Elementi di lemologia: lemmi e dilemmi di Lem

An introduction to Stanislaw Lem's scientific non-fiction, with a focus on his masterpiece Summa technologiae. Some crucial issues in Lem's 'sceptical futurology' are addressed, with particular reference to theories of the stochastic process (the importance of chance in the construction of life and natural and technological evolution), the relationship between politics and progress, and the 'prophetic' elements in Lem's nonfictional writing. In addition, the language of Lem's essayist, his peculiarities and idiosyncrasies are analysed, with special reference to the difficulties of translating Summa technologiae, the main lemmas of the Lemian scientific language and the most important peculiarities of the style of 'Lucretius of Lviv'.