Efremov, Ivan Antonovich (1907-1972)
IA Efremov - The legendary figure of Russian fiction 2 floor. Twentieth century. Lexicographer, self-taught, the traveler, he was 19 years old made his first discovery, together with the diploma of Leningrad State University (Faculty of Biology) and the Mining Institute has received the diploma of candidate of sciences in 30 years became a doctor of sciences. One of the leading paleontologists of the country (head of the department of lower vertebrate paleontology at the museum), the founder of taphonomy (the scientific direction in geology), he soon realized that all the world are subject to the laws of evolution, knowledge of which is necessary for the person to a proper understanding of its place in the world.
In literature, it came unexpectedly, mainly due to concerns about a strong "heel" of social thought in the direction of science and technology, to the detriment of man, his soul and senses. He was convinced that science leads to emptiness, it is not necessary if the philosophy behind it. The first stories were published in his post-war years, but the glory of the constructive thinker in the world and founder of Soviet science and social fiction he gained after the publication of "Andromeda" (1957) and "Hour of the Bull" (1970).
Both the novel, emphatically addressed to the youth audience, are shaped anthropomorphic embodiment of the author's hypothesis, I believe that any form of life at a certain stage of development should be anthropoid. Achieved the level of cosmic civilization together in the Grand Ring of Worlds. The laws of evolution are universal for the whole universe - and chief among them - the fight against Inferno. The fate of civilization depends on how to solve it private man's fate - because "people - the same universe, deep, inexhaustible". His optimism author draws in approving huge possibilities of the person, and not in the hopes of some "higher beings" from space.
One of the best Russian Utopias of modern times - "Andromeda" was created under the influence of the writer's credo - "or it will be planetary communist society, or there will be no, but will be sand and dust on a dead planet." The combination of a rigorous scientific look with artistic imagination gave rise to life-affirming pathos and "elegant, cool style" (as defined ANTolstoy). "Detachment" characters look the novel to the surrounding reality, as well as "chilly" author's vision explains the installation of the writer to recreate the look of a man next to him now, and not of a man today on its future - "their grief - not our grief, their joy - not our joy. Therefore, they may in some ways seem incomprehensible, strange, even unnatural ... ".
According to the author the main engine of progress is not the perfection of technology, and the evolution of man (and this is common to space law), that person is in the future, the measure of all things, and science and its discoveries are subject to the needs of its development.
Shock to readers 70s. the publication (even in a distorted version of the censorship) I.A.Efremova novel "The Hour of the Bull." This novel appeared 10 years after the "Andromeda" and represented a kind of dystopia warning about the real danger of "another way" civilization of the present day on the day of tomorrow. This time the "post-communist" Earth - the only alternative background for the story of the terrible fate of the planet Tormans. Tormans - planet evolutionary dead end, which came civilization, breaching the fundamental law of evolution - are parallel and the interdependence of scientific, technical and moral progress. Going by technological progress, the rulers of the world soon lost control of the social, ethical, environmental situation. Dehumanized mind began to give birth to monsters - so there Inferno world (continuous and endless, hopeless misery). The final idea of the novel is that the fall of a civilization is determined primarily by its obsolescence, emotional and spiritual impoverishment, was too "dangerous" for its time: 5 days after the death of Ephraim in his apartment took thirteen search for "harmful ideological literature" , took all the drafts, even suicide letter to his wife of 18 years Ephraim's name was forgotten, and the "disgraced" the novel was banned for publication.
Somewhat apart in the works of Ephraim are the novels "The Razor's Edge" (1963) -posvyaschenny mysteries of the human psyche and the laws, to move the development of the human personality - and "Thais" (1973) -napisanny in the name of the immortal art and its inspirer female. Both works are a kind of set of philosophical, social, aesthetic views of the author, presented in an entertaining adventure form; the focus of the author in both cases - the noosphere of the human mind and the image of a harmonious whole person