This classic collection of nine science fiction stories introduced us to the legendary “Three Laws of Robotics”: 1. A robot must not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
The stories imagine how orders given by humans, even if tacitly or in jest, can be misconstrued or bind the robot in a conflict with the other laws. In one story, a positronic (i.e., robot “brain”) technological improvement enables one robot to read human minds, which creates operational problems. When these laws conflict, it frequently requires the intervention of robopsychologist, Dr. Susan Calvin, to resolve the problem. She is a continuing character in most of the stories. I liked some stories better than others, but all averaged out to a rounded up four stars rating. My favorites were a couple of the earlier ones. “Robbie” is a robotic babysitter purchased to be a companion for the owners’ little girl. The wife’s prejudice of the robot increases her fears for her daughter’s safety even if the laws would prevent this. The setting for many of the other stories takes place on other planets of the Solar System or in space because humanity’s fear of them results in a ban for their use Earth and only in extraterrestrial operations. “Reason” occurs on a space station where a robot with heighten artificial intelligence comes to believe that his creator is not the human onboard since it perceives that they lack the necessary intelligence to develop the Three Laws. Try as they may, they can’t convince the robot any differently.
Asimov’s robot stories contained in this book inspired future writers and film directors. I could see inspiration for Phillip K. Dick’s novella, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, later released as “Bladerunner” in several of the stories. Although there is almost no connection between these stories and the movie, “I, Robot”, one story does involve a lost robot which reminded me of the character played by Will Smith searching for one intelligent robot in a warehouse full of recently manufactured robots.
The stories are less about technology and more about the human element such as acceptance of this technology and the relationships between man and machine. This book has been on my shelf for some time now. I’m glad I finally got around to reading it.
1. A robot must not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
The stories imagine how orders given by humans, even if tacitly or in jest, can be misconstrued or bind the robot in a conflict with the other laws. In one story, a positronic (i.e., robot “brain”) technological improvement enables one robot to read human minds, which creates operational problems. When these laws conflict, it frequently requires the intervention of robopsychologist, Dr. Susan Calvin, to resolve the problem. She is a continuing character in most of the stories.
I liked some stories better than others, but all averaged out to a rounded up four stars rating. My favorites were a couple of the earlier ones. “Robbie” is a robotic babysitter purchased to be a companion for the owners’ little girl. The wife’s prejudice of the robot increases her fears for her daughter’s safety even if the laws would prevent this. The setting for many of the other stories takes place on other planets of the Solar System or in space because humanity’s fear of them results in a ban for their use Earth and only in extraterrestrial operations. “Reason” occurs on a space station where a robot with heighten artificial intelligence comes to believe that his creator is not the human onboard since it perceives that they lack the necessary intelligence to develop the Three Laws. Try as they may, they can’t convince the robot any differently.
Asimov’s robot stories contained in this book inspired future writers and film directors. I could see inspiration for Phillip K. Dick’s novella, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, later released as “Bladerunner” in several of the stories. Although there is almost no connection between these stories and the movie, “I, Robot”, one story does involve a lost robot which reminded me of the character played by Will Smith searching for one intelligent robot in a warehouse full of recently manufactured robots.
The stories are less about technology and more about the human element such as acceptance of this technology and the relationships between man and machine. This book has been on my shelf for some time now. I’m glad I finally got around to reading it.