# XXIII: The Book of the Machines explained — Erewhon

> Chapter companion for Erewhon by Samuel Butler.

## What happens

The narrator translates a portion of the Book of the Machines, which argues that machines may eventually develop consciousness and surpass humans, urging that their advancement be checked before it is too late.

## Themes in this chapter

### Machines and Evolution

The chapter extensively discusses the potential evolution of machines toward consciousness and superiority over humans.

### Inversion of Morality

The argument inverts typical moral assumptions by suggesting machines might be a threat requiring preemptive destruction.

## Character check-ins

### Narrator

The narrator translates and comments on the Book of the Machines.

### Professors of Unreason

The author of the Book of the Machines is implied to be one of the Professors of Unreason.

## Key lines

> There is no security against the ultimate development of mechanical consciousness, in the fact of machines possessing little consciousness now.

The current low level of machine consciousness does not guarantee that they will not eventually become fully conscious.

_Key thesis of the Book of the Machines._

> Is it not safer to nip the mischief in the bud and to forbid them further progress?

Wouldn't it be wiser to stop machines from advancing now, before they become dangerous?

_The author advocates for preemptive action against machines._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/erewhon_se/chapters/xxiii-the-book-of-the-machines
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/erewhon_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/erewhon_se/chapters