It’s 1964, one of the greatest Polish science-fiction writers and futurologists is about to finish his latest book called “Summa Technologiae”. The name refers to the “Summa Theologiae” by Thomas Aquinas, which in the 13th century was the compendium of all the main theological teachings. It summed up the current state of knowledge. Similarly, in the middle of 1960s Lem sets off to a meta-journey to recon the world of technology, armed only with his intellect bounded by the restrictions of the Iron Curtain.

To approach this book without consideration of its historical and geopolitical background would be inappropriate. Moreover, hardly could we appreciate the charm of the writer, who, 26 years before the Internet became public, foresaw that for people to become a singular intelligent organism they would need “some kind of telephone” for sharing information globally…