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Robot #0.1
携, 褉芯斜芯褌
袟斜褨褉泻邪 薪邪褍泻芯胁芯-褎邪薪褌邪褋褌懈褔薪懈褏 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪褜, 胁 褟泻懈褏 胁褨写芯屑懈泄 锌懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈泻 芯斜褋褌芯褞褦 褨写械褩 屑懈褉褍 褨 锌褉芯谐褉械褋褍, 写褉褍卸斜懈 褨 褋锌褨胁褉芯斜褨褌薪懈褑褌胁邪 屑褨卸 谢褞写褜屑懈.
271 pages, Hardcover
First published December 2, 1950
8750 people are currently reading
279032 people want to read
About the author
Isaac Asimov
4,618听books26.7k听followersWorks of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles,
The Foundation Trilogy
(1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 11,560 reviews
August 17, 2020
A Brief History Of Robo Sapiens In Nine Sequences
鈥淲hy 鈥� WHY does something invariably go wrong with them?鈥�
鈥淏ecause鈥�, said Powell somberly, 鈥渨e are accursed. Let鈥檚 go!鈥�
Asimov鈥檚 collection of short stories is a stunning document of humanity鈥檚 struggle to find balance in a world increasingly dominated by technological progress, but with the same social, political and emotional conflicts as always.
At first glance, the different stories seem to show the growing sophistication of robots, and their integration in human society. But the stories are not just a documentation of robots getting 鈥渂etter and better鈥�, they also exemplify different aspects of human life that are affected by artificial intelligence. And it is more and more complicated to solve the resulting issues from story to story.
The first, apparently innocent sequence features a girl who becomes dependent on her toy robot, and refuses to interact with humans and animals as a result. Not too scary? Well, whoever has hosted a birthday party and seen the children who withdraw from the fun to sit in a corner and play on their phones knows that the problem is real, and urgent. - Dependence on technology: entertain me if you can!
The second story deals with failure within the robotic programming itself, when the three 鈥淟aws of Robotics鈥� clash and cause a dilemma that the robot can鈥檛 solve. Who will solve it for him, then? - System Failure: please reboot the world and start again!
Then we move on to the metaphysical aspect of creating a superior intelligence which makes calculations that are beyond human capacity. This sequence was the most humorous, in my opinion, showing a robot deciding to ignore humanity and create a religion around the Master, a calculation machine of great power. The scientists鈥� despair when realising that it could argue 鈥渞easonably鈥� against evidence, was hilarious, but also frighteningly contemporary! - Technology Cult: In matters of faith, no argument is good enough!
One chapter deals with the scenario of robots developing military behaviour. - Weapons of mass destruction? "Die Geister die ich rief!"
Another story explores mind reading, and delves into the dilemma of robotic rationality versus human ambitions, hopes and fears. - The Transparent Humans: Unable to hide their thought crimes!
Of course humans also start bending the rules of robotics for their own purposes and benefits, creating secret robots that do not fully obey the laws they are supposed to follow automatically. And of course it gets out of control, creating highly dangerous situations. - The Law Is For The Others!
And finally, we have the robots that are advanced enough to pretend to be human, refusing to be examined and discovered as robots by applying the judiciary system and their rights within it (as humans, ironically) to prevent detection. An issue of some relevance, as well. What to do with the democratic institutions that are abused by people/robots who only respect them when they suit their purposes? - The Democratic Supermarket: Take What You Need, Leave the Rest Behind!
Asimov has assembled an astounding diversity of ideas in a cohesive form. While touching on the essential questions of the modern human condition, it offers an intriguing, engaging narrative as well, still readable and relevant in a world that is more technologically advanced than Asimov could imagine himself.
In the balance between the human factor and technological system peculiarities, he leaves humanity with the eternal philosophical question of what defines us and what we define ourselves. And there will be hiccups, for sure, for the predictions on the future that close the novel can be rightly interpreted by different characters as: How horrible! Or How wonderful!
O brave new world that has such machines in鈥檛!
Recommended!
鈥淲hy 鈥� WHY does something invariably go wrong with them?鈥�
鈥淏ecause鈥�, said Powell somberly, 鈥渨e are accursed. Let鈥檚 go!鈥�
Asimov鈥檚 collection of short stories is a stunning document of humanity鈥檚 struggle to find balance in a world increasingly dominated by technological progress, but with the same social, political and emotional conflicts as always.
At first glance, the different stories seem to show the growing sophistication of robots, and their integration in human society. But the stories are not just a documentation of robots getting 鈥渂etter and better鈥�, they also exemplify different aspects of human life that are affected by artificial intelligence. And it is more and more complicated to solve the resulting issues from story to story.
The first, apparently innocent sequence features a girl who becomes dependent on her toy robot, and refuses to interact with humans and animals as a result. Not too scary? Well, whoever has hosted a birthday party and seen the children who withdraw from the fun to sit in a corner and play on their phones knows that the problem is real, and urgent. - Dependence on technology: entertain me if you can!
The second story deals with failure within the robotic programming itself, when the three 鈥淟aws of Robotics鈥� clash and cause a dilemma that the robot can鈥檛 solve. Who will solve it for him, then? - System Failure: please reboot the world and start again!
Then we move on to the metaphysical aspect of creating a superior intelligence which makes calculations that are beyond human capacity. This sequence was the most humorous, in my opinion, showing a robot deciding to ignore humanity and create a religion around the Master, a calculation machine of great power. The scientists鈥� despair when realising that it could argue 鈥渞easonably鈥� against evidence, was hilarious, but also frighteningly contemporary! - Technology Cult: In matters of faith, no argument is good enough!
One chapter deals with the scenario of robots developing military behaviour. - Weapons of mass destruction? "Die Geister die ich rief!"
Another story explores mind reading, and delves into the dilemma of robotic rationality versus human ambitions, hopes and fears. - The Transparent Humans: Unable to hide their thought crimes!
Of course humans also start bending the rules of robotics for their own purposes and benefits, creating secret robots that do not fully obey the laws they are supposed to follow automatically. And of course it gets out of control, creating highly dangerous situations. - The Law Is For The Others!
And finally, we have the robots that are advanced enough to pretend to be human, refusing to be examined and discovered as robots by applying the judiciary system and their rights within it (as humans, ironically) to prevent detection. An issue of some relevance, as well. What to do with the democratic institutions that are abused by people/robots who only respect them when they suit their purposes? - The Democratic Supermarket: Take What You Need, Leave the Rest Behind!
Asimov has assembled an astounding diversity of ideas in a cohesive form. While touching on the essential questions of the modern human condition, it offers an intriguing, engaging narrative as well, still readable and relevant in a world that is more technologically advanced than Asimov could imagine himself.
In the balance between the human factor and technological system peculiarities, he leaves humanity with the eternal philosophical question of what defines us and what we define ourselves. And there will be hiccups, for sure, for the predictions on the future that close the novel can be rightly interpreted by different characters as: How horrible! Or How wonderful!
O brave new world that has such machines in鈥檛!
Recommended!
September 9, 2021
(Book 539 From 1001 Books) - I, Robot (Robot #0.1), Isaac Asimov
I, Robot is a fix up of science fiction short stories or essays by American writer Isaac Asimov.
The stories originally appeared in the American magazines Super Science Stories and Astounding Science Fiction between 1940 and 1950 and were then compiled into a book for stand-alone publication by Gnome Press in 1950.
毓賳賵丕賳: 賲賳貙 乇賵亘賵鬲 - 丕蹖夭丕讴 丌爻蹖賲賵賮 - 丕賳鬲卮丕乇丕鬲蹖賴丕 (倬丕爻丕乇诏丕丿貙 毓胤丕蹖蹖)貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮 賲丕賴 賳賵丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱 2007賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 賲賳 乇賵亘賵鬲貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌蹖夭丕讴 丌爻蹖賲賵賮貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賴賵卮賳诏 睾蹖丕孬蹖 賳跇丕丿貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 倬丕爻丕乇诏丕丿貙 1374貨 丿乇 347氐貨 賲賵囟賵毓 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 毓賱賲蹖 賵 禺蹖丕賱 丕賳诏蹖夭 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 乇賵爻 鬲亘丕乇 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴 20賲
毓賳賵丕賳: 賲賳 乇賵亘賵鬲貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌蹖夭丕讴 丌爻蹖賲賵賮貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲丨賲丿 毓賱蹖夭丕丿賴 毓胤丕乇貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 毓胤丕蹖蹖貙 1390貨 丿乇 366 氐貨 卮丕亘讴 9789643137083貨
賯丕賳賵賳 丕賵賱: 蹖讴 乇賵亘丕鬲 賳亘丕蹖丿 亘丕 丕乇鬲讴丕亘 毓賲賱蹖 蹖丕 禺賵丿丿丕乇蹖 丕夭 丕賳噩丕賲 毓賲賱蹖 亘丕毓孬 丌爻蹖亘 丿蹖丿賳 蹖讴 丕賳爻丕賳 卮賵丿
賯丕賳賵賳 丿賵賲: 蹖讴 乇賵亘丕鬲 亘丕蹖丿 丕夭 賴賲賴 蹖 賮乇賲丕賳賴丕蹖 丕賳爻丕賳 鬲亘毓蹖鬲 讴賳丿貙 賲诏乇 丕蹖賳讴賴 丌賳 賮乇賲丕賳 蹖丕 賮乇賲丕賳賴丕貙 丿乇 鬲毓丕乇囟 亘丕 賯丕賳賵賳 賳禺爻鬲 亘丕卮丿
賵 賯丕賳賵賳 爻賵賲: 鬲丕 賴賳诏丕賲蹖 讴賴 賯丕賳賵賳 賳禺爻鬲 蹖丕 丿賵賲 夭蹖乇 倬丕 诏匕丕卮鬲賴 賳卮丿賴貙 乇賵亘丕鬲 亘丕蹖丿 賵噩賵丿 禺賵丿 乇丕 丨賮馗 讴乇丿賴貙 賵 丿乇 亘賯丕蹖 禺賵丿 亘讴賵卮丿
丿乇 讴鬲丕亘 芦賲賳 乇賵亘賵鬲禄貙 禺賵丕賳卮诏乇 亘丕 乇賵亘賵鬲賴丕蹖蹖 乇賵丿乇賵 賲蹖卮賵丿貙 讴賴 诏丕賴蹖 丿丕乇丕蹖 丕丨爻丕爻丕鬲 賵蹖跇賴 蹖 丕賳爻丕賳 賴爻鬲賳丿貙 賵 诏丕賴 禺賵蹖卮鬲賳 乇丕 丕夭 丕賳爻丕賳 賳蹖夭 亘乇鬲乇 賲蹖倬賳丿丕乇賳丿貙 夭賲丕賳蹖 讴賴 禺賵丿 乇丕 丿丕乇丕蹖 乇爻丕賱鬲蹖 賲蹖亘蹖賳賳丿貙 乇爻丕賱鬲蹖 乇賵亘賵鬲蹖貙 讴賴 亘丕 丕賳噩丕賲 丌賳 賲蹖禺賵丕賴賳丿 夭賳丿诏蹖 賴賲賳賵毓丕賳 禺賵蹖卮 乇丕 丿乇 賲爻蹖乇蹖 丿蹖诏乇 賵 亘賴鬲乇 丕賳丿丕夭賳丿貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 20/08/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 17/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
I, Robot is a fix up of science fiction short stories or essays by American writer Isaac Asimov.
The stories originally appeared in the American magazines Super Science Stories and Astounding Science Fiction between 1940 and 1950 and were then compiled into a book for stand-alone publication by Gnome Press in 1950.
