Smith, Phyllis Sterling creator Emshwiller, Ed 1925-1990 text utu 2016 monographic en 1 online resource : multiple file formats "What is POSAT?" by Phyllis Sterling Smith is a science fiction novella written in the early 1950s. This intriguing story revolves around a mysterious secret society called POSAT, which promises its members mastery of all knowledge and solutions to life's problems. The narrative is centered around three diverse characters—Bill Evans, Elizabeth Arnable, and Donald Alford—who each respond to an advertisement for membership in POSAT, sparking their journey into an enigmatic world that blends metaphysical concepts with scientific inquiry. The plot follows Donald Alford, a research physicist, as he delves deeper into the workings of POSAT after receiving an invitation for a personal interview. Initially skeptical, Donald discovers that POSAT is not merely a typical secret society but instead a group founded by a super-genius from the Renaissance era who has been safeguarding advanced scientific knowledge for centuries. As he explores the society’s secrets, he grapples with questions surrounding human nature, morality, and the pursuit of knowledge. Ultimately, Donald’s journey leads him to confront grand ideas about the responsibilities that come with knowledge and the potential consequences of scientific advancements in a world fraught with conflict, culminating in a choice between skepticism and acceptance of this deeper truth. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Release date is 2016-03-01 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Secret societies -- Fiction PS Original publication data not identified https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51336 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51336 UtSlPG 260607 20260610134200.0 51336