â€Å"Are you trying to talk yourself into courage,† inquired the Mule, contemptuously, â€Å"or are you trying to impress me? For the Second Foundation, Seldon’s Plan, the Second Empire all impresses me not the least, nor touches any spring of compassion, sympathy, responsibility, nor any other source of emotional aid you may be trying to tap in me. And in any case, poor fool, speak of the Second Foundation in the past tense, for it is destroyed.† Channis felt the emotional potential that pressed upon his mind rise in intensity as the Mule rose from his chair and approached. He fought back furiously, but something crept relentlessly on within him, battering and bending his mind back – and back. He felt the wall behind him, and the Mule faced him, skinny arms akimbo, lips smiling terribly beneath that mountain of nose. The Mule said: â€Å"Your game is through, Channis. The game of all of you-of all the men of what used to be the Second Foundation. Used to be! Used to be! â€Å"What were you sitting here waiting for all this time, with your babble to Pritcher, when you might have struck him down and taken the blaster from him without the least effort of physical force? You were waiting for me, weren’t you, waiting to greet me in a situation that would not too arouse my suspicions. â€Å"Too bad for you that I needed no arousal. I knew you. I knew you well, Channis of the Second Foundation. â€Å"But what are you waiting for now? You still throw words at me desperately, as though the mere sound of your voice would freeze me to my seat. And all the while you speak, something in your mind is waiting and waiting and is still waiting. But no one is coming. None of those you expect – none of your allies. You are alone here, Channis, and you will remain alone. Do you know why? â€Å"It is because your Second Foundation miscalculated me to the very dregs of the end. I knew their plan early. They thought I would follow you here and be proper meat for their cooking. You were to be a decoy indeed – a decoy for a poor, foolish weakling mutant, so hot on the trail of Empire that he would fall blindly into an obvious pit. But am I their prisoner? â€Å"I wonder if it occurred to them that I’d scarcely be here without my fleet – against the artillery of any unit of which they are entirely and pitifully helpless? Did it occur to them that I would not pause for discussion or wait for events? â€Å"My ships were launched against Tazenda twelve hours ago and they are quite, quite through with their mission. Tazenda is laid in ruins; its centers of population are wiped out. There was no resistance. The Second Foundation no longer exists, Channis – and I, the queer, ugly weakling, am the ruler of the Galaxy.† Channis could do nothing but shake his head feebly. â€Å"No- No-â€Å" â€Å"Yes- Yes-† mimicked the Mule. â€Å"And if you are the last one alive, and you may be, that will not be for long either.† And then there followed a short, pregnant pause, and Channis almost howled with the sudden pain of that tearing penetration of the innermost tissues of his mind. The Mule drew back and muttered: â€Å"Not enough. You do not pass the test after all. Your despair is pretense. Your fear is not the broad overwhelming that adheres to the destruction of an ideal, but the puny seeping fear of personal destruction.† And the Mule’s weak hand seized Channis by the throat in a puny grip that Channis was somehow unable to break. â€Å"You are my insurance, Channis. You are my director and safeguard against any underestimation I may make.† The Mule’s eyes bore down upon him. Insistent- Demanding- â€Å"Have I calculated rightly, Channis? Have I outwitted your men of the Second Foundation? Tazenda is destroyed, Channis, tremendously destroyed; so why is your despair pretense? Where is the reality? I must have reality and truth! Talk, Channis talk. Have I penetrated then, not deeply enough? Does the danger still exist? Talk, Channis. Where have I done wrong?† Channis felt the words drag out of his mouth. They did not come willingly. He clenched his teeth against them. He bit his tongue. He tensed every muscle of his throat. And they came out – gasping – pulled out by force and tearing his throat and tongue and teeth on the way. â€Å"Truth,† he squeaked, â€Å"truth-â€Å" â€Å"Yes, truth. What is left to be done?† â€Å"Seldon founded Second Foundation here. Here, as I said. I told no lie. The psychologists arrived and took control of the native population.† â€Å"Of Tazenda?† The Mule plunged deeply into the flooding torture of the other’s emotional upwellings – tearing at them brutally. â€Å"It is Tazenda I have destroyed. You know what I want. Give it to me.† â€Å"Not Tazenda. I said Second Foundationers might not be those apparently in power; Tazenda is the figurehead-† The words were almost unrecognizable, forming themselves against every atom of will of the Second Foundationer, â€Å"Rossem – Rossem – Rossem is the world-â€Å" The Mule loosed his grip and Channis dropped into a huddle of pain and torture. â€Å"And you thought to fool me?† said the Mule, softly. â€Å"You were fooled.