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 Project Gutenberg 2022-09-18 Public domain in the USA. 138 Knight, Damon 1922 2002 Knight, Damon Francis Fleming, Stuart Conanight Dreany, E. Joseph 1908 1961 Dreany, Edward Joseph Dreany, J. Dreany, Joseph Definition $aUnited States :$bBetter Publications, Inc.,$c1952. Produced from Startling Stories, February 1953 Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Definition" by Damon Knight is a science fiction short story penned in the early 1950s. The narrative unfolds in a distant future where humankind navigates the vastness of space, grappling with encounters that challenge their understanding of identity and consciousness. At its core, the story delves into the complexities of human nature, particularly when faced with an enigmatic group known as the Kassids, who embody a philosophical concept that could dramatically alter human existence. The plot follows Charles and Midge Samson, a couple stationed in a segment of space known as Slice 103. When they receive a troubling report about a fellow traveler, Jackson, who has seemingly abandoned his post after a charismatic encounter with the Kassids, the Samsons are tasked with investigating this phenomenon. As they delve deeper, they discover that the Kassids are not a traditional race or empire but rather an idea that challenges the very foundation of what it means to be human. Through their exploration, they confront profound questions about love, peace, and the potential existential threat posed by a powerful, unifying belief system, ultimately leading to a painful realization about the nature of humanity and its place in the universe. The story culminates in a moral quandary about the essence of progress and the implications of change, leaving readers to ponder the weight of the philosophical revelations presented. (This is an automatically generated summary.) 20220522110135knight 1952 US Reading ease score: 82.7 (6th grade). Easy to read. en Science fiction Short stories Human-alien encounters -- Fiction Space travelers -- Fiction Spouses -- Fiction Proselytizing -- Fiction PS Text Category: Short Stories Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy 59211 2025-07-27T09:45:39.137127 text/html 35322 2024-10-19T00:48:46 text/html 394069 2025-07-27T09:45:41.853147 application/epub+zip 392884 2025-07-27T09:45:40.127119 application/epub+zip 156354 2025-07-27T09:45:39.545109 application/epub+zip 718810 2025-07-27T09:45:43.222091 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 711277 2025-07-27T09:45:41.460135 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 642669 2022-09-18T18:00:54.952485 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 52445 2025-07-27T09:45:39.001101 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 32582 2024-10-19T00:48:46 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 18584 2025-07-27T09:45:43.392089 application/rdf+xml 28154 2025-07-27T09:45:39.799111 image/jpeg 4766 2025-07-27T09:45:39.671113 image/jpeg 726327 2025-07-27T09:45:39.155105 application/octet-stream application/zip en.wikipedia