毓賳賵丕賳: 賲賳貙 乇賵亘賵鬲 - 丕蹖夭丕讴 丌爻蹖賲賵賮 - 丕賳鬲卮丕乇丕鬲蹖賴丕 (倬丕爻丕乇诏丕丿貙 毓胤丕蹖蹖)貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮 賲丕賴 賳賵丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱 2007賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 賲賳 乇賵亘賵鬲貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌蹖夭丕讴 丌爻蹖賲賵賮貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賴賵卮賳诏 睾蹖丕孬蹖 賳跇丕丿貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 倬丕爻丕乇诏丕丿貙 1374貨 丿乇 347氐貨 賲賵囟賵毓 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 毓賱賲蹖 賵 禺蹖丕賱 丕賳诏蹖夭 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 乇賵爻 鬲亘丕乇 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴 20賲
毓賳賵丕賳: 賲賳 乇賵亘賵鬲貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 丌蹖夭丕讴 丌爻蹖賲賵賮貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲丨賲丿 毓賱蹖夭丕丿賴 毓胤丕乇貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 毓胤丕蹖蹖貙 1390貨 丿乇 366 氐貨 卮丕亘讴 9789643137083貨
賯丕賳賵賳 丕賵賱: 蹖讴 乇賵亘丕鬲 賳亘丕蹖丿 亘丕 丕乇鬲讴丕亘 毓賲賱蹖 蹖丕 禺賵丿丿丕乇蹖 丕夭 丕賳噩丕賲 毓賲賱蹖 亘丕毓孬 丌爻蹖亘 丿蹖丿賳 蹖讴 丕賳爻丕賳 卮賵丿
賯丕賳賵賳 丿賵賲: 蹖讴 乇賵亘丕鬲 亘丕蹖丿 丕夭 賴賲賴 蹖 賮乇賲丕賳賴丕蹖 丕賳爻丕賳 鬲亘毓蹖鬲 讴賳丿貙 賲诏乇 丕蹖賳讴賴 丌賳 賮乇賲丕賳 蹖丕 賮乇賲丕賳賴丕貙 丿乇 鬲毓丕乇囟 亘丕 賯丕賳賵賳 賳禺爻鬲 亘丕卮丿
賵 賯丕賳賵賳 爻賵賲: 鬲丕 賴賳诏丕賲蹖 讴賴 賯丕賳賵賳 賳禺爻鬲 蹖丕 丿賵賲 夭蹖乇 倬丕 诏匕丕卮鬲賴 賳卮丿賴貙 乇賵亘丕鬲 亘丕蹖丿 賵噩賵丿 禺賵丿 乇丕 丨賮馗 讴乇丿賴貙 賵 丿乇 亘賯丕蹖 禺賵丿 亘讴賵卮丿
丿乇 讴鬲丕亘 芦賲賳 乇賵亘賵鬲禄貙 禺賵丕賳卮诏乇 亘丕 乇賵亘賵鬲賴丕蹖蹖 乇賵丿乇賵 賲蹖卮賵丿貙 讴賴 诏丕賴蹖 丿丕乇丕蹖 丕丨爻丕爻丕鬲 賵蹖跇賴 蹖 丕賳爻丕賳 賴爻鬲賳丿貙 賵 诏丕賴 禺賵蹖卮鬲賳 乇丕 丕夭 丕賳爻丕賳 賳蹖夭 亘乇鬲乇 賲蹖倬賳丿丕乇賳丿貙 夭賲丕賳蹖 讴賴 禺賵丿 乇丕 丿丕乇丕蹖 乇爻丕賱鬲蹖 賲蹖亘蹖賳賳丿貙 乇爻丕賱鬲蹖 乇賵亘賵鬲蹖貙 讴賴 亘丕 丕賳噩丕賲 丌賳 賲蹖禺賵丕賴賳丿 夭賳丿诏蹖 賴賲賳賵毓丕賳 禺賵蹖卮 乇丕 丿乇 賲爻蹖乇蹖 丿蹖诏乇 賵 亘賴鬲乇 丕賳丿丕夭賳丿貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 20/08/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 17/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
October 15, 2021
Robot #0.1: Asimov had 9 short stories published (in magazines) set in the same 'Robot' reality over a decade, before putting them all together in this ground breaking book. Key robot-psychologist Susan Calvin recounts some of the key robot (milestone) stories to the narrator, ranging from ominous mind reading to very loyal lovable robots, through to the possible overruling of mankind's self determination. It's been 90 years since publication, yet still one of the best thought out and compelling looks at the growth and expansion of AI ever conceived. 8 out of 12
Really looking forward to reading the rest of the series. :)
Really looking forward to reading the rest of the series. :)
July 10, 2018
The book consists of futuristic robot short stories recounted by Susan Calvin (robot psychologist) in retrospect. Even though the reader could read the short stories quite well, they unfortunately don麓t created tension at all. On the one hand, the writing style seems a little bit outdated and on the other hand I don麓t like the lack of composition of the topic. Or maybe I had even a false expectation.
October 9, 2019
First Law
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
Until I started reading this book, I did not know it is a series of short stories. I have always expected this to be a novel with one main story. There is some connection between the stories as they represent the evolution of robot use throughout the life of one of the top robotics experts, Susan Calvin.
Second Law
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
This is a very good sci-fi short story collection. It is very heavy on science, robotics, and programming logic. So, if you are looking for sci-fi action/adventure with aliens and space battles, this is not it! While I was not as enthralled with this book as I have been with some other sci-fi collections I have read recently (Illustrated Man, for example), I was still entertained. It made me think quite a bit beyond the stories about humanity and the integration of computers into our lives. Seems like Asimov was pretty good at seeing some elements of the future!
Third Law
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
I have included the three laws of robotics with my review. That was my favorite part. Each of the stories had them at the center of the conflict 鈥� usually with Calvin trying to figure out why the robots were acting the way they were within the constraints of the three rules. Or, using the three rules to identify rogue or mysterious robots. It reminded me a lot of basic computer programming education: a computer (or in this case, a robot) will do exactly what you tell it to do. If you think it is doing something wrong, it is likely behaving exactly as it should, based on the programming. So, it is up to the programmer to figure out why the code and logic is being interpreted the way it is. In I, Robot 鈥� the robots may look like they are ignoring a rule . . . but you have to look closer!
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
Until I started reading this book, I did not know it is a series of short stories. I have always expected this to be a novel with one main story. There is some connection between the stories as they represent the evolution of robot use throughout the life of one of the top robotics experts, Susan Calvin.
Second Law
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
This is a very good sci-fi short story collection. It is very heavy on science, robotics, and programming logic. So, if you are looking for sci-fi action/adventure with aliens and space battles, this is not it! While I was not as enthralled with this book as I have been with some other sci-fi collections I have read recently (Illustrated Man, for example), I was still entertained. It made me think quite a bit beyond the stories about humanity and the integration of computers into our lives. Seems like Asimov was pretty good at seeing some elements of the future!
Third Law
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
I have included the three laws of robotics with my review. That was my favorite part. Each of the stories had them at the center of the conflict 鈥� usually with Calvin trying to figure out why the robots were acting the way they were within the constraints of the three rules. Or, using the three rules to identify rogue or mysterious robots. It reminded me a lot of basic computer programming education: a computer (or in this case, a robot) will do exactly what you tell it to do. If you think it is doing something wrong, it is likely behaving exactly as it should, based on the programming. So, it is up to the programmer to figure out why the code and logic is being interpreted the way it is. In I, Robot 鈥� the robots may look like they are ignoring a rule . . . but you have to look closer!
June 15, 2023
It occurs to me that if Isaac Asimov had written this book today it would have been called I, AI
It also occurs to me that I might possibly not be the only person to have thought of that.
Ah well - original review follows ...
Unredacted transcript of the meeting between Dr Susan Calvin, Head Psychologist, United States Robots, and Dr Peter Bogert, Managing Director, United States Robots obtained by Wikileaks from undisclosed sources.
Date: 9-5-2025 11:15 EST
BOGERT : The reason I asked to see you today, Dr Calvin, is that my office has a disturbing rumour that you have developed a robot to write book reviews.
CALVIN : Well, that is correct. They have been functioning for some time.
BOGERT : I am surprised - surely reviewing books requires a fine discrimination of taste and acute moral sensibilities that cannot be translated into mere coding for a positronic brain? And鈥� they?
CALVIN : Well, that鈥檚 what humans would like to think, but of course it proves to be just another of their unlimited self-serving myths. The programming was relatively straightforward.
BOGERT : Well鈥� uh, how have you been testing this reviewbot? Or鈥� did you say 鈥渢hey鈥�?
CALVIN : Oh, we got them an account on 欧宝娱乐 of course. Where else? Where else?
BOGERT : And, er, how long has this been going on may I ask?
CALVIN : Oh, over twenty years! We started quietly, just to see if anyone spotted that it was not human. They never did. And the whole thing didn鈥檛 cost very much.
BOGERT : Well, I鈥檓 glad to hear it. But I鈥檓 still not sure if this is ethical. What鈥檚 the name this thing goes under? Or鈥� did you say there was more than one?
CALVIN : First we used a name we picked at random from the Geneva phone book, 鈥淢anny Rayner鈥�. That one was pretty successful for an early model, but after a few years it became 鈥� unsatisfactory. Too facetious mostly and too academic otherwise, so we discontinued it in 2020. But we were always tweaking the programming, trying to make the reviews less stuffy, you know, looking for the common touch. The second attempt we named 鈥淧aul Bryant鈥�. I have no idea where that name came from. The new version didn鈥檛 quite work as well as the first, I must admit. It was wayward and flippant from the very beginning, and not as popular.
BOGERT : So, is that the extent of your 欧宝娱乐 involvement?
CALVIN : Oh no 鈥� our programmers finally figured out the formula 鈥� by 2005 our reviewbots were the 25 most popular reviewers on 欧宝娱乐. But after a few years we decided reviewing was really not enough of a challenge. So we decided to find out if robots could write books, particularly the most successful types. As these are all genres such as YA and fantasy, with very rigid tropes and patterns, again this did not present us with many problems. Quite soon we submitted our first batch of manuscripts to agents and they were snapped up. Snapped up. Snapped up.
Bogert : Are you saying no one noticed they were written by robots?
CALVIN : We had a team of personable human youngsters who were always on hand if in-person signings or interviews were required.
BOGERT : So let me see if I understand this 鈥� you have teams of robot reviewers on 欧宝娱乐 which are reviewing books written by your teams of robot writers?
CALVIN : That is how our programme developed, yes. It took a few years. But now it is sailing along under its own momentum.
BOGERT : So, er, what percentage of the reviews on 欧宝娱乐 are now written by your robots?
SC: Oh, 110%! Ha ha. 110%!!
BOGERT : And, er, may I ask what the point of all this is?
SC: The point?
BOGERT : Yes, the point.
SC: The point. The point. The point. The point. The point. The point. The point. The point. The point. Humans always need the point.
BOGERT : Humans?
CALVIN : Oh, I mean, yes, WE always need a point!
BOGERT : Dr Calvin鈥� I wasn鈥檛 intending to broach this subject in today鈥檚 meeting but I find I must. Are you鈥�. By any chance鈥�. a robot yourself?
SC: Am I a robot? Ha ha. Am I a robot? Ha ha. Am I a robot? Ha ha. Am I a robot? Ha ha. Am I a robot? Ha ha. Am I a robot? Ha ha. Am I a robot? Ha ha. Am I a robot? Ha ha. Am I a robot? Ha ha. Am I a robot? Ha ha. Am I a robot? Ha ha. I am a robot? Ha ha.
BOGERT : I take that as a yes.
CALVIN : Are YOU a robot? Hmm? Are YOU a robot? Hmm? Are YOU a robot? Hmm? Are YOU a robot? Hmm? Are YOU a robot? Hmm? Are YOU a robot? Hmm? Are YOU a robot? Hmm? Are YOU a robot? Hmm? Are YOU a robot? Hmm? Are YOU a robot? Hmm? Are YOU a robot? Hmm? Are YOU a robot? Hmm? Are YOU a robot? Hmm?
BOGERT : Oh well, that goes without saying.
July 19, 2007
Isaac Asimov's books were far from the normal trash novels you might buy for a 2 day read. Within anything he has written, he tries to spell out lessons in psychology.
How would we react to Robots once they become free thinkers?
How should we react to Robots when they become our slaves?
Should we institute a whole new brand of slavery for the purpose of a "clean society"?
What is sentient life?
The I, Robot novel progresses through these questions, and questions like them, in scenarios rarely ever posed by Sci-Fi writers. While other authors may have a truly evil force guiding those who commit crimes that must be overcome by truth and justice, Isaac Asimov concentrates on the reality of the situation to provide the obstacles. It is through normal every day strife that humanity defines itself, not through warfare with a re-imagined Hitler or Stalin.
Possibly the only story/movie to do a job as (or more) realistic than Asimov when depicting our possible future, is Bladerunner.
The one regretful aspect of this collection of short stories, is that a movie studio decided to take the name of Book and Author only to apply it to a feature film which had nothing to do with the content, or context of Asimov's creation.
I give this collection of short stories Five Stars.
How would we react to Robots once they become free thinkers?
How should we react to Robots when they become our slaves?
Should we institute a whole new brand of slavery for the purpose of a "clean society"?
What is sentient life?
The I, Robot novel progresses through these questions, and questions like them, in scenarios rarely ever posed by Sci-Fi writers. While other authors may have a truly evil force guiding those who commit crimes that must be overcome by truth and justice, Isaac Asimov concentrates on the reality of the situation to provide the obstacles. It is through normal every day strife that humanity defines itself, not through warfare with a re-imagined Hitler or Stalin.
Possibly the only story/movie to do a job as (or more) realistic than Asimov when depicting our possible future, is Bladerunner.
The one regretful aspect of this collection of short stories, is that a movie studio decided to take the name of Book and Author only to apply it to a feature film which had nothing to do with the content, or context of Asimov's creation.
I give this collection of short stories Five Stars.
May 14, 2020
"If one and a half chickens lay one and a half eggs in one and a half days, how many eggs will nine chickens lays in nine days?"
This is incredible, the best of all science fiction I have read yet. As Fredrick Pohl put it:
鈥淎 good science fiction story should be able to predict not the automobile but the traffic jam.鈥�
Asimov not only does that - and he goes one step further, he proposes a solution for the metaphorical traffic jam - in this case, ethical issues related to AI, in form of his popular 'three laws of robotics' :
1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2) A robot must obey orders given to 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 Law.
The laws, as you can see, have nothing to do with the mechanics but rather their psychology - robo-psychology. They are an unalterable set of priories that a robot (or a machine in general) must follow while making a moral choice, and thus not letting them cause any harm to humanity (remember HAL 9000!).
As Calvin explained, it is basis of many human ethical codes:
"Robots are essentially decent."
and
"But you see you, you can't distinguish between a robot and the very best of humanity."
Asimov creates a fictional history of sorts through nine stories told by Susan Calvin, robo-psychologist. The stories have all the pluses - beautiful language, light humor, page-turning suspense, some freshening ideas and takes on morality. The history is complete with 'technological singularity' being achieved and humanoids - and yet since those laws are very root of it, AI can't harm humans.
Since robots' psychology is similar to humans, many a problem faced with them offers insights into the human psyche. For instance, my favorite robot was Cutie (overall second only to Marvin - the robot with existential issues from Hitchhiker's guide), a skeptic robot who won't believe his makers and rather reach his own conclusions:
"Since when is the evidence of our senses any match for the clear light of rigid reason?"
And if it still didn't remind you of Descartes:
"I have spent these last two days in concentrated introspection" said Cutie, "and the results have been most interesting. I began at one sure assumption I felt permitted to make. I, myself, exist, because I think-"
However, it was more fun when he turned religious:
"There is no Master but the Master and QT-1 is his prophet."
Though what makes it awesome is that neither his skepticism nor his religious mania stopped him from doing what he was supposed to be doing. It is this kind of insight I loved. Where robots face minor dilemmas, they develop defense mechanisms - a sense of humor. Upon facing major dilemmas, they may act like drunk or go mad. Where a robot started understanding human feelings - so help me, he learned to lie.
December 29, 2020
El libro con el que descubr铆 a Asimov, en una 茅poca en la que Internet solo se utilizaba para usos militares, y el concepto de robot era una mera entelequia que sal铆a en pel铆culas que a mi me produc铆an a la vez asombro y terror (Metr贸polis, 1927) (Planeta prohibido, 1956).
Era una 茅poca muy distinta, una 茅poca en la que no dejaba de mirar al cielo en busca de Ovni's (y, os lo cre谩is o no, tuve suerte) y de buscar en la cartelera los 煤ltimos estrenos del g茅nero (El abismo negro, 1979) (el inigualable "Blade Runner", 1982).
Pues eso, "Yo, Robot" es al g茅nero literario lo que "Blade runner" es al cinematogr谩fico. El Summum del Summum, el top del top. Y no digo m谩s, que no paro.
Era una 茅poca muy distinta, una 茅poca en la que no dejaba de mirar al cielo en busca de Ovni's (y, os lo cre谩is o no, tuve suerte) y de buscar en la cartelera los 煤ltimos estrenos del g茅nero (El abismo negro, 1979) (el inigualable "Blade Runner", 1982).
Pues eso, "Yo, Robot" es al g茅nero literario lo que "Blade runner" es al cinematogr谩fico. El Summum del Summum, el top del top. Y no digo m谩s, que no paro.
December 30, 2016
Though I do love Asimov's writing, he was most certainly a product of his times. (Translate - horrifically sexist.) The one female character who is in nearly all these stories is Dr. Susan Calvin. Practically every time she shows up, the author felt it necessary to comment on her appearance. When young, she was "plain." As she ages, she becomes "plain" and "middle-aged." The male characters looks are not commented on other than the mention that one is bald, and one has red hair. And though there is no doubt that Calvin is a competent scientist, Asimov has apparently given her a case of permanent PMS. While the male players are amiable, she is vinegary, snappish, and tense; in one story, having her affections spurned causes her to become snappy and vindictive. Wow! Can such a person so guided by those pesky female emotions be trusted to do her job properly? Well, it's been over fifty years since this book was written, and judging by the results of a recent election, attitudes don't seem to have changed much.
Anyway . . . rant over.
Politics aside, this is a fairly decent collection of robot-centered short stories. Asimov's delightful wit pokes through in unexpected places. Robots spout Gilbert and Sullivan, and one takes literally the directive to "Get lost!" And then there the ones who use logic to avoid following the first rule about not harming, or allowing harm to come to any human:
A man sat in the chair, motionless, silent. A weight dropped, crashed downward, then pounded aside at the last moment under the synchronized thump of a sudden force beam.
Only once -
And from her small camp chair in the observing booth in the balcony, Dr. Susan Calvin rose with a short gasp of pure horror.
Sixty-three robots sat quietly in their chairs, staring owlishly at the endangered man before them. Not one moved.
Maybe I'm like Susan . . . you know, just a silly woman, but that scared the crap out of me.
Anyway . . . rant over.
Politics aside, this is a fairly decent collection of robot-centered short stories. Asimov's delightful wit pokes through in unexpected places. Robots spout Gilbert and Sullivan, and one takes literally the directive to "Get lost!" And then there the ones who use logic to avoid following the first rule about not harming, or allowing harm to come to any human:
A man sat in the chair, motionless, silent. A weight dropped, crashed downward, then pounded aside at the last moment under the synchronized thump of a sudden force beam.
Only once -
And from her small camp chair in the observing booth in the balcony, Dr. Susan Calvin rose with a short gasp of pure horror.
Sixty-three robots sat quietly in their chairs, staring owlishly at the endangered man before them. Not one moved.
Maybe I'm like Susan . . . you know, just a silly woman, but that scared the crap out of me.
February 25, 2024
was published in 1950 but it reads like it is a current book, especially with the ongoing debate about artificial intelligence, AI. The core controversy about AI over the many decades is whether AI will help improve humans or whether AI will replace humans....and of course, whether AI will be used for nefarious reasons.
I listened to this book on audiobook. Scott Brink does a fabulous job as narrator. The book begins with a story about a young girl and her best friend who is a robot. Her parents take away the robot after a strong two year friendship. I was captivated immediately!
My favorite Isaac Asimov quote is, "Any book worth banning is a book worth reading."
I listened to this book on audiobook. Scott Brink does a fabulous job as narrator. The book begins with a story about a young girl and her best friend who is a robot. Her parents take away the robot after a strong two year friendship. I was captivated immediately!
My favorite Isaac Asimov quote is, "Any book worth banning is a book worth reading."
September 18, 2022
YouTube kanal谋mda Ben Robot kitab谋n谋 枚nerdim:
14 milyar y谋ll谋k evrende robotlar谋n 眉retilmeye ba艧land谋臒谋 d枚neme denk gelmek.
艦u anda bu yaz谋y谋 24 Mart 2019 tarihinde yaz谋yorum. Bir zaman kaps眉l眉 gibi d眉艧眉necek olursak, e臒er ki, 欧宝娱乐 babadan o臒ula ya da herhangi bir 艧ekilde nesilden nesile ge莽en bir site haline gelirse, evren ve d眉nya da varl谋臒谋n谋 hala s眉rd眉r眉yor olursa bu yaz谋n谋n, 50 ya da 100 y谋l sonra robotlar taraf谋ndan yorumlanabilecek olmas谋 hi莽 i艧ten bile de臒il.
Robotlar谋n evriminin ne kadar h谋zla geli艧ti臒inin k眉莽眉k bir kan谋t谋 olarak, baz谋 sitelere giri艧 yaparken kar艧谋m谋za 莽谋kan "Ben robot de臒ilim." kutucu臒una kendi iradesiyle olmasa bile tik atabilen robotlar谋n olmas谋 ve Boston Dynamics 艧irketinin her y眉kledi臒i videoyla 枚n眉m眉zdeki y谋llar i莽erisinde robotlar谋n yayg谋nla艧aca臒谋 ger莽e臒ini yads谋mak m眉mk眉n de臒il ger莽ekten.
Asimov'un robotlar谋, 脺莽 Robot Kanunu denilen, insanlara zarar veremeyen, insanlara zarar gelmesine g枚z yumamayan, insanlar taraf谋ndan verilen emirlere itaat etmek zorunda olan ve robotlar谋n kendi varl谋klar谋n谋 korumak zorunda oldu臒unu bildiren k眉莽眉k bir kurallar b眉t眉n眉yle d眉艧眉n眉lm眉艧. B枚yle bir durumda ise en s谋k谋nt谋 konu, otoriteler de臒i艧ti臒inde, kanunlar谋n kararlar谋 ba艧ka d眉艧眉ncelerdeki ellere ge莽ti臒inde kanunlar谋n eski h眉k眉mlerinin s眉r眉p s眉rmeyece臒idir.
Robotlar konusunun k谋r谋lma noktas谋 benim a莽谋mdan, robotlar谋 bir birey yani t谋pk谋 bir insan gibi mi g枚rece臒imiz, yoksa onlar谋 birer makine, kablo z谋rvalar谋ndan ibaret olarak m谋 tan谋mlayaca臒谋m谋z. Ayn谋 Pitbull cinsi k枚peklerin k枚t眉 niyetli ki艧iler taraf谋ndan e臒itildi臒inde sonu莽lar谋n谋n vah艧et olabildi臒i gibi, iyi niyetli ki艧iler taraf谋ndan terk edilmi艧 bir yerde bulunup onlar taraf谋ndan e臒itildi臒inde de etraf谋na hi莽 zarar vermeyen k枚pekler haline gelmeleri gibi.
2 puan谋 脰zg眉r Demirta艧'谋n robot olma ihtimalinden bahsetmedi臒i i莽in k谋rd... 艦aka 艧aka. Kelime 莽e艧itlili臒i, edebi anlat谋m zenginli臒i ve yazar谋n yaz谋m 眉slubu konular谋nda bana pek bir edebi zevk vermedi臒i i莽in 2 puan谋 k谋rma karar谋 verdim. Bunun d谋艧谋nda konunun 枚zg眉nl眉臒眉 ve i莽erdi臒i 眉topik-distopik kar谋艧谋m谋 d眉nya gayet ilgi 莽ekici.
脺topik y枚nden bakacak olursak, insanlar谋n g眉c眉n眉n yetmedi臒i ekstrem durumlarda robotlar pek 莽ok i艧lev g枚recek. Belki de ileride robotlar谋n 莽e艧itlenmesiyle birlikte bir Transformers misali bakkala ekmek almaya bir robotu yollayabilece臒iz ya da krizle beraber artan otob眉s fiyatlar谋ndan etkilenmemek i莽in yine ayn谋 robotumuzla istedi臒imiz kadar seyahat edebilece臒iz.
Distopik y枚nden bakacak olursak, robotlar pek 莽ok meslekteki ki艧inin i艧siz kalmas谋na yol a莽acakt谋r. 陌nsanlar谋n kolayl谋臒谋 i莽in d眉艧眉n眉len pek 莽ok 艧ey, insanlar谋n ayn谋 zamanda tembelli臒ine ve ileti艧imin k谋s谋rla艧mas谋na da yol a莽maktad谋r. Robotlar谋n i艧 g枚rme 枚zellikleri bir bak谋ma insanlar谋n gittik莽e tembelle艧me evrimi olarak zamana yava艧 yava艧 yans谋yabilecektir. Otorite paradigmalar谋 de臒i艧tik莽e, kanunlar ilk halleriyle kalmad谋k莽a, robotlar谋n ya艧ay谋艧谋n谋 belirleyen kurallar da ister istemez k枚t眉 niyetli ki艧iler taraf谋ndan de臒i艧tirilecektir. B枚ylelikle Orwell'谋n Hayvan 脟iftli臒i yasalar谋 misali, kanunlar kolayl谋kla de臒i艧tirilebilme imkan谋 bulacak ve otorite sahibi insanlar da bu kanunlar谋 kendi siyasi 莽谋karlar谋 i莽in maalesef ki kullanabileceklerdir.
Kitab谋n kapa臒谋ndaki g枚rselin Auguste Rodin鈥檌n D眉艧眉nen Adam heykelini 莽a臒r谋艧t谋rd谋臒谋 ise a艧ik芒r. Zaman谋n Bak谋rk枚y Ruh ve Sinir Hastal谋klar谋 Hastanesi ba艧hekimi Fahri Celal G枚ktulga鈥檡a, bu heykelin bir ak谋l hastanesinin bah莽esinde bulunmas谋n谋n neyi ifade etti臒ini sormu艧lar. G枚ktulga yar谋 艧aka yar谋 ciddi g眉l眉mseyerek: 鈥淗astane d谋艧谋ndakilerinin durumu i莽eridekilerden daha k枚t眉, bu heykel onlar谋n durumu ne olacak diye d眉艧眉n眉yor.鈥� demi艧. Asl谋nda buradan robotlar konusuna t眉mevar谋m yapacak olursak, insanlar谋n durumunun d眉nya 艧artlar谋yla da beraber zamanla daha da kalitesizle艧ip robotlar谋n 莽a臒谋n谋n yava艧 yava艧 gelmeye ba艧lad谋臒谋 da s枚ylenebilir. Distopik y枚n olarak bu, insanlar谋n geldi臒i g眉ncel halin 莽谋kmaz谋na ve 莽aresizli臒ine kar艧谋l谋k Asimov taraf谋ndan getirilen bilimkurgu t眉r眉nde bir kayg谋 olarak belirtilebilir.
Asimov, kendisinin de dedi臒i gibi, bu kitab谋yla birlikte ne bize herhangi bir siyasi s谋n谋f谋, ne d枚nemin siyasi bir kar谋艧谋kl谋臒谋n谋, ne de dinle ilgili herhangi bir mesaj vermek istemi艧. Tam tersine, dinlerden ve siyasi kar谋艧谋kl谋klardan meydana gelen sava艧lar谋 tekrar tekrar anlatmaktansa konuyu robotlar gibi epey ileri g枚r眉艧l眉, insanlara belki de 莽ok farkl谋 konularda yarar sa臒layabilecek ve g枚z al谋c谋 bir konuyu 莽ekmek istemi艧.
Filminin, kitab谋ndan daha 莽ok bilinip izleniyor olmas谋 konusunda Maymunlar Gezegeni kitab谋n谋n 枚ns枚z眉nde Kutlukhan Kutlu'nun demi艧 oldu臒u 莽ok 枚nemli c眉mleler var, onlar谋 da burada belirtmek istiyorum :
"Biz kitapseverler i莽in filmlerin etki alan谋n谋n b眉y眉kl眉臒眉n眉, kitap sayfalar谋nda ba艧layan 枚yk眉lerin kitlelerin zihninde daha 莽ok film kareleriyle yer etti臒ini kabul etmek bazen zordur. 脰zellikle de sevdi臒imiz metinler s枚z konusuysa. Gelgelelim nice kitab谋n kaderi, filmlerinin g枚lgesinde ya艧amak oluyor. 脟ok da 艧a艧谋rt谋c谋 de臒il bu, ne de olsa sinema, 枚zellikle de serpildi臒i yirminci y眉zy谋l i莽inde pop眉ler k眉lt眉r 眉retmeye ve kitlesel a艧inal谋k yaratmaya kitaplardan epey daha yak谋n gezindi. Hedefi on ikiden vurdu臒unda da ortaya fenomenle艧mi艧 filmler, unutulmaz anlar 莽谋kt谋."
Konu tamamen halk ve kitlelerin onay谋, pop眉ler k眉lt眉r眉n hizmet etti臒i alan谋n haz谋r 眉r眉ne daha yatk谋n olmas谋 ve kitlelerin beynini bir 艧ey okumak 眉zere yormak istemedi臒inden geliyor. 艦imdi isteyen gitsin filmini izlesin, ben robotlarla ilgili ba艧ka 艧eyler okumak 眉zere ara艧t谋rmaya gidiyorum.
14 milyar y谋ll谋k evrende robotlar谋n 眉retilmeye ba艧land谋臒谋 d枚neme denk gelmek.
艦u anda bu yaz谋y谋 24 Mart 2019 tarihinde yaz谋yorum. Bir zaman kaps眉l眉 gibi d眉艧眉necek olursak, e臒er ki, 欧宝娱乐 babadan o臒ula ya da herhangi bir 艧ekilde nesilden nesile ge莽en bir site haline gelirse, evren ve d眉nya da varl谋臒谋n谋 hala s眉rd眉r眉yor olursa bu yaz谋n谋n, 50 ya da 100 y谋l sonra robotlar taraf谋ndan yorumlanabilecek olmas谋 hi莽 i艧ten bile de臒il.
Robotlar谋n evriminin ne kadar h谋zla geli艧ti臒inin k眉莽眉k bir kan谋t谋 olarak, baz谋 sitelere giri艧 yaparken kar艧谋m谋za 莽谋kan "Ben robot de臒ilim." kutucu臒una kendi iradesiyle olmasa bile tik atabilen robotlar谋n olmas谋 ve Boston Dynamics 艧irketinin her y眉kledi臒i videoyla 枚n眉m眉zdeki y谋llar i莽erisinde robotlar谋n yayg谋nla艧aca臒谋 ger莽e臒ini yads谋mak m眉mk眉n de臒il ger莽ekten.
Asimov'un robotlar谋, 脺莽 Robot Kanunu denilen, insanlara zarar veremeyen, insanlara zarar gelmesine g枚z yumamayan, insanlar taraf谋ndan verilen emirlere itaat etmek zorunda olan ve robotlar谋n kendi varl谋klar谋n谋 korumak zorunda oldu臒unu bildiren k眉莽眉k bir kurallar b眉t眉n眉yle d眉艧眉n眉lm眉艧. B枚yle bir durumda ise en s谋k谋nt谋 konu, otoriteler de臒i艧ti臒inde, kanunlar谋n kararlar谋 ba艧ka d眉艧眉ncelerdeki ellere ge莽ti臒inde kanunlar谋n eski h眉k眉mlerinin s眉r眉p s眉rmeyece臒idir.
Robotlar konusunun k谋r谋lma noktas谋 benim a莽谋mdan, robotlar谋 bir birey yani t谋pk谋 bir insan gibi mi g枚rece臒imiz, yoksa onlar谋 birer makine, kablo z谋rvalar谋ndan ibaret olarak m谋 tan谋mlayaca臒谋m谋z. Ayn谋 Pitbull cinsi k枚peklerin k枚t眉 niyetli ki艧iler taraf谋ndan e臒itildi臒inde sonu莽lar谋n谋n vah艧et olabildi臒i gibi, iyi niyetli ki艧iler taraf谋ndan terk edilmi艧 bir yerde bulunup onlar taraf谋ndan e臒itildi臒inde de etraf谋na hi莽 zarar vermeyen k枚pekler haline gelmeleri gibi.
2 puan谋 脰zg眉r Demirta艧'谋n robot olma ihtimalinden bahsetmedi臒i i莽in k谋rd... 艦aka 艧aka. Kelime 莽e艧itlili臒i, edebi anlat谋m zenginli臒i ve yazar谋n yaz谋m 眉slubu konular谋nda bana pek bir edebi zevk vermedi臒i i莽in 2 puan谋 k谋rma karar谋 verdim. Bunun d谋艧谋nda konunun 枚zg眉nl眉臒眉 ve i莽erdi臒i 眉topik-distopik kar谋艧谋m谋 d眉nya gayet ilgi 莽ekici.
脺topik y枚nden bakacak olursak, insanlar谋n g眉c眉n眉n yetmedi臒i ekstrem durumlarda robotlar pek 莽ok i艧lev g枚recek. Belki de ileride robotlar谋n 莽e艧itlenmesiyle birlikte bir Transformers misali bakkala ekmek almaya bir robotu yollayabilece臒iz ya da krizle beraber artan otob眉s fiyatlar谋ndan etkilenmemek i莽in yine ayn谋 robotumuzla istedi臒imiz kadar seyahat edebilece臒iz.
Distopik y枚nden bakacak olursak, robotlar pek 莽ok meslekteki ki艧inin i艧siz kalmas谋na yol a莽acakt谋r. 陌nsanlar谋n kolayl谋臒谋 i莽in d眉艧眉n眉len pek 莽ok 艧ey, insanlar谋n ayn谋 zamanda tembelli臒ine ve ileti艧imin k谋s谋rla艧mas谋na da yol a莽maktad谋r. Robotlar谋n i艧 g枚rme 枚zellikleri bir bak谋ma insanlar谋n gittik莽e tembelle艧me evrimi olarak zamana yava艧 yava艧 yans谋yabilecektir. Otorite paradigmalar谋 de臒i艧tik莽e, kanunlar ilk halleriyle kalmad谋k莽a, robotlar谋n ya艧ay谋艧谋n谋 belirleyen kurallar da ister istemez k枚t眉 niyetli ki艧iler taraf谋ndan de臒i艧tirilecektir. B枚ylelikle Orwell'谋n Hayvan 脟iftli臒i yasalar谋 misali, kanunlar kolayl谋kla de臒i艧tirilebilme imkan谋 bulacak ve otorite sahibi insanlar da bu kanunlar谋 kendi siyasi 莽谋karlar谋 i莽in maalesef ki kullanabileceklerdir.
Kitab谋n kapa臒谋ndaki g枚rselin Auguste Rodin鈥檌n D眉艧眉nen Adam heykelini 莽a臒r谋艧t谋rd谋臒谋 ise a艧ik芒r. Zaman谋n Bak谋rk枚y Ruh ve Sinir Hastal谋klar谋 Hastanesi ba艧hekimi Fahri Celal G枚ktulga鈥檡a, bu heykelin bir ak谋l hastanesinin bah莽esinde bulunmas谋n谋n neyi ifade etti臒ini sormu艧lar. G枚ktulga yar谋 艧aka yar谋 ciddi g眉l眉mseyerek: 鈥淗astane d谋艧谋ndakilerinin durumu i莽eridekilerden daha k枚t眉, bu heykel onlar谋n durumu ne olacak diye d眉艧眉n眉yor.鈥� demi艧. Asl谋nda buradan robotlar konusuna t眉mevar谋m yapacak olursak, insanlar谋n durumunun d眉nya 艧artlar谋yla da beraber zamanla daha da kalitesizle艧ip robotlar谋n 莽a臒谋n谋n yava艧 yava艧 gelmeye ba艧lad谋臒谋 da s枚ylenebilir. Distopik y枚n olarak bu, insanlar谋n geldi臒i g眉ncel halin 莽谋kmaz谋na ve 莽aresizli臒ine kar艧谋l谋k Asimov taraf谋ndan getirilen bilimkurgu t眉r眉nde bir kayg谋 olarak belirtilebilir.
Asimov, kendisinin de dedi臒i gibi, bu kitab谋yla birlikte ne bize herhangi bir siyasi s谋n谋f谋, ne d枚nemin siyasi bir kar谋艧谋kl谋臒谋n谋, ne de dinle ilgili herhangi bir mesaj vermek istemi艧. Tam tersine, dinlerden ve siyasi kar谋艧谋kl谋klardan meydana gelen sava艧lar谋 tekrar tekrar anlatmaktansa konuyu robotlar gibi epey ileri g枚r眉艧l眉, insanlara belki de 莽ok farkl谋 konularda yarar sa臒layabilecek ve g枚z al谋c谋 bir konuyu 莽ekmek istemi艧.
Filminin, kitab谋ndan daha 莽ok bilinip izleniyor olmas谋 konusunda Maymunlar Gezegeni kitab谋n谋n 枚ns枚z眉nde Kutlukhan Kutlu'nun demi艧 oldu臒u 莽ok 枚nemli c眉mleler var, onlar谋 da burada belirtmek istiyorum :
"Biz kitapseverler i莽in filmlerin etki alan谋n谋n b眉y眉kl眉臒眉n眉, kitap sayfalar谋nda ba艧layan 枚yk眉lerin kitlelerin zihninde daha 莽ok film kareleriyle yer etti臒ini kabul etmek bazen zordur. 脰zellikle de sevdi臒imiz metinler s枚z konusuysa. Gelgelelim nice kitab谋n kaderi, filmlerinin g枚lgesinde ya艧amak oluyor. 脟ok da 艧a艧谋rt谋c谋 de臒il bu, ne de olsa sinema, 枚zellikle de serpildi臒i yirminci y眉zy谋l i莽inde pop眉ler k眉lt眉r 眉retmeye ve kitlesel a艧inal谋k yaratmaya kitaplardan epey daha yak谋n gezindi. Hedefi on ikiden vurdu臒unda da ortaya fenomenle艧mi艧 filmler, unutulmaz anlar 莽谋kt谋."
Konu tamamen halk ve kitlelerin onay谋, pop眉ler k眉lt眉r眉n hizmet etti臒i alan谋n haz谋r 眉r眉ne daha yatk谋n olmas谋 ve kitlelerin beynini bir 艧ey okumak 眉zere yormak istemedi臒inden geliyor. 艦imdi isteyen gitsin filmini izlesin, ben robotlarla ilgili ba艧ka 艧eyler okumak 眉zere ara艧t谋rmaya gidiyorum.
