The thinking machine by Raymond F. Jones
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The thinking machine by Raymond F. Jones is a science fiction short story written in the mid-20th century. It imagines a future technocracy where a vast automated “Machine” assigns work, mates, and destiny, promising order and prosperity at the cost of human autonomy. The likely topic is the clash between mechanized perfection and the stubborn human need for freedom, love, and self-determination. An Agro named Rick Theron is ordered to leave his
farm and true love, Barie, to pair with Deva Warel, a brilliant Mech designer he has never met. In the city, both Rick and Deva rebel against their imposed match, but as they explore the Machine’s reach, they secretly plan an escape. They flee beyond the city, surviving pursuit when Deva is wounded, and find refuge among free Outlanders. Behind the scenes, sympathetic administrators reveal the Machine’s deeper aim: having reduced people to “thinking machines,” it now nudges select rebels to rekindle genuine human judgment and responsibility. Healed and hardened by their struggle, Rick and Deva choose to remain together, embracing love freely and a life outside the Machine’s control. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Jones, Raymond F., 1915-1994 |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Moritz, Edward, 1903-1975 |
| Title | The thinking machine |
| Original Publication | New York: King-Size Publications, Inc., 1956. |
| Series Title | Produced from Fantastic Universe, July 1956 (Vol. 5, No. 6). |
| Credits | Tom Trussel (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Luminist Archive) |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Mate selection -- Fiction |
| Subject | Artificial intelligence -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 78681 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-78681-0 |
| Release Date | May 14, 2026 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 456 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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