† It was the last dying shred of resistance in Channis. â€Å"But not long enough for you and yours. I am in communication with my Fleet. And after Tazenda can come Rossem. But first-â€Å" Channis felt the excruciating darkness rise against him, and the automatic lift of his arm to his tortured eyes could not ward it off. It was a darkness that throttled, and as he felt his tom, wounded mind reeling backwards, backwards into the everlasting black – there was that final picture of the triumphant Mule – laughing matchstick – that long, fleshy nose quivering with laughter. The sound faded away. The darkness embraced him lovingly. It ended with a cracking sensation that was like the jagged glare of a lightning flash, and Channis came slowly to earth while sight returned painfully in blurry transmission through tear-drenched eyes. His head ached unbearably, and it was only with a stab of agony that he could bring up a hand to it. Obviously, he was alive. Softly, like feathers caught up in an eddy of air that had passed, his thoughts steadied and drifted to rest. He felt comfort suck in – from outside. Slowly, torturedly, he bent his neck – and relief was a sharp pang. For the door was open; and the First Speaker stood just inside the threshold. He tried to speak, to shout, to warn – but his tongue froze and he knew that a part of the Mule’s mighty mind still held him and clamped all speech within him. He bent his neck once more. The Mule was still in the room. He was angry and hot-eyed. He laughed no longer, but his teeth were bared in a ferocious smile. Channis felt the First Speaker’s mental influence moving gently over his mind with a healing touch and then there was the numbing sensation as it came into contact with the Mule’s defense for an instant of struggle and withdrew. The Mule said gratingly, with a fury that was grotesque in his meagre body: â€Å"Then another comes to greet me.† His agile mind reached its tendrils out of the room- out- out- â€Å"You are alone,† he said. And the First Speaker interrupted with an acquiescence: â€Å"I am thoroughly alone. It is necessary that I be alone, since it was I who miscalculated your future five years ago. There would be a certain satisfaction to me in correcting that matter without aid. Unfortunately, I did not count on the strength of your Field of Emotional Repulsion that surrounded this place. It took me long to penetrate. I congratulate you upon the skill with which it was constructed.† â€Å"Thank you for nothing,† came the hostile rejoinder. â€Å"Bandy no compliments with me. Have you come to add your brain splinter to that of yonder cracked pillar of your realm?† The First Speaker smiled: â€Å"Why, the man you call Bail Channis performed his mission well, the more so since he was not your mental equal by far. I can see, of course, that you have mistreated him, yet it may be that we may restore him fully even yet. He is a brave man, sir. He volunteered for this mission although we were able to predict mathematically the huge chance of damage to his mind – a more fearful alternative than that of mere physical crippling.† Channis’ mind pulsed futilely with what he wanted to say and couldn’t; the warning he wished to shout and was unable to. He could only emit that continuous stream of fear- fear- The Mule was calm. â€Å"You know, of course, of the destruction of Tazenda.† â€Å"I do. The assault by your fleet was foreseen.† Grimly: â€Å"Yes, so I suppose. But not prevented, eh?† â€Å"No, not prevented.† The First Speaker’s emotional symbology was plain. It was almost a self-horror; a complete self-disgust: â€Å"And the fault is much more mine than yours. Who could have imagined your powers five years ago. We suspected from the start – from the moment you captured Kalgan – that you had the powers of emotional control. That was not too surprising, First Citizen, as I can explain to you. â€Å"Emotional contact such as you and I possess is not a very new development. Actually it is implicit in the human brain. Most humans can read emotion in a primitive manner by associating it pragmatically with facial expression, tone of voice and so on. A good many animals possess the faculty to a higher degree; they use the sense of smell to a good extent and the emotions involved are, of course, less complex. â€Å"Actually, humans are capable of much more, but the faculty of direct emotional contact tended to atrophy with the development of speech a million years back. It has been the great advance of our Second Foundation that this forgotten sense has been restored to at least some of its potentialities. â€Å"But we are not born with its full use. A million years of decay is a formidable obstacle, and we must educate the sense, exercise it as we exercise our muscles. And there you have the main difference. You were born with it. â€Å"So much we could calculate. We could also calculate the effect of such a sense upon a person in a world of men who did not possess it. The seeing man in the kingdom of the blind- We calculated the extent to which a megalomania would take control of you and we thought we were prepared. But for two factors we were not prepared. â€Å"The first was the great extent of your sense. We can induce emotional contact only when in eyeshot, which is why we are more helpless against physical weapons than you might think. Sight plays such an enormous part. Not so with you. You are definitely known to have had men under control, and, further, to have had intimate emotional contact with them when out of sight and out of earshot. That was discovered too late. â€Å"Secondly, we did not know of your physical shortcomings, particularly the one that seemed so important to you, that you adopted the name of the Mule. We didn’t foresee that you were not merely a mutant, but a sterile mutant and the added psychic distortion due to your inferiority complex passed us by. We allowed only for a megalomania – not for an intensely psychopathic paranoia as well. â€Å"It is myself that bears the responsibility for having missed all that, for I was the leader of the Second Foundation when you captured Kalgan. When you destroyed the First Foundation, we found out – but too late – and for that fault millions have died on Tazenda.