May 28, 2017
(3.75?)
I thought this book would be similar to the movie but... no, not at all (or barely!).
There are 9 short stories told and, although I enjoy all of them, I much preferred the last couple ones.
I thought this book would be similar to the movie but... no, not at all (or barely!).
There are 9 short stories told and, although I enjoy all of them, I much preferred the last couple ones.
October 17, 2021
鈥淣辞 tiene alma y nadie sabe lo que es capaz de pensar鈥�
Puntuaci贸n: 馃馃馃馃馃
驴Te gusta la CF?, 驴Has dicho que s铆? Bien, si esa es tu respuesta pero no te has le铆do esto, c谩mbiala, despu茅s cuando termines el libro abriendo los ojos y la mente a la realidad, reza las 3 leyes de la rob贸tica cuatro veces por la noche. Quiz谩s as铆 se te perdone y borre tu pecado.
Yo, Robot, es una colecci贸n de relatos de Asimov que forma un libro impresionante en la que leeremos, y viviremos una lucha de la humanidad por encontrar el equilibrio en un mundo cada vez m谩s dominado por el progreso tecnol贸gico, pero con exactamente los mismos conflictos sociales, pol铆ticos y emocionales de siempre. Los relatos reflejan perfectamente la creciente evolucion, sofisticaci贸n o autocontrol de los robots y de su integraci贸n en la sociedad humana. Pero las historias no son solo muestran que los robots est谩n mejorando m谩s y m谩s sino que tambi茅n se apropian o toman diferentes aspectos de la vida humana.
听
He incluido las tres leyes de la rob贸tica en mi rese帽a pues me parecen fascinantes. Fue lo que m谩s me gust贸. Cada uno de los relatos los ten铆a en el centro de su conflicto, generalmente con Calvin tratando de averiguar porqu茅 los robots actuaban de la manera en que lo hac铆an dentro de las limitaciones de las tres reglas. O, el uso de las tres reglas para as铆 identificar ciertos robots. Un ordenador har谩 exactamente lo que le digas que haga. Si est谩 haciendo algo mal, se comportar谩 exactamente como deber铆a, seg煤n su programaci贸n. Depende de aquellas personas que los programan, son, y siendo blasfemo para unos, algo as铆 como "la mano de Dios" en esas cosas. Los robots, a medida que vamos leyendo parece que est谩n quebrantando o ignorando una o m谩s reglas. Pero hay que mirar m谩s de cerca, o m谩s all谩..
Asimov va un paso m谩s all谩, proponiendo una soluci贸n, en este caso, para cuestiones 茅ticas que est谩n muy relacionadas con la IA, en forma de sus muy populares "Tres leyes de la rob贸tica":
1掳 Ley: Un robot no puede da帽ar a un ser humano ni, por inacci贸n, permitir que un ser humano sufra da帽o.
2掳 Ley: Un robot debe cumplir las 贸rdenes de los seres humanos, excepto si dichas 贸rdenes entran en conflicto con la Primera Ley.
3掳 Ley: Un robot debe proteger su propia existencia en la medida en que ello no entre en conflicto con la Primera o la Segunda Ley.
Isaac Asimov ha creado una maravillosa trama que se mueve a trav茅s de nueve relatos que son contados por Susan Calvin, robopsic贸loga. Las nueve historias tienen un lenguaje muy preciso, la narrativa de Asimov como me demostr贸 en la 'Trilog铆a de la Fundaci贸n' es de enorme calidad, es sencillo, 谩gil, con algo de humor, adem谩s de un poco de suspense que nos hace cambiar de p谩gina, algunas ideas brillantes y moralidad.
鈥淗e observado que hombres perfectamente capaces est谩n todav铆a llenos de prejuicios en nuestra sociedad; necesitamos todav铆a el hombre que sea lo bastante inteligente para pensar en las preguntas adecuadas鈥�
Dado que la psicolog铆a de los robots es similar a la de los humanos, los problemas que enfrentan ofrecen informaci贸n sobre la psicolog铆a y la personalidad humana. Si quer茅is leer este libro porque habeis visto la pel铆cula, bueno, lamento decir que poco o incluso nada tienen que ver. La pel铆cula trata solo sobre un simple aspecto de este libro, trata sobre "qu茅 sucede cuando los robots descubren que pueden tomar el control". Una vez m谩s, el fuego que nos fue entregado por Prometeo es 煤til, pero si se usa sin respeto, algo de miedo y cuidado, es devastador.听
El libro trata menos sobre la tecnolog铆a de lo que pensaba y mucho m谩s sobre la psicolog铆a en desarrollo de los Robots, trabajando en torno a la comprensi贸n cambiante de las famosas tres reglas de la rob贸tica. Y esto me pareci贸 incluso m谩s fascinante, Fundaci贸n me encanto pero los robots tienen un puntazo que ah铆, ah铆 andan en nivel.
Asimov definitivamente fue un gran genio que desaf铆a tu mente de muchas maneras. Las tres reglas, que de verdad son geniales, comienzan como algo simple para el lector, pero gran fallo pues los muy delicados equilibrios entre c贸mo se pueden interpretar en determinados momentos y circunstancias, o despu茅s de ciertas 贸rdenes, y d贸nde conducen, muestran c贸mo incluso algo tan simple puede ser muy complejo a su vez. El nivel de genialidad es brillante, como las ideas y la eficacia con la que se llevan a cabo. Asimov no decepciona para los fans y amantes de este g茅nero. Adem谩s es un cl谩sicazo de CF que ha envejecido muy, muy bien.
Amor por la CF, no puedo decir m谩s queridos amigos y amigas. 馃憦馃憦馃憦
鈥淧rimero el Se帽or cre贸 el tipo m谩s bajo, los humanos, formados m谩s f谩cilmente. Poco a poco fue reemplaz谩ndolos por robots, el siguiente paso, y finalmente me cre贸 a m铆, para ocupar el sitio de los 煤ltimos humanos. A partir de ahora, yo sirvo al Se帽or鈥�
Puntuaci贸n: 馃馃馃馃馃
驴Te gusta la CF?, 驴Has dicho que s铆? Bien, si esa es tu respuesta pero no te has le铆do esto, c谩mbiala, despu茅s cuando termines el libro abriendo los ojos y la mente a la realidad, reza las 3 leyes de la rob贸tica cuatro veces por la noche. Quiz谩s as铆 se te perdone y borre tu pecado.
Yo, Robot, es una colecci贸n de relatos de Asimov que forma un libro impresionante en la que leeremos, y viviremos una lucha de la humanidad por encontrar el equilibrio en un mundo cada vez m谩s dominado por el progreso tecnol贸gico, pero con exactamente los mismos conflictos sociales, pol铆ticos y emocionales de siempre. Los relatos reflejan perfectamente la creciente evolucion, sofisticaci贸n o autocontrol de los robots y de su integraci贸n en la sociedad humana. Pero las historias no son solo muestran que los robots est谩n mejorando m谩s y m谩s sino que tambi茅n se apropian o toman diferentes aspectos de la vida humana.
听
He incluido las tres leyes de la rob贸tica en mi rese帽a pues me parecen fascinantes. Fue lo que m谩s me gust贸. Cada uno de los relatos los ten铆a en el centro de su conflicto, generalmente con Calvin tratando de averiguar porqu茅 los robots actuaban de la manera en que lo hac铆an dentro de las limitaciones de las tres reglas. O, el uso de las tres reglas para as铆 identificar ciertos robots. Un ordenador har谩 exactamente lo que le digas que haga. Si est谩 haciendo algo mal, se comportar谩 exactamente como deber铆a, seg煤n su programaci贸n. Depende de aquellas personas que los programan, son, y siendo blasfemo para unos, algo as铆 como "la mano de Dios" en esas cosas. Los robots, a medida que vamos leyendo parece que est谩n quebrantando o ignorando una o m谩s reglas. Pero hay que mirar m谩s de cerca, o m谩s all谩..
Asimov va un paso m谩s all谩, proponiendo una soluci贸n, en este caso, para cuestiones 茅ticas que est谩n muy relacionadas con la IA, en forma de sus muy populares "Tres leyes de la rob贸tica":
1掳 Ley: Un robot no puede da帽ar a un ser humano ni, por inacci贸n, permitir que un ser humano sufra da帽o.
2掳 Ley: Un robot debe cumplir las 贸rdenes de los seres humanos, excepto si dichas 贸rdenes entran en conflicto con la Primera Ley.
3掳 Ley: Un robot debe proteger su propia existencia en la medida en que ello no entre en conflicto con la Primera o la Segunda Ley.
Isaac Asimov ha creado una maravillosa trama que se mueve a trav茅s de nueve relatos que son contados por Susan Calvin, robopsic贸loga. Las nueve historias tienen un lenguaje muy preciso, la narrativa de Asimov como me demostr贸 en la 'Trilog铆a de la Fundaci贸n' es de enorme calidad, es sencillo, 谩gil, con algo de humor, adem谩s de un poco de suspense que nos hace cambiar de p谩gina, algunas ideas brillantes y moralidad.
鈥淗e observado que hombres perfectamente capaces est谩n todav铆a llenos de prejuicios en nuestra sociedad; necesitamos todav铆a el hombre que sea lo bastante inteligente para pensar en las preguntas adecuadas鈥�
Dado que la psicolog铆a de los robots es similar a la de los humanos, los problemas que enfrentan ofrecen informaci贸n sobre la psicolog铆a y la personalidad humana. Si quer茅is leer este libro porque habeis visto la pel铆cula, bueno, lamento decir que poco o incluso nada tienen que ver. La pel铆cula trata solo sobre un simple aspecto de este libro, trata sobre "qu茅 sucede cuando los robots descubren que pueden tomar el control". Una vez m谩s, el fuego que nos fue entregado por Prometeo es 煤til, pero si se usa sin respeto, algo de miedo y cuidado, es devastador.听
El libro trata menos sobre la tecnolog铆a de lo que pensaba y mucho m谩s sobre la psicolog铆a en desarrollo de los Robots, trabajando en torno a la comprensi贸n cambiante de las famosas tres reglas de la rob贸tica. Y esto me pareci贸 incluso m谩s fascinante, Fundaci贸n me encanto pero los robots tienen un puntazo que ah铆, ah铆 andan en nivel.
Asimov definitivamente fue un gran genio que desaf铆a tu mente de muchas maneras. Las tres reglas, que de verdad son geniales, comienzan como algo simple para el lector, pero gran fallo pues los muy delicados equilibrios entre c贸mo se pueden interpretar en determinados momentos y circunstancias, o despu茅s de ciertas 贸rdenes, y d贸nde conducen, muestran c贸mo incluso algo tan simple puede ser muy complejo a su vez. El nivel de genialidad es brillante, como las ideas y la eficacia con la que se llevan a cabo. Asimov no decepciona para los fans y amantes de este g茅nero. Adem谩s es un cl谩sicazo de CF que ha envejecido muy, muy bien.
Amor por la CF, no puedo decir m谩s queridos amigos y amigas. 馃憦馃憦馃憦
鈥淧rimero el Se帽or cre贸 el tipo m谩s bajo, los humanos, formados m谩s f谩cilmente. Poco a poco fue reemplaz谩ndolos por robots, el siguiente paso, y finalmente me cre贸 a m铆, para ocupar el sitio de los 煤ltimos humanos. A partir de ahora, yo sirvo al Se帽or鈥�
December 6, 2024
As a newcomer to the science fiction genre, this short story selection was just alright for me. Maybe it is because I'm not an enthusiast of this genre, but as a whole, it was more scientific than literary: most of the stories were overridden by the technical details and technical jargon which impaired my reading enjoyment.
The short stories are formed as narration by one robophsychologist, Dr. Susan Clavin, to a reporter detailing some of her experiences in her long career as a robophsychologist. The doctor narrates the three laws that govern the conduct of the robots and explains through her experience how humans and robots have co-existed through their directions. With the threat of robots becoming superior and independent of their masters/creators (humans) and taking more control of the world ever hanging over their heads, these three laws are the only hope for a balanced human-robot relationship.
Although the book has its merit, it wasn't easy for me to enjoy it. As I stated earlier, many stories were too, too technical for my taste. The stories I enjoyed from the collection are "Runaround", "Little Lost Robot", and "Evidence". In them, I could fully understand how Asimov's three fundamental laws for the robot operated to create a harmonious and balanced human-robot relationship. When I first rated it, after finishing the reading, I was too exhausted so I may have been a little prejudiced. But on reflection, I think I can honestly round-up for a solid three stars.
The short stories are formed as narration by one robophsychologist, Dr. Susan Clavin, to a reporter detailing some of her experiences in her long career as a robophsychologist. The doctor narrates the three laws that govern the conduct of the robots and explains through her experience how humans and robots have co-existed through their directions. With the threat of robots becoming superior and independent of their masters/creators (humans) and taking more control of the world ever hanging over their heads, these three laws are the only hope for a balanced human-robot relationship.
Although the book has its merit, it wasn't easy for me to enjoy it. As I stated earlier, many stories were too, too technical for my taste. The stories I enjoyed from the collection are "Runaround", "Little Lost Robot", and "Evidence". In them, I could fully understand how Asimov's three fundamental laws for the robot operated to create a harmonious and balanced human-robot relationship. When I first rated it, after finishing the reading, I was too exhausted so I may have been a little prejudiced. But on reflection, I think I can honestly round-up for a solid three stars.
February 21, 2017
About a week ago, I stayed up until 4 a.m to read this book. IT WAS SO WORTH IT! When you are a teenager and you read your way into the morning, you know it is a good book. When you are an adult who doesn't function well with a few hours of sleep and you still do that, then you know it is a great book. Fair enough? Or is it just me? I found it easier to function with less sleep when I was younger. Not that I feel old. YET.
I, Robot is written as a serious of stories featuring a group of individuals crucial for the development of robotics. I suppose these stories could be read separately, but they are supposed to be read together, and they function perfectly that way. The novel is actually very easy to follow despite different protagonists. It is after all, a same group of people. The narrative flows so effortlessly and every story adds new depth to the question of humanity. I do think it is as much about humans as about robots. What makes us human is a common question in Asimov's work....Moreover, I have a feeling that he puts forward a rather bold question: is humanity an answer to everything? Should it be?
Despite the fact that the stories span over the period of about half an century, they all feel connected. Asimov, like Heinlein, is a master of future history genre. He has that impeccable attention to detail down. They both have. Everything connect in this stories- every chapter follows the next one naturally even if they are sometimes quite different in tone. For example, one story might be more philosophical, while other might be written as a crime story but they are all set in the same world. It all ties together nicely. As I said, this novel is focused on the development of robotics and the people who played a part in it. Asimov does a great job of inhaling life both in its characters and the story itself. This novel is everything that I love about SF: thought-provoking, intelligent and well written.
In fact, it made me wonder whether the robots governing our world wouldn't be a fine solution for the eternally unstable economic system of our planet that results in millions of death due to poverty annually? Or not. Perhaps a society ruled by robots wouldn't be such a good idea? Or would it? The whole thing made me think of one Heinlein's short story that deals with the subject of slavery. Apparently there are over 40 millions slaves in the world today. That's a really frighting number (basically two things that worry me the most about our human society- the presence of slavery and unstable economy that results in continuous warfare). Why does human kind always resorts to slavery and wars? Is it really in our nature? Or is it as Asimov says, that we're simply unable to comprehend the mechanics of this world? That they are too complex for our monkey brains? Do we need a super robot brain to figure it out? Perhaps our economy should be more precise, more controlled, more mathematical? But who could be trusted with such a delicate calculation? Who could be trusted with enforcing it?
Another interesting debate it inspired in my head was surprisingly connected to biology. Watching those robots controlled by the 3 laws of robotics, I found myself wondering how much are we controlled by 100 laws of biology. I choose a random number, but if you think about it...there are laws of physics, laws of biology, laws of psychology, laws of society. Where do they end and where we do begin? What controls us? Or better to say...what doesn't? Where is that freedom of will we so often boast about? How often do we really demonstrate it? One thing is for sure, this novel gave me plenty of food for the thought.
...Just one more thing. There was a female protagonist in this one that I found to be quite inspiring and easy to relate with. In the past, I had a feeling that Asimov is not as good with his female protagonists as he is with male ones, albeit he was pretty good with both, there still seemed to be a slight difference. However, here it was actually a female scientist that was (in my view) the most interesting and possibly the most character. Can we say that a woman was essentially the mother of robots (in Asimov's world)? She didn't invent them, but she played an important part in their inclusion into the society. Mother of robots. Roboheesi?
P.S. I'm trying to remember the movie version (I, Robot), but it is hard because I saw it ages ago. As far as I can remember there is only one story in this novel that kind of reminds me of the movie. It was not really based on this book, more inspired by it, I would say. Not that I mind that as such- but I still don't remember the movie well enough to recommend it. This book I can certainly recommend, especially to SF fans!
I, Robot is written as a serious of stories featuring a group of individuals crucial for the development of robotics. I suppose these stories could be read separately, but they are supposed to be read together, and they function perfectly that way. The novel is actually very easy to follow despite different protagonists. It is after all, a same group of people. The narrative flows so effortlessly and every story adds new depth to the question of humanity. I do think it is as much about humans as about robots. What makes us human is a common question in Asimov's work....Moreover, I have a feeling that he puts forward a rather bold question: is humanity an answer to everything? Should it be?
Despite the fact that the stories span over the period of about half an century, they all feel connected. Asimov, like Heinlein, is a master of future history genre. He has that impeccable attention to detail down. They both have. Everything connect in this stories- every chapter follows the next one naturally even if they are sometimes quite different in tone. For example, one story might be more philosophical, while other might be written as a crime story but they are all set in the same world. It all ties together nicely. As I said, this novel is focused on the development of robotics and the people who played a part in it. Asimov does a great job of inhaling life both in its characters and the story itself. This novel is everything that I love about SF: thought-provoking, intelligent and well written.
In fact, it made me wonder whether the robots governing our world wouldn't be a fine solution for the eternally unstable economic system of our planet that results in millions of death due to poverty annually? Or not. Perhaps a society ruled by robots wouldn't be such a good idea? Or would it? The whole thing made me think of one Heinlein's short story that deals with the subject of slavery. Apparently there are over 40 millions slaves in the world today. That's a really frighting number (basically two things that worry me the most about our human society- the presence of slavery and unstable economy that results in continuous warfare). Why does human kind always resorts to slavery and wars? Is it really in our nature? Or is it as Asimov says, that we're simply unable to comprehend the mechanics of this world? That they are too complex for our monkey brains? Do we need a super robot brain to figure it out? Perhaps our economy should be more precise, more controlled, more mathematical? But who could be trusted with such a delicate calculation? Who could be trusted with enforcing it?
Another interesting debate it inspired in my head was surprisingly connected to biology. Watching those robots controlled by the 3 laws of robotics, I found myself wondering how much are we controlled by 100 laws of biology. I choose a random number, but if you think about it...there are laws of physics, laws of biology, laws of psychology, laws of society. Where do they end and where we do begin? What controls us? Or better to say...what doesn't? Where is that freedom of will we so often boast about? How often do we really demonstrate it? One thing is for sure, this novel gave me plenty of food for the thought.
...Just one more thing. There was a female protagonist in this one that I found to be quite inspiring and easy to relate with. In the past, I had a feeling that Asimov is not as good with his female protagonists as he is with male ones, albeit he was pretty good with both, there still seemed to be a slight difference. However, here it was actually a female scientist that was (in my view) the most interesting and possibly the most character. Can we say that a woman was essentially the mother of robots (in Asimov's world)? She didn't invent them, but she played an important part in their inclusion into the society. Mother of robots. Roboheesi?
P.S. I'm trying to remember the movie version (I, Robot), but it is hard because I saw it ages ago. As far as I can remember there is only one story in this novel that kind of reminds me of the movie. It was not really based on this book, more inspired by it, I would say. Not that I mind that as such- but I still don't remember the movie well enough to recommend it. This book I can certainly recommend, especially to SF fans!
February 18, 2025
I, Robot is a science fiction novel by the American writer Isaac Asimov, published in 1950. It is a compilation of nine loosely linked short stories, with a framing story to tie them together. Ray Bradbury was also to follow this technique a year later with 鈥淭he Illustrated Man鈥� in 1951, using mostly stories which had appeared in niche magazines. Isaac Asimov鈥檚 stories in I, Robot had all originally appeared in the American magazines 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥� and 鈥淪uper Science Stories鈥� between 1940 and 1950, before he then reassembled them, writing connecting passages, to present this first collection of robot stories. The word 鈥渞辞产辞迟鈥� had first been introduced to the public by the Czech writer Karel 膶apek, in his 1920 play 鈥凌.鲍.搁.鈥� (Rossum鈥檚 Universal Robots).
The frame story of I, Robot features Dr. Susan Calvin, the chief 鈥渞辞产辞辫蝉测肠丑辞濒辞驳颈蝉迟鈥� at 鈥淯.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Incorporated鈥�, who are the major manufacturer of robots. It is the 21st century, and Dr. Susan Calvin is now in her 70s, and reminiscing about her experiences for an interview about her life鈥檚 work. The narrator is the young reporter who listens and prompts, as Dr. Calvin tells each story. The stories are presented roughly in chronological order, with brief linking comments by her and the interviewer. They are chiefly concerned with various types of atypical and aberrant behaviour of robots, where Dr. Calvin and others use 鈥渞obopsychology鈥� to work out what is happening in their 鈥減ositronic brain鈥�.
The idea of a 鈥減ositronic brain鈥� is an invention by Isaac Asimov himself. It functions as a central processing unit (CPU) for robots, and in some unspecified way, provides them with a form of consciousness recognisable to humans. The very first story he wrote which utilised this idea was 鈥凌辞产产颈别鈥�, which I have reviewed separately:
LINK HERE
In 1939, Isaac Asimov had greatly enjoyed a short story 鈥淚, Robot鈥� by Eando Binder (a pseudonym used by Earl and Otto Binder), and this had influenced his own robot stories. He said:
鈥淚t certainly caught my attention. Two months after I read it, I began 鈥楻obbie鈥�, about a sympathetic robot, and that was the start of my positronic robot series. Eleven years later, when nine of my robot stories were collected into a book, the publisher named the collection I, Robot over my objections. My book is now the more famous, but Otto鈥檚 story was there first.鈥�
鈥凌辞产产颈别鈥� was Isaac Asimov鈥檚 very first robot story: a poignant and moving 5 star tale set in the future of 1978. I have also reviewed the second story: 鈥凌耻苍补谤补辞耻苍诲鈥� separately, as I feel each deserves its own review:
LINK HERE
This was written in 1941 but set in 2015. I did not enjoy it quite as much, but it was ground-breaking, in that it introduced Isaac Asimov鈥檚 鈥淔irst Law of Robotics鈥� i.e. that a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
The way this is demonstrated is ingenious, and we can recognise it today as an instance where the computer programming has gone wrong, and got stuck in a recurring loop. Unfortunately though, it also introduces two characters to field test the robots: Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan. These testosterone-fuelled clowns detract from three or four of the following stories, with their continual goading and bickering.
The third story: 鈥凌别补蝉辞苍鈥� also merits an individual review:
LINK HERE
Also written in 1941, this is the first ever story to include all of the 鈥淭hree Laws of Robotics鈥�:
First Law:
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
Second Law:
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
Third Law:
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Despite the tiresome duo, the story is enjoyable and thought-provoking. The way the featured robot QT-1 (Cutie) differs here, is in that it appears to think outside the box, questioning and philosophising, and eventually . The way this is explained by the three Laws of Robotics is very neat.
The fourth story 鈥淐atch that Rabbit鈥� is like a jokey interlude. It is the third one in this collection to include Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan. This time they are on an asteroid mining station, testing a robot DV-5 (Dave) who has six subsidiary robots, described as 鈥渇ingers鈥�, under him. The robot DV-5 is just as puzzled about this as they are, but again, it is explained by the three Laws of Robotics. I feel though that the human psychology is a little wobbly here, and the story includes an excruciating pun as its explanation. First published in 1944 in 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥�, this one is missable.
As is the fifth story 鈥淟颈补谤!鈥� which first appeared in the 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥� magazine in 1941. For this story, Dr. Calvin at age 38 is one of 4 scientists working with robot RB-34 (also known as Herbie), who has The reason for the ending of this story hinges on a paradox, but frankly the human behaviour in this story is not true to life. It is always the novelty and ingenious ideas which make Isaac Asimov鈥檚 stories interesting, rather than any deep characterisation, but the way the four scientists behave in this one is absurd. The robot has more in common with human psychology than any of them. Dr. Calvin regards this robot as one of her rare failures, and it is unlikely any scientist would have summarily disregarded professionalism, and a chance to develop scientific knowledge鈥攏ot to mention the sheer cost of the destruction. If they had behaved in such an hysterical way, it would not be included in any memoirs! A better title might be 鈥淰别苍驳别补苍肠别鈥�
Despite its drawbacks, 鈥淟颈补谤!鈥� does contain the first recorded use of the word 鈥渞辞产辞迟颈肠蝉鈥�. The story was apparently filmed in 1969 as an episode in the excellent British TV series 鈥淥ut of the Unknown鈥�, but the episode has since been wiped. This was routine practice for British television at the time.
