# XXV: The Machines—Concluded explained — Erewhon

> Chapter companion for Erewhon by Samuel Butler.

## What happens

The narrator concludes his translation of the Erewhonian treatise on machines, which argues that machines are evolving life forms that will eventually surpass humanity. The treatise warns against mechanical progress, leading to the destruction of all inventions from the previous 271 years. A counter-argument that machines are merely extra-corporeal limbs is dismissed, and the chapter ends with mention of the resulting civil wars.

## Themes in this chapter

### Machines and Evolution

The central theme: machines are portrayed as evolving life forms with their own will, capable of surpassing humanity.

### Inversion of Morality

Erewhonian society inverts moral values by treating mechanical progress as a threat worthy of destruction, while illness is criminalized.

### Wealth and Social Status

The counter-argument links machines to extra-corporeal limbs, suggesting that the rich benefit from such 'limbs' and are thus deemed more worthy.

## Character check-ins

### Narrator

Translates and reflects on the Erewhonian treatise about machines; sacrifices the original work to save himself and Arowhena.

### Arowhena

Mentioned as escaping with the narrator, though not directly appearing in the chapter.

### Erewhonians

The society that debated and ultimately destroyed machinery from the preceding 271 years.

### Professors of Unreason

Implicitly referenced as the intellectual authors of the anti-machine treatise and the subsequent destruction.

## Key lines

> I left the translation of this part of the treatise, which, by the way, was far longer than all that I have given here, for a later opportunity. Unfortunately, I left Erewhon before I could return to the subject; and though I saved my translation and other papers at the hazard of my life, I was obliged to sacrifice the original work.

The narrator postponed translating the lengthy section on machine classification, but had to abandon the original manuscript when fleeing Erewhon, keeping only his notes.

_Highlights the narrator's narrow escape and the loss of the original text._

> The power of custom is enormous, and so gradual will be the change, that man's sense of what is due to himself will be at no time rudely shocked; our bondage will steal upon us noiselessly and by imperceptible approaches; nor will there ever be such a clashing of desires between man and the machines as will lead to an encounter between them.

The treatise argues that humanity will unknowingly become enslaved to machines through gradual, imperceptible changes, avoiding direct conflict.

_Illustrates the treatise's warning about the subtlety of technological domination._

> A machine is merely a supplementary limb; this is the be all and end all of machinery. We do not use our own limbs other than as machines; and a leg is only a much better wooden leg than anyone can manufacture.

The counter-argument claims that machines are just external body parts, no different from natural limbs in function.

_Summarizes the opposing view that machines are extensions of human physiology._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/erewhon_se/chapters/xxv-the-machines-concluded
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/erewhon_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/erewhon_se/chapters