† â€Å"And you will correct things now?† The Mules thin lips curled, his mind pulsing with hate: â€Å"What will you do? Fatten me? Restore me to a masculine vigor? Take away from my past the long childhood in an alien environment. Do you regret my sufferings? Do you regret my unhappiness? I have no sorrow for what I did in my necessity. Let the Galaxy Protect itself as best it can, since it stirred not a whit for my protection when I needed it.† Your emotions are, of course,† said the First Speaker, â€Å"only the children of your background and are not to be condemned – merely changed. The destruction of Tazenda was unavoidable. The alternative would have been a much greater destruction generally throughout the Galaxy over a period of centuries. We did our best in our limited way. We withdrew as many men from Tazenda as we could. We decentralized the rest of the world. Unfortunately, our measures were of necessity far from adequate. It left many millions to die – do you not regret that?† â€Å"Not at all – any more than I regret the hundred thousand that must die on Rossem in not more than six hours.† â€Å"On Rossem?† said the First Speaker, quickly. He turned to Channis who had forced himself into a half-sitting posture, and his mind exerted its force. Channis, felt the duel of minds strain over him, and then there was a short snapping of the bond and the words came tumbling out of his mouth: â€Å"Sir, I have failed completely. He forced it from me not ten minutes before your arrival. I could not resist him and I offer no excuses. He knows Tazenda is not the Second Foundation. He knows that Rossem is.† And the bonds closed down upon him again. The First Speaker frowned: â€Å"I see. What is it you are planning to do?† â€Å"Do you really wonder? Do you really find it difficult to penetrate the obvious? All this time that you have preached to me of the nature of emotional contact – all this time that you have been throwing words such as megalomania and paranoia at me, I have been working. I have been in contact with my Fleet and it has its orders. In six hours, unless I should for some reason counteract my orders, they are to bombard all of Rossem except this lone village and an area of a hundred square miles about it. They are to do a thorough job and are then to land here. â€Å"You have six hours, and in six hours, you cannot beat down my mind, nor can you save the rest of Rossem.† The Mule spread his hands and laughed again while the First Speaker seemed to find difficulty in absorbing this new state of affairs. He said: â€Å"The alternative?† â€Å"Why should there even be an alternative? I can stand to gain no more by any alternative. Is it the lives of those on Rossem I’m to be chary of? Perhaps if you allow my ships to land and submit, all of you – all the men on the Second Foundation – to mental control sufficient to suit myself, I may countermand the bombardment orders. It may be worthwhile to put so many men of high intelligence under my control. But then again it would be a considerable effort and perhaps not worth it after all, so I’m not particularly eager to have you agree to it. What do you say, Second Foundationer? What weapon have you against my mind which is as strong as yours at least and against my ships which are stronger than anything you have ever dreamed of possessing?† â€Å"What have I?† repeated the First Speaker, slowly: â€Å"Why nothing – except a little grain – such a little grain of knowledge that even yet you do not possess.† â€Å"Speak quickly,† laughed the Mule, â€Å"speak inventively. For squirm as you might, you won’t squirm out of this.† â€Å"Poor mutant,† said the First Speaker, â€Å"I have nothing to squirm out of. Ask yourself – why was Bail Channis sent to Kalgan as a decoy – Bail Channis, who though young and brave is almost as much your mental inferior as is this sleeping officer of yours, this Han Pritcher. Why did not I go, or another of our leaders, who would be more your match?† â€Å"Perhaps,† came the supremely confident reply, â€Å"you were not sufficiently foolish, since perhaps none of you are my match.† â€Å"The true reason is more logical. You knew Channis to be a Second Foundationer. He lacked the capacity to hide that from you. And you knew, too, that you were his superior, so you were not afraid to play his game and follow him as he wished you to in order to outwit him later. Had I gone to Kalgan, you would have killed me for I would have been a real danger, or had I avoided death by concealing my identity, I would yet have failed in persuading you to follow me into space. It was only known inferiority that lured you on. And had you remained on Kalgan, not all the force of the Second Foundation could have harmed you, surrounded as you were by your men, your machines, and your mental power.