Vinge has opened up a great many concerns about ethics that are reflected in today's society. Some of these concern the ethics of bio-engineering.

Among the questions are: How far should bio-engineering be allowed to advance? Should a procedure, such as cloning, be performed simply because scientists are able to perform it? How ethical is bio-warfare? Other ethical questions focus on economics: Is it morally right for a high tech society to impede a low tech society's growth for its own economic gain? Can the lower tech society justifiably rebel against this economic oppression? Other moral questions are echoed today by animal rights groups: Can the killing of animals for the benefit of humans ever be justified? If so, under what circumstances?

1. Do you think the Hegemony has the right to keep Tiamat in a low tech state by withholding certain high tech items and by...