El legislador / The Legislator
Novel , 1997
Destino
Pages: 260
Winner of the Josep Pla Award 1997
Dr. Florestan arrives in New York, summoned to a high-level meeting of a secretive nature. The next day, in a United Nations hall, Florestan discovers the reason: there is a ninety-eight percent chance that a comet will collide with Earth, and it is highly likely that it will wipe out all higher forms of life on the planet. For this reason, a commission has been formed to work on the Trojan Eagle Project, which consists of placing an orbital refuge station where human civilization can survive until it is possible to return to Earth.
This is the essential premise of The Legislator. However, the reader is mistaken if they think they are dealing with a science fiction work. It is a narrative about the ethical problems raised by a presumed selection of the essential characteristics of humanity. It is a story with a philosophical background, addressing biological, anthropological, cultural, and sociopolitical issues.