† â€Å"My mental power is yet with me, squirmer,† said the Mule, â€Å"and my men and machines are not far off.† â€Å"Truly so, but you are not on Kalgan. You are here in the Kingdom of Tazenda, logically presented to you as the Second Foundation – very logically presented. It had to be so presented, for you are a wise man, First Citizen, and would follow only logic.† â€Å"Correct, and it was a momentary victory for your side, but there was still time for me to worm the truth from your man, Channis, and still wisdom in me to realize that such a truth might exist.† â€Å"And on our side, oh, not-quite-sufficiently-subtle one, was the realization that you might go that one step further and so Bail Channis was prepared for you.† â€Å"That he most certainly was not, for I stripped his brain clean as any plucked chicken. It quivered bare and open before me and when he said Rossem was the Second Foundation, it was basic truth for I had ground him so flat and smooth that not the smidgeon of a deceit could have found refuge in any microscopic crevice.† â€Å"True enough. So much the better for our foresight. For I have told you already that Bail Channis was a volunteer. Do you know what sort of a volunteer? Before he left our Foundation for Kalgan and you, he submitted to emotional surgery of a drastic nature. Do you think it was sufficient to deceive you? Do you think Bail Channis, mentally untouched, could possibly deceive you? No, Bail Channis was himself deceived, of necessity and voluntarily. Down to the inmost core of his mind, Bail Channis honestly believes that Rossem is the Second Foundation. â€Å"And for three years now, we of the Second Foundation have built up the appearance of that here in the Kingdom of Tazenda, in preparation and waiting for you. And we have succeeded, have we not? You penetrated to Tazenda, and beyond that, to Rossem – but past that, you could not go.† The Mule was upon his feet: â€Å"You dare tell me that Rossem also, is not the Second Foundation?† Channis, from the floor, felt his bonds burst for good, under a stream of mental force on the part of the First Speaker and strained upright. He let out one long, incredulous cry: â€Å"You mean Rossem is not the Second Foundation?† The memories of life, the knowledge of his mind – everything – whirled mistily about him in confusion. The First Speaker smiled: â€Å"You see, First Citizen, Channis is as upset as you are. Of course, Rossem is not the Second Foundation. Are we madmen then, to lead you, our greatest, most powerful, most dangerous enemy to our own world? Oh, no! â€Å"Let your Fleet bombard Rossem, First Citizen, if you must have it so. Let them destroy all they can. For at most they can kill only Channis and myself – and that will leave you in a situation improved not in the least. â€Å"For the Second Foundation’s Expedition to Rossem which has been here for three years and has functioned, temporarily, as Elders in this village, embarked yesterday and are returning to Kalgan. They will evade your Fleet, of course, and they will arrive in Kalgan at least a day before you can, which is why I tell you all this. Unless I countermand my orders, when you return, you will find a revolting Empire, a disintegrated realm, and only the men with you in your Fleet here will be loyal to you. They will be hopelessly outnumbered. And moreover, the men of the Second Foundation will be with your Home Fleet and will see to it that you reconvert no one. Your Empire is done, mutant.† Slowly, the Mule bowed his head, as anger and despair cornered his mind completely, â€Å"Yes. Too late- Too late- Now I see it.† â€Å"Now you see it,† agreed the First Speaker, â€Å"and now you don’t.† In the despair of that moment, when the Mule’s mind lay open, the First Speaker – ready for that moment and pre-sure of its nature – entered quickly. It required a rather insignificant fraction of a second to consummate the change completely. The Mule looked up and said: â€Å"Then I shall return to Kalgan? â€Å"Certainly. How do you feel?† â€Å"Excellently well.† His brow puckered: â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"Does it matter?† â€Å"Of course not.† He dismissed the matter, and touched Pritcher’s shoulder: â€Å"Wake up, Pritcher, we’re going home.† It was two hours later that Bail Channis felt strong enough to walk by himself. He said: â€Å"He won’t ever remember?† â€Å"Never. He retains his mental powers and his Empire – but his motivations are now entirely different. The notion of a Second Foundation is a blank to him, and he is a man of peace. He will be a far happier man henceforward, too, for the few years of life left him by his maladjusted physique. And then, after he is dead Seldon’s Plan will go on – somehow.† â€Å"And it is true,† urged Channis, â€Å"it is true that Rossem is not the Second Foundation? I could swear – I tell you I know it is. I am not mad.† â€Å"You are not mad, Channis, merely, as I have said, changed. Rossem is not the Second Foundation. Come! We, too, will return home.† How to cite Second Foundation 6. One Man, the Mule – and Another, Essay examples