[Pearls Before Swine]

Brains in a dish.

Early 20th century SF writer Olaf Stapledon wrote a massive work called “Last and First Men”, which was a future history of the evolution of humankind through many iterations. Has anyone read it?

The Fourth Men were the brains in a dish. They ruled the world, and the remaining humans served them, for a while. It ended badly.

[alternatives?]

There was a similar Star Trek episode. Had Kirk fight a gladiator duel with a babe in a bikini. The brains were betting on the match.

The show didn’t end well either. Kirk had to leave her behind.

[Fedora]

Yes, Stapledon's work had some interesting ideas, though it was a long read. There was also a famous Curt Siodmak story about a preserved brain, Donovan's Brain; Orson Welles starred in a Suspense adaptation of it. Then there was The Brain That Wouldn't Die. . .

[who_would_fardels_bear]

It's too late. We are already brains in vats.

How do I know this?

Every once and I while when the alien scientists tending our brains are off in meetings I'll start acting all nonchalant whistling a simple tune and then really quickly I'll look out the left side of my eyes and see the electronic cables hooked up to my cerebrum.

[piasa]

That reminds me...there was a place in St. Louis where you could get fried brain sandwiches.