Ancestor simulations, such as the matrix simulation in the eponymous movie trilogy, are a recurring form of technology within speculative fiction; however, science fiction critics have largely overlooked their importance to the genre.
This paper examines how ancestor simulations function as a plot device and how this changes over time from the 1980s to today. The relationship between characters and ancestor simulations parallels the growing dependency upon computers during this time period and, disturbingly, suggests a willingness to give up agency for a freedom mediated by computers and technology.
Read my article, ”Ancestor Simulations: A Past, Revisited,” at NewMyths.com.