Nemesis by Isaac Asimov

Author:Isaac Asimov [Asimov, Isaac]
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Published: 2010-05-08T18:30:00+00:00

"Insufficient in what way?"

"In the early days of the Dome, when the Plague struck again and again, one of our concerns was to devise a more detailed brain scanner and a more efficiently programmed computer to interpret the data. This has never been transferred to Rotor. Pitt's exaggerated desire to hide the Plague led him to resist the sudden appearance of an improved brain scanner on Rotor. It might have given rise to inconvenient questions and rumors. Ridiculous, to my way of thinking, but in this, as in many other things, Pitt had his way. Therefore, Marlene, you have never been properly brain scanned and I want you to have one on our device."

Marlene shrank back, "No." A look of hope crossed Insigna's face. "Why not, Marlene?"

"Because when Uncle Siever said that--he was suddenly much more uncertain."

Genarr said, "No, that's not--" He stopped himself, lifted his arms, and let them drop helplessly. "Why do I bother? Marlene, dear, if I seemed suddenly concerned, it's because we need as detailed a brain scan as possible to serve as a standard of mental normality. Then, if you are exposed to Erythro and suffer even the slightest mental distortion as a result, it can be detected by brain scan even when no one can tell by simply looking at you or talking to you. Well, as soon as I mention a detailed brain scan, I think of the possibility of detecting an otherwise indetectable mental change--and the thought itself sparks an automatic concern. That s what you detect. Come, Marlene, how much uncertainty do you detect? Be quantitative."

But Marlene said, "Not much, but it's there. The trouble is, I can only tell you're uncertain. I can't tell why. Maybe this special brain scan is dangerous."

"How can it be? It has been used So--Marlene, you know Erythro won't hurt you. Don't you also know that the brain scan won't hurt you?"

"No, I don't."

"Do you know that it wilt hurt you?" A pause and then Marlene said reluctantly, "No."

"But how can you be sure about Erythro and not sure about the brain scan?"

"I don't know. I just know that Erythro won't hurt me, but I don't know that the brain scan won't. Or will."

A smile crossed Genarr's face. It did not take unusual abilities to see that he was enormously relieved.

Marlene said, "Why does that make you feel good, Uncle Siever?" Genarr said, "Because if you were making up your intuitional feelings--out of a desire to be important, or out of general romanticism, or out of some sort of self-delusion--you would apply it to everything. But you don't. You pick and choose. Some things you know and some things you don't know. That makes me far more inclined to believe you when you claim to be sure Erythro won't hurt you and I no longer in the least fear that the brain scan will reveal anything disturbing."

Marlene turned to her mother. "He's right, Mother. He feels much better and so I feel much better. It's so obvious.

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