Project Gutenberg 2009-05-24 Public domain in the USA. 82 Lowe, Richard E. When I Grow Up Produced from Fantastic Universe September 1956. Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "When I Grow Up" by Richard E. Lowe is a science fiction story written in the mid-20th century. Set in the year A.D. 3896 at a vast University renowned for its broad study of human behavior, the book explores themes of child development through the rival theories of heredity and environment. The plot builds around a unique child named Herbux who expresses a singular desire to become a "Destructor," leading to unsettling discoveries about his abilities and the implications for his future. The narrative unfolds through the interactions between two professors, each representing opposing ideologies regarding human development and behavior. Professor Miltcheck von Possenfeller advocates for the influence of environment, while Dr. Arthur D. Smithlawn champions heredity. Their focus shifts dramatically when they encounter Herbux, a seemingly normal boy with an extraordinary power to kill living creatures with merely a glance. As the professors investigate Herbux's desire to be a Destructor, they grapple with the ethical implications of his abilities, questioning the nature of his talent and whether it stems from his environment or from something more inherent. Ultimately, the story raises profound questions about free will, the essence of childhood innocence, and the unpredictable outcomes of human development. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 76.5 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en Science fiction Short stories PS Text Science Fiction Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy 46522 2025-07-12T05:03:03.322140 text/html 42777 2009-05-24T09:20:38 text/html 89390 2025-07-12T05:03:07.724625 application/epub+zip 88195 2025-07-12T05:03:05.696135 application/epub+zip 82100 2025-07-12T05:03:04.663140 application/epub+zip 165899 2025-07-12T05:03:09.191619 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 158734 2025-07-12T05:03:07.106127 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 129338 2022-09-13T12:20:19.761573 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 40178 2025-07-12T05:03:03.095142 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 40090 2009-05-24T09:20:38 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 19031 2025-07-12T05:03:09.310614 application/rdf+xml 11687 2025-07-12T05:03:05.150130 image/jpeg 3193 2025-07-12T05:03:04.903133 image/jpeg 16837 2009-05-24T09:20:38 application/octet-stream application/zip 15817 2009-05-24T09:20:38 application/octet-stream application/zip 86694 2025-07-12T05:03:03.328142 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog