The Enlightenment saw science and rational thought replace the religious superstitions of the previous century, and demons became metaphors for the human struggle between good and evil.
Leaving our earthly bodies and living forever as a machine isn’t just a thing of modern science fiction. These transhumanist ideas date back to the 18th century.
In this influential novel, two Persians travel to Paris and report their bemusement at its customs. Questions such as the dilemmas of tolerance and the social nature of our identities are explored.