The Cold Equations (1954 short story)

The Cold Equations is a 1954 American science fiction short story written by author Tom Godwin. It concerns the moral dilemma of a pilot and a stowaway aboard a ship that will be doomed if she stays aboard.Astounding Stories #13: “The Cold Equations” - Alec Nevala-Lee - 6 July 2016 - Retrieved 31 July 2023
== Characters ==
* Barton
* Marilyn Lee Cross
* Gerry Cross
* Commander Delhart
== Reception ==
=== Retrospective ===
In 2014, Cory Doctorow lambasted the story and its author, blaming Godwin for having written the story as an excuse to kill Marilyn Cross, and referring to it as "moral hazard in action". Doctorow characterised "The Cold Equations" and Heinlein's "Farnham's Freehold" as intellectually dishonest, and also accused them of being helpful for authoritarians and plutocrats.Cory Doctorow: Cold Equations and Moral Hazard - Cory Doctorow - 2 March 2014 - Locus - Retrieved 31 July 2023 In 2019, Doctorow stated his belief that Campbell had forced Godwin to turn the story into "a parable about the foolishness of women and the role of men in guiding them to accept the cold, hard facts of life."Cory Doctorow: Jeannette Ng Was Right: John W. Campbell Was a Fascist - Cory Doctorow - 2 March 2014 - Locus - Retrieved 31 July 2023
In 2019, James Davis Nicoll argued that the story had failed to deliver its moral and was instead about how "lousy procedures kill"; calling it "another instance of humans looking for justifications to be beastly to each other."On Needless Cruelty in SF: Tom Godwin’s “The Cold Equations” - James Davis Nicoll - 29 April 2019 - Tor.com - Retrieved 31 July 2023 
== Notes ==
=== Behind the Scenes ===
* The story was originally printed in Astounding. Editor John W. Campbell sent back three rewrites, forbidding Godwin to allow Cross to live.
=== References & Connections ===
* Don Sakers wrote "The Cold Solution" in response to the story.
== Links ==
* The Cold Equations on Wikipedia
* The Cold Equations on TV Tropes
== References ==
Category:Fiction
Category:Real short stories
Category:Real American short stories
Category:Real science fiction short stories
Category:Real short stories released in 1954
Category:Real science fiction media