Gulliver's Travels is a satirical novel by Jonathan Swift that follows the voyages of Lemuel Gulliver. The third voyage describes Gulliver's visit to the floating island of Laputa, inhabited by scientists so focused on abstract thought that they have become impractical. He then visits Balnibarbi's Grand Academy, where philosophers seek to destroy the old world before building a new one. The voyage criticizes aspects of modern science, philosophy and politics.