The sixth story 鈥淟ittle Lost Robot鈥� was also dramatised for British television鈥攐ddly enough, for the 1962 series 鈥淥ut of This World鈥� which was to be developed into 鈥淥ut of the Unknown鈥�. By sheer fluke, this episode remains extant, although all the other episodes were wiped. The entire series was critically acclaimed, including episodes by John Wyndham, Philip K. Dick, Terry Nation (who went on to create the Daleks) Katherine Maclean, Clifford D. Simak and other exemplary Science Fiction writers. It makes me very glum to think of what has been lost in this series alone.
鈥淟ittle Lost Robot鈥� is quite a good story, which was first published in the 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥� magazine in 1947. It is set on a military research station on an asteroid, where scientists are working to develop the hyperspace drive. Dr. Susan Calvin is there as the robopsychologist, with the Mathematical Director Peter Bogert, to identify which robot has been adapted out of a group of 63.
Only Dr. Susan Calvin realises how devastating this could be. After many different approaches, she manages to devise a test to identify the rogue robot.
This story makes use of all three Laws of Robotics, and is one of, if not the first story to use the actual words 鈥淔rankenstein Complex鈥�. This is Isaac Asimov鈥檚 invented term for 鈥渕echanical men鈥� which closely resemble human beings.
Elements of 鈥淟ittle Lost Robot鈥� even appeared in the very different film called 鈥淚 Robot鈥� which was released in 2004. Otherwise however, this screenplay was written as an original story, but based on Isaac Asimov鈥檚 Robot concepts and characters.
The seventh story 鈥淓蝉肠补辫别鈥� was first published in 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥� in 1945, under the title 鈥淧aradoxical Escape鈥�. Set a little further in the future, by now there are other research organisations in competition with U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc. They are all working to develop a hyperspatial drive. U.S. Robots have been approached with a financial incentive, but learn that
Dr. Susan Calvin and her team find a way by which their positronic computer 鈥淭he Brain鈥� can overcome the problem, but Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan, the engineers who are testing it, have a terrifying experience in the process.
The penultimate story, the eighth one, is called Evidence. It was first published in the 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥� magazine in 1946. It was the only story Isaac Asimov wrote while he was in the United States Army, between November 1945 and July 1946. I like this story very much, with its idea of an ethical politician.
It concerns two opposing candidates for the position of mayor of a major American city: Stephen Byerley, who is a district attorney, and Francis Quinn. Francis Quinn鈥檚 campaign is based on a smear campaign, It soon becomes the only issue in a public campaign. The story is constructed very well, and although I did predict the neat ending, it is a satisfying read. It would make a good film, and indeed Orson Welles did purchase the film rights for 鈥淓惫颈诲别苍肠别鈥�, but the film was never made.
The final story 鈥淭he Evitable Conflict鈥� first appeared in the 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥� magazine in 1950. Written four years later, it moves the previous story on, and closes Dr. Susan Calvin鈥檚 reminiscences. We read a rather dull political account of how Earth finally achieved peace, by having far fewer warring countries. Earth is now divided into four geographical regions, each with its own figurehead. However, the decision-making power actually lies with a supercomputer known as the 鈥满补肠丑颈苍别鈥�, which manages its economy. We are now in the year 2052, and Stephen Byerley has continued to gain promotions, until he was elected as World Co-ordinator. This is his second term, but there is a problem. He has called Dr. Susan Calvin to ask her advice, and the story is a consultation between them.
The story is a noble one, but rather dry to read, and with a damp squib of an ending. The collection finishes by telling us that Dr. Susan Calvin had died the previous month, at the age of 82.
I am not sure that the frame story was really necessary, and in places it did feel forced, with some repetition. However, it was interesting to read the stories in chronological order as they reflected the evolution of robotics, and its gradual acceptance by humanity. I Robot is a landmark in Science Fiction, because of containing the short story in which Asimov鈥檚 Three Laws of Robotics first appear. This was to have a far-reaching impact on the concept of ethics of artificial intelligence, and the better stories here do touch on this aspect.
The writing is rather clunky at time, but ideas are paramount in this composite novel. It is astonishing to think that Isaac Asimov was only in his twenties when he wrote these stories and devised the bold and lasting concepts. He was still studying for a further degree in Chemistry, apart from a brief spell in the U.S. Army. A few years later he was to teach biochemistry at University, and eventually stopped doing research, confining his university role to lecturing students. His writing became more important to him, and in the late 1950s he was writing full time, with only an occasional honorary lecture.
Isaac Asimov has left a huge body of work, including nonfiction books and crime novels, but it is for his 鈥淎stounding鈥� Science Fiction stories that he is best remembered.
Here is a list of all the stories which make up I Robot:
Robbie
Runaround
Reason
Catch that rabbit
Liar!
Little lost robot
Escape!
Evidence
The evitable conflict
Quotations:
鈥淵ou can prove anything you want by coldly logical reason鈥攊f you pick the proper postulates.鈥�
鈥淎 towering cliff of a black, basaltic rock cut off the sunlight, and the deep night shadow of an airless world surrounded them. Before them, the shadow reached out and ended in knife-edge abruptness into an all-but-unbearable blaze of white light, that glittered from myriad crystals along a rocky ground.鈥�
And my favourite, which stresses Isaac Asimov鈥檚 emphasis on the essentially benign nature of robots:
鈥淵ou just can鈥檛 differentiate between a robot and the very best of humans.鈥�
The frame story of I, Robot features Dr. Susan Calvin, the chief 鈥渞辞产辞辫蝉测肠丑辞濒辞驳颈蝉迟鈥� at 鈥淯.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Incorporated鈥�, who are the major manufacturer of robots. It is the 21st century, and Dr. Susan Calvin is now in her 70s, and reminiscing about her experiences for an interview about her life鈥檚 work. The narrator is the young reporter who listens and prompts, as Dr. Calvin tells each story. The stories are presented roughly in chronological order, with brief linking comments by her and the interviewer. They are chiefly concerned with various types of atypical and aberrant behaviour of robots, where Dr. Calvin and others use 鈥渞obopsychology鈥� to work out what is happening in their 鈥減ositronic brain鈥�.
The idea of a 鈥減ositronic brain鈥� is an invention by Isaac Asimov himself. It functions as a central processing unit (CPU) for robots, and in some unspecified way, provides them with a form of consciousness recognisable to humans. The very first story he wrote which utilised this idea was 鈥凌辞产产颈别鈥�, which I have reviewed separately:
LINK HERE
In 1939, Isaac Asimov had greatly enjoyed a short story 鈥淚, Robot鈥� by Eando Binder (a pseudonym used by Earl and Otto Binder), and this had influenced his own robot stories. He said:
鈥淚t certainly caught my attention. Two months after I read it, I began 鈥楻obbie鈥�, about a sympathetic robot, and that was the start of my positronic robot series. Eleven years later, when nine of my robot stories were collected into a book, the publisher named the collection I, Robot over my objections. My book is now the more famous, but Otto鈥檚 story was there first.鈥�
鈥凌辞产产颈别鈥� was Isaac Asimov鈥檚 very first robot story: a poignant and moving 5 star tale set in the future of 1978. I have also reviewed the second story: 鈥凌耻苍补谤补辞耻苍诲鈥� separately, as I feel each deserves its own review:
LINK HERE
This was written in 1941 but set in 2015. I did not enjoy it quite as much, but it was ground-breaking, in that it introduced Isaac Asimov鈥檚 鈥淔irst Law of Robotics鈥� i.e. that a robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
The way this is demonstrated is ingenious, and we can recognise it today as an instance where the computer programming has gone wrong, and got stuck in a recurring loop. Unfortunately though, it also introduces two characters to field test the robots: Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan. These testosterone-fuelled clowns detract from three or four of the following stories, with their continual goading and bickering.
The third story: 鈥凌别补蝉辞苍鈥� also merits an individual review:
LINK HERE
Also written in 1941, this is the first ever story to include all of the 鈥淭hree Laws of Robotics鈥�:
First Law:
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
Second Law:
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
Third Law:
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Despite the tiresome duo, the story is enjoyable and thought-provoking. The way the featured robot QT-1 (Cutie) differs here, is in that it appears to think outside the box, questioning and philosophising, and eventually . The way this is explained by the three Laws of Robotics is very neat.
The fourth story 鈥淐atch that Rabbit鈥� is like a jokey interlude. It is the third one in this collection to include Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan. This time they are on an asteroid mining station, testing a robot DV-5 (Dave) who has six subsidiary robots, described as 鈥渇ingers鈥�, under him. The robot DV-5 is just as puzzled about this as they are, but again, it is explained by the three Laws of Robotics. I feel though that the human psychology is a little wobbly here, and the story includes an excruciating pun as its explanation. First published in 1944 in 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥�, this one is missable.
As is the fifth story 鈥淟颈补谤!鈥� which first appeared in the 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥� magazine in 1941. For this story, Dr. Calvin at age 38 is one of 4 scientists working with robot RB-34 (also known as Herbie), who has The reason for the ending of this story hinges on a paradox, but frankly the human behaviour in this story is not true to life. It is always the novelty and ingenious ideas which make Isaac Asimov鈥檚 stories interesting, rather than any deep characterisation, but the way the four scientists behave in this one is absurd. The robot has more in common with human psychology than any of them. Dr. Calvin regards this robot as one of her rare failures, and it is unlikely any scientist would have summarily disregarded professionalism, and a chance to develop scientific knowledge鈥攏ot to mention the sheer cost of the destruction. If they had behaved in such an hysterical way, it would not be included in any memoirs! A better title might be 鈥淰别苍驳别补苍肠别鈥�
Despite its drawbacks, 鈥淟颈补谤!鈥� does contain the first recorded use of the word 鈥渞辞产辞迟颈肠蝉鈥�. The story was apparently filmed in 1969 as an episode in the excellent British TV series 鈥淥ut of the Unknown鈥�, but the episode has since been wiped. This was routine practice for British television at the time.
The sixth story 鈥淟ittle Lost Robot鈥� was also dramatised for British television鈥攐ddly enough, for the 1962 series 鈥淥ut of This World鈥� which was to be developed into 鈥淥ut of the Unknown鈥�. By sheer fluke, this episode remains extant, although all the other episodes were wiped. The entire series was critically acclaimed, including episodes by John Wyndham, Philip K. Dick, Terry Nation (who went on to create the Daleks) Katherine Maclean, Clifford D. Simak and other exemplary Science Fiction writers. It makes me very glum to think of what has been lost in this series alone.
鈥淟ittle Lost Robot鈥� is quite a good story, which was first published in the 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥� magazine in 1947. It is set on a military research station on an asteroid, where scientists are working to develop the hyperspace drive. Dr. Susan Calvin is there as the robopsychologist, with the Mathematical Director Peter Bogert, to identify which robot has been adapted out of a group of 63.
Only Dr. Susan Calvin realises how devastating this could be. After many different approaches, she manages to devise a test to identify the rogue robot.
This story makes use of all three Laws of Robotics, and is one of, if not the first story to use the actual words 鈥淔rankenstein Complex鈥�. This is Isaac Asimov鈥檚 invented term for 鈥渕echanical men鈥� which closely resemble human beings.
Elements of 鈥淟ittle Lost Robot鈥� even appeared in the very different film called 鈥淚 Robot鈥� which was released in 2004. Otherwise however, this screenplay was written as an original story, but based on Isaac Asimov鈥檚 Robot concepts and characters.
The seventh story 鈥淓蝉肠补辫别鈥� was first published in 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥� in 1945, under the title 鈥淧aradoxical Escape鈥�. Set a little further in the future, by now there are other research organisations in competition with U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc. They are all working to develop a hyperspatial drive. U.S. Robots have been approached with a financial incentive, but learn that
Dr. Susan Calvin and her team find a way by which their positronic computer 鈥淭he Brain鈥� can overcome the problem, but Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan, the engineers who are testing it, have a terrifying experience in the process.
The penultimate story, the eighth one, is called Evidence. It was first published in the 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥� magazine in 1946. It was the only story Isaac Asimov wrote while he was in the United States Army, between November 1945 and July 1946. I like this story very much, with its idea of an ethical politician.
It concerns two opposing candidates for the position of mayor of a major American city: Stephen Byerley, who is a district attorney, and Francis Quinn. Francis Quinn鈥檚 campaign is based on a smear campaign, It soon becomes the only issue in a public campaign. The story is constructed very well, and although I did predict the neat ending, it is a satisfying read. It would make a good film, and indeed Orson Welles did purchase the film rights for 鈥淓惫颈诲别苍肠别鈥�, but the film was never made.
