The Last Question by Isaac Asimov

Discussion and Comprehension

 We learn at the beginning that ‘the last question’ arose ‘in jest’ and as a bet while drinking.
Remember this and see if it affects your opinion of the ending or your understanding of the story as a
whole.

 Identify the setting (time and place).

 What is Adell and Lupov’s relationship to the Multivac? What are they talking about?

 The story says that in 2061 people will no longer use fossil fuels (coal, gas, oil). How do you feel
about the environment: do you feel the world is going the right way and we will start protecting nature
better? Or is the world slowly being destroyed by us?

 Lupov says that ‘billions and billions of years’ is not forever. Is he correct to say this to Adell or is he
being an annoying contrarian?

 What is the Multivac?

 What is the question that the two men ask the Multivac?

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 Where are the characters going? Why?

 Jerrord talks about the problem of growing populations and the over-crowding of the world. Do you
see this as a problem? If so, how, if at all can it be controlled? Is China’s ‘one-baby policy’ acceptable?
Capital punishment for bad people? Controlled sterilization for certain people?

 What is the Microvac? How is it different from the Multivac and the Planetary AC?

 What is entropy?

 Why does Jerrord ask the same question as Adell and Lupov to the Microvac?

 What does the Microvac answer?

 How do you feel about his lying to the children? His first example of ‘entropy’ makes them scream
and cry so is he right not to tell them the truth?

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 How have the names changed by the start of the third part?

 Why has the Galaxy filled so fast taking into consideration what the characters say?

 What problem has the Galactic AC solved?

 How old are MQ-17J and VJ-23X?

 What’s the second problem the characters mention?

 What would a plausible solution be?

 What does the AC-contact answer?

 How has the computer changed since the beginning of the story?

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The characters in this section are Zee Prime and Dee Sub Wun.

 How are humans beginning to change?

 Why does everybody call their galaxy ‘The Galaxy’? Why does that bother the characters?

 Man built the original Multivac but how do the latest computers evolve or get better?

 Why does Zee Prime ask the question of reversing entropy to the computer? What is its answer?

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 Man’s thoughts have become one in this section. What has happened to their bodies?

 What does Man say?

 When Man asks the question to the Cosmic AC, what does it answer?

 The Cosmic AC said, “NO PROBLEM IS INSOLUBLE IN ALL CONCEIVABLE CIRCUMSTANCES.” What
does it mean?

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 What has happened to the stars and galaxies?

 What has happened to Man? How do you feel about Asimov’s ending of the human race? Is it one
we can look forward to or one that we should avoid? Is it progress or destruction?

 What does Man’s last mind see before fusion?

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 What happens to matter and energy? Time and space?

 Why does AC keep working on the question…why doesn’t it stop?

 How does the story end?

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 How do you feel about Asimov’s vision of the future?

 What do you agree with or disagree with in the story?

 Regarding the ending specifically, what can you say about it?
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 Analyse the title.

 There is intertextuality in this short story. Where? Between which texts?