Universe Description
The story of the first two novels takes place in the 1990s, while this storyline moves on to 2130s. The following description applies to the first two novels.
Our galaxy contains a huge number of worlds inhabited by sentient beings. For most civilizations, interstellar travel, including FTL travel, is routine part of life. As civilizations are constantly in contact with one another, their levels of technological development are roughly the same.
There are, of course, more primitive worlds, whose people are unable to leave their system, and who do not even suspect that the galaxy is full of life. Earth is one such planet.
Read more about this topic: A Lord From Planet Earth
Famous quotes containing the words universe and/or description:
“... if we take the universe of ‘fitting,’ countless coats ‘fit’ backs, and countless boots ‘fit’ feet, on which they are not practically fitted; countless stones ‘fit’ gaps in walls into which no one seeks to fit them actually. In the same way countless opinions ‘fit’ realities, and countless truths are valid, tho no thinker ever thinks them.”
—William James (1842–1910)
“Why does philosophy use concepts and why does faith use symbols if both try to express the same ultimate? The answer, of course, is that the relation to the ultimate is not the same in each case. The philosophical relation is in principle a detached description of the basic structure in which the ultimate manifests itself. The relation of faith is in principle an involved expression of concern about the meaning of the ultimate for the faithful.”
—Paul Tillich (1886–1965)