Foundation and Earth Read Online Free PDF Page A

remember, too?”
    “Nonhuman brains can’t store memories with thesame density human brains can, and much of the room in all brains, human and nonhuman alike, must be given over to personal memories which are scarcely useful except to the particular component of the planetary consciousness that harbors them. However, significant quantities of advanced data can be, and are, stored in animal brains, also in plant tissue, and in the mineral structure of the planet.”
    “In the mineral structure? The rocks and mountain range, you mean?”
    “And, for some kinds of data, the ocean and atmosphere. All that is Gaia, too.”
    “But what can nonliving systems hold?”
    “A great deal. The intensity is low but the volume is so great that a large majority of Gaia’s total memory is in its rocks. It takes a little longer to retrieve and replace rock memories so that it is the preferred place for storing dead data, so to speak—items that, in the normal course of events, would rarely be called upon.”
    “What happens when someone dies whose brain stores data of considerable value?”
    “The data is not lost. It is slowly crowded out as the brain disorganizes after death, but there is ample time to distribute the memories into other parts of Gaia. And as new brains appear in babies and become more organized with growth, they not only develop their personal memories and thoughts but are fed appropriate knowledge from other sources. What you would call education is entirely automatic with me/us/Gaia.”
    Pelorat said, “Frankly, Golan, it seems to me that this notion of a living world has a great deal to be said for it.”
    Trevize gave his fellow-Foundationer a brief, sidelong glance. “I’m sure of that, Janov, but I’m not impressed. The planet, however big and however diverse, represents one brain. One! Every new brain that arises is melted into the whole. Where’s the opportunity for opposition, for disagreement? When you think of human history, you think of the occasional human beingwhose minority view may be condemned by society but who wins out in the end and changes the world. What chance is there on Gaia for the great rebels of history?”
    “There is internal conflict,” said Bliss. “Not every aspect of Gaia necessarily accepts the common view.”
    “It must be limited,” said Trevize. “You cannot have too much turmoil within a single organism, or it would not work properly. If progress and development are not stopped altogether, they must certainly be slowed. Can we take the chance of inflicting that on the entire Galaxy? On all of humanity?”
    Bliss said, without open emotion, “Are you now questioning your own decision? Are you changing your mind and are you now saying that Gaia is an undesirable future for humanity?”
    Trevize tightened his lips and hesitated. Then, he said, slowly, “I would like to, but—not yet. I made my decision on some basis—some unconscious basis—and until I find out what that basis was, I cannot truly decide whether I am to maintain or change my decision. Let us therefore return to the matter of Earth.”
    “Where you feel you will learn the nature of the basis on which you made your decision. Is that it, Trevize?”
    “That is the feeling I have. —Now Dom says Gaia does not know the location of Earth. And you agree with him, I believe.”
    “Of course I agree with him. I am no less Gaia than he is.”
    “And do you withhold knowledge from me? Consciously, I mean?”
    “Of course not. Even if it were possible for Gaia to lie, it would not lie to
you
. Above all, we depend upon your conclusions, and we need them to be accurate, and that requires that they be based on reality.”
    “In that case,” said Trevize, “let’s make use of your world-memory. Probe backward and tell me how far you can remember.”
    There was a small hesitation. Bliss looked blankly at Trevize, as though, for a moment, she was in a trance. Then she said, “Fifteen thousand