Perspectives

When putting "Compassion Circuit" by John Wyndham into perspective, it may be useful to look at its relevance to current issues in society, as well as other works within the same genre, particularly those that deal with similar theme…

...

Current issues

It may be interesting to consider whether "Compassion Circuit" can be related to any issues in modern society. Wyndham's story was first published in 1956, but in many ways its themes may be even more relevant today. Though human-like robots are still far from common, there are many ways in which machines make decisions that affect human lives.

For example, a major discussion point in modern robotics is how self-driving cars should be programmed to act when a traffic acciden…

...

Works in the same genre

The short story “Compassion Circuit” belongs to the science fiction genre, which generally explores the way in which life is changed as a consequence of technological advancement.

For another example of this genre, we recommend you read the short story “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut. Set in a distant future, the short story explores issues suc…

...

Works with the same theme

The theme of the consequences of technological advancement has been explored by postmodernist writer Ray Bradbury in his short story “The Veldt”. In “The Veldt”, the author does not focus on robots but on an automated house which tends to its inhabitants’ needs. The particular focus of …