For an excellent story on this theme you can read Ted Chiang’s “ The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate” https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merchant_and_the_Alc

For an excellent story on this theme you can read Ted Chiang’s “ The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate” https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merchant_and_the_Alchemist's_Gate https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Merchant_and_the_Alchemi.... I think it’s one his best.