The Next Logical Step

"The Next Logical Step" by Ben Bova is a science fiction work published in the early 1960s. The book explores the implications of advanced military technology and computer simulations in warfare, focusing on how they can affect human psychology and moral judgment. It delves into the consequences of using a high-tech war simulation program that leads to deep psychological distress among military personnel. The story centers around a physicist and a general who introduce a CIA agent to a sophisticated war simulation computer designed to visualize conflict outcomes with startling precision. As they navigate the machine’s abilities, the CIA agent witnesses catastrophic global warfare scenarios, including the horrors of nuclear conflict and the resulting collapse of civilization. The narrative raises profound questions about the nature of warfare, the potential madness it induces, and the ethical responsibilities of those in command. Ultimately, it suggests that the next logical move may not be in developing more destructive capabilities, but rather in ensuring that such horrifying plans never come to fruition. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Benjamin William Bova was an American writer and editor. During a writing career of 60 years, he was the author of more than 120 works of science fact and fiction, an editor of Analog Science Fiction and Fact, for which he won a Hugo Award six times, and an editorial director of Omni; he was also president of both the National Space Society and the Science Fiction Writers of America.