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''Aristoi'' is a 1992 science fiction novel by Walter Jon Williams. It was one of the preliminary candidates for the 1993 Hugo Award for Best Novel in a particularly competitive year (only the second year in the award's history in which there was a tie). The cover art for ''Aristoi'' was nominated for the 1993 Hugo Award for Best Original Artwork. == Overview == The novel describes the Logarchy, a technologically advanced human society which has spread across half the galaxy. It involves a rigid hierarchy of social classes, based on examinations. The supreme class, the "Aristoi," are given the ultimate responsibility: that of managing nanotechnology. The Aristoi (and some others) can split their minds into ''daimones'', or "limited personalities", all which can operate as independent mental entities guided by the will of the main 'self' of the Aristos. There are several rituals designed to bring the main personality into contact with his own ''daimones'' and establish organization and control among them. In virtual reality, deployed through an implanted brain-computer interface, these selves can even be manifested as distinct individuals. The daimones can work on various projects independently without using the body, so that many things can be accomplished in a fraction of the time it would take a singleminded person to do them. Williams frequently divides the text into two columns representing characters' simultaneous interactions with multiple daimones and/or outside persons (for example, events of a party on one side, Gabriel's daimones commenting amongst themselves on the other). People who have daimones are not considered to be out of their minds, but rather ''into'' their minds, and are respected as knowing themselves much more thoroughly than is possible to a singleminded person. Virtual reality is referred to as "oneirochronon", a Greek-rooted word literally meaning "dream time". The "Hyperlogos" stores all human knowledge on gigantic servers placed inside Earth's moon and the moons of other planets. The device used for the interface is a tiny implant called a "reno", suggesting a link to Williams' earlier cyberpunk novels Hardwired and Solip:System which deal with a near-future Earth. In the future of the Logarchy, the original earth was destroyed by "Mataglap Nano", a gray goo disaster which originated in Indonesia (thus the name, which means berserk in Indonesian). A second Earth has been created, and the Logarchy was formed as a response to the tragedy. The Logarchy is reminiscent of some of the ideas of Plato. The Aristoi, the only people authorized to develop and use nanotechnology, are the unquestioned rulers of humanity, somewhere between government and gods. Each Aristos controls a ''domaine'' comprising one or more planets on which they impose their rules and modify so that it resembles the Aristoi's individuality. For example, if an Aristos/Ariste is interested in architecture, his/her domaine will reflect that through its educational system and the structure of its buildings. On the worlds controlled by the Logarchy, ordinary people (the "Demos") live in relative ease and comfort. All serious illnesses have been wiped out, and injuries can be fully healed. The chief responsibility of the Aristoi is to ensure that the people on their planets enjoy the best of health and are able to reach their utmost potential (including becoming an Aristos, if the appropriate exams are passed). The Aristoi interact with their subjects personally, often, to supply guidance and encouragement. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Aristoi (novel)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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