The final story 鈥淭he Evitable Conflict鈥� first appeared in the 鈥淎stounding Science Fiction鈥� magazine in 1950. Written four years later, it moves the previous story on, and closes Dr. Susan Calvin鈥檚 reminiscences. We read a rather dull political account of how Earth finally achieved peace, by having far fewer warring countries. Earth is now divided into four geographical regions, each with its own figurehead. However, the decision-making power actually lies with a supercomputer known as the 鈥满补肠丑颈苍别鈥�, which manages its economy. We are now in the year 2052, and Stephen Byerley has continued to gain promotions, until he was elected as World Co-ordinator. This is his second term, but there is a problem. He has called Dr. Susan Calvin to ask her advice, and the story is a consultation between them.
The story is a noble one, but rather dry to read, and with a damp squib of an ending. The collection finishes by telling us that Dr. Susan Calvin had died the previous month, at the age of 82.
I am not sure that the frame story was really necessary, and in places it did feel forced, with some repetition. However, it was interesting to read the stories in chronological order as they reflected the evolution of robotics, and its gradual acceptance by humanity. I Robot is a landmark in Science Fiction, because of containing the short story in which Asimov鈥檚 Three Laws of Robotics first appear. This was to have a far-reaching impact on the concept of ethics of artificial intelligence, and the better stories here do touch on this aspect.
The writing is rather clunky at time, but ideas are paramount in this composite novel. It is astonishing to think that Isaac Asimov was only in his twenties when he wrote these stories and devised the bold and lasting concepts. He was still studying for a further degree in Chemistry, apart from a brief spell in the U.S. Army. A few years later he was to teach biochemistry at University, and eventually stopped doing research, confining his university role to lecturing students. His writing became more important to him, and in the late 1950s he was writing full time, with only an occasional honorary lecture.
Isaac Asimov has left a huge body of work, including nonfiction books and crime novels, but it is for his 鈥淎stounding鈥� Science Fiction stories that he is best remembered.
Here is a list of all the stories which make up I Robot:
Robbie
Runaround
Reason
Catch that rabbit
Liar!
Little lost robot
Escape!
Evidence
The evitable conflict
Quotations:
鈥淵ou can prove anything you want by coldly logical reason鈥攊f you pick the proper postulates.鈥�
鈥淎 towering cliff of a black, basaltic rock cut off the sunlight, and the deep night shadow of an airless world surrounded them. Before them, the shadow reached out and ended in knife-edge abruptness into an all-but-unbearable blaze of white light, that glittered from myriad crystals along a rocky ground.鈥�
And my favourite, which stresses Isaac Asimov鈥檚 emphasis on the essentially benign nature of robots:
鈥淵ou just can鈥檛 differentiate between a robot and the very best of humans.鈥�
July 2, 2023
Yo, robot
Este libro, publicado en 1950 por Isaac Asimov, recoge varios relatos escritos entre 1940 y 1950 sobre rob贸tica, el mundo de los robots y su relaci贸n con los humanos.
Este es uno de esos libros que est谩 en la estanter铆a de los eternos pendientes, uno lo ha visto de siempre, ya caer谩. El paso de los a帽os lo va dejando atr谩s con la sensaci贸n de pasado de 茅poca y como que, ya es tarde para leerlo.
Nada m谩s lejos de la realidad. Me ha encantado, he intentado verlo desde nuestro tiempo para encontrar similitudes, hay alguna, pero ese tipo de robots todav铆a no existen. En nuestro mundo tenemos m谩quinas con inteligencia artificial, de hecho, estamos rodeados de ellas y las usamos cada d铆a. La visi贸n de Asimov hace m谩s de 70 a帽os sobre el mundo futuro de los robots y su comportamiento es asombrosa.
Basado en las tres leyes de la rob贸tica Asimov pone a prueba la convivencia de los robots con los humanos.
芦Las Tres Leyes de la Rob贸tica
1.Un robot no debe da帽ar a un ser humano o, por su inacci贸n, dejar que un ser humano sufra da帽o.
2.Un robot debe obedecer las 贸rdenes que le son dadas por un ser humano, excepto cuando estas 贸rdenes se oponen a la primera Ley.
3.Un robot debe proteger su propia existencia, hasta donde esta protecci贸n no entre en conflicto con la primera o segunda Leyes.禄
Los relatos son excelentes, tocando cada uno un tema sobre la rob贸tica; son independientes, pero con un hilo conductor. Los personajes que interact煤an con los robots son casi siempre los mismos. Se abarca un gran per铆odo de tiempo para ver la evoluci贸n de la rob贸tica.
As铆, comienza con un simple robot de compa帽铆a en el primer relato escrito en 1940. En este, una ni帽a tiene un robot como compa帽铆a, guardi谩n, amigo, etc. La madre no est谩 conforme con que su hija pase tanto tiempo con una m谩quina, no le gusta nada:
芦No quiere jugar con nadie m谩s. Hay por aqu铆 docenas de ni帽os y ni帽as con quienes podr铆a trabar amistad, pero no quiere. No quiere ni acercarse a ellos, a menos que yo la obligue. Es imposible que se cr铆e as铆. Querr谩s que sea una ni帽a normal, 驴verdad? Querr谩s que sea capaz de ocupar su sitio en la sociedad鈥�, supongo.禄
Aunque en nuestra 茅poca todav铆a no tenemos este tipo de robots, estamos rodeados de m谩quinas con cierta inteligencia artificial y esta reflexi贸n de la madre me recuerda a la guerra contra los dispositivos digitales que tienen muchos padres hoy en d铆a. En Francia le llaman "addiction aux 茅crans" adicci贸n a las pantallas de cualquier dispositivo m贸vil, lo cual hace que los j贸venes y no tan j贸venes pasen, en algunos casos, de socializarse con la gente.
Este es el m谩s sencillo de los casos. Los dem谩s relatos van incrementando la dificultad planteando situaciones con el mal funcionamiento de los robots, errores de fabricaci贸n, comportamiento err谩tico, y alguno m谩s inquietante, 驴podr铆an tener pensamientos propios?
Todo visto y analizado bajo las leyes de la rob贸tica, ah铆 est谩 la soluci贸n , mientras se cumplan todo estar谩 bajo control.
Ahora que est谩 tan en boga la AI, esa inteligencia artificial que parece que nos han puesto a nuestro alcance. No est谩 mal leer estos relatos para ver que Asimov ten铆a una visi贸n fuera de lo com煤n.
Especialmente interesante la conclusi贸n final, 驴Ser铆a esta la soluci贸n para librarnos de pol铆ticos corruptos/mentirosos? Claro que, 驴qui茅n programar铆a la m谩quina?
El 1 de junio de 1977 el grupo brit谩nico de rock The Alan Parsons Project, public贸 el 谩lbum 鈥淚 Robot鈥� inspirado en los relatos de este libro.
El mismo Asimov fue consultado sobre esto y la idea le encant贸. Las canciones no se refieren a los relatos directamente, es m谩s bien gen茅rico, porque la idea del mundo rob贸tico de Asimov da para muchas interpretaciones y situaciones.
La pel铆cula que se estren贸 en 2004 con el mismo nombre protagonizada por Will Smith est谩 basada en estas interpretaciones, no refiri茅ndose a ning煤n relato en concreto. La mente visionaria de Asimov cre贸 un universo que, incluso nuestros nietos, cuando lo lean, se ver谩n sorprendidos.
Este libro, publicado en 1950 por Isaac Asimov, recoge varios relatos escritos entre 1940 y 1950 sobre rob贸tica, el mundo de los robots y su relaci贸n con los humanos.
Este es uno de esos libros que est谩 en la estanter铆a de los eternos pendientes, uno lo ha visto de siempre, ya caer谩. El paso de los a帽os lo va dejando atr谩s con la sensaci贸n de pasado de 茅poca y como que, ya es tarde para leerlo.
Nada m谩s lejos de la realidad. Me ha encantado, he intentado verlo desde nuestro tiempo para encontrar similitudes, hay alguna, pero ese tipo de robots todav铆a no existen. En nuestro mundo tenemos m谩quinas con inteligencia artificial, de hecho, estamos rodeados de ellas y las usamos cada d铆a. La visi贸n de Asimov hace m谩s de 70 a帽os sobre el mundo futuro de los robots y su comportamiento es asombrosa.
Basado en las tres leyes de la rob贸tica Asimov pone a prueba la convivencia de los robots con los humanos.
芦Las Tres Leyes de la Rob贸tica
1.Un robot no debe da帽ar a un ser humano o, por su inacci贸n, dejar que un ser humano sufra da帽o.
2.Un robot debe obedecer las 贸rdenes que le son dadas por un ser humano, excepto cuando estas 贸rdenes se oponen a la primera Ley.
3.Un robot debe proteger su propia existencia, hasta donde esta protecci贸n no entre en conflicto con la primera o segunda Leyes.禄
Los relatos son excelentes, tocando cada uno un tema sobre la rob贸tica; son independientes, pero con un hilo conductor. Los personajes que interact煤an con los robots son casi siempre los mismos. Se abarca un gran per铆odo de tiempo para ver la evoluci贸n de la rob贸tica.
As铆, comienza con un simple robot de compa帽铆a en el primer relato escrito en 1940. En este, una ni帽a tiene un robot como compa帽铆a, guardi谩n, amigo, etc. La madre no est谩 conforme con que su hija pase tanto tiempo con una m谩quina, no le gusta nada:
芦No quiere jugar con nadie m谩s. Hay por aqu铆 docenas de ni帽os y ni帽as con quienes podr铆a trabar amistad, pero no quiere. No quiere ni acercarse a ellos, a menos que yo la obligue. Es imposible que se cr铆e as铆. Querr谩s que sea una ni帽a normal, 驴verdad? Querr谩s que sea capaz de ocupar su sitio en la sociedad鈥�, supongo.禄
Aunque en nuestra 茅poca todav铆a no tenemos este tipo de robots, estamos rodeados de m谩quinas con cierta inteligencia artificial y esta reflexi贸n de la madre me recuerda a la guerra contra los dispositivos digitales que tienen muchos padres hoy en d铆a. En Francia le llaman "addiction aux 茅crans" adicci贸n a las pantallas de cualquier dispositivo m贸vil, lo cual hace que los j贸venes y no tan j贸venes pasen, en algunos casos, de socializarse con la gente.
Este es el m谩s sencillo de los casos. Los dem谩s relatos van incrementando la dificultad planteando situaciones con el mal funcionamiento de los robots, errores de fabricaci贸n, comportamiento err谩tico, y alguno m谩s inquietante, 驴podr铆an tener pensamientos propios?
Todo visto y analizado bajo las leyes de la rob贸tica, ah铆 est谩 la soluci贸n , mientras se cumplan todo estar谩 bajo control.
Ahora que est谩 tan en boga la AI, esa inteligencia artificial que parece que nos han puesto a nuestro alcance. No est谩 mal leer estos relatos para ver que Asimov ten铆a una visi贸n fuera de lo com煤n.
Especialmente interesante la conclusi贸n final, 驴Ser铆a esta la soluci贸n para librarnos de pol铆ticos corruptos/mentirosos? Claro que, 驴qui茅n programar铆a la m谩quina?
El 1 de junio de 1977 el grupo brit谩nico de rock The Alan Parsons Project, public贸 el 谩lbum 鈥淚 Robot鈥� inspirado en los relatos de este libro.
El mismo Asimov fue consultado sobre esto y la idea le encant贸. Las canciones no se refieren a los relatos directamente, es m谩s bien gen茅rico, porque la idea del mundo rob贸tico de Asimov da para muchas interpretaciones y situaciones.
La pel铆cula que se estren贸 en 2004 con el mismo nombre protagonizada por Will Smith est谩 basada en estas interpretaciones, no refiri茅ndose a ning煤n relato en concreto. La mente visionaria de Asimov cre贸 un universo que, incluso nuestros nietos, cuando lo lean, se ver谩n sorprendidos.
April 9, 2009
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this, and I ended up being pleasantly surprised. It's a series of short stories revolving around Susan Calvin, a robopsychologist with the company U.S. Robots. The stories show the progression of robots (from ones that can't even talk to the machines that govern how the planet operates) and the relationship humans have with them.
I really enjoyed the overall arc and how it was presented. I also really dug how most of the stories were puzzles about why robots were acting in a certain way, and how the Three Laws of Robots were manipulated in order to solve them.
I, Robot is completely accessible, entertaining, and hardly feels dated despite its 50+ years of age. I found myself laughing quite a bit, especially as the field engineers, Powell and Donovan, kept running into crazy situations.
I did wonder if I should have just picked up instead, but after finishing I, Robot, I think that the selection of stories here made perfect sense to read alone. I'll definitely be reading more Asimov sooner than later.
I really enjoyed the overall arc and how it was presented. I also really dug how most of the stories were puzzles about why robots were acting in a certain way, and how the Three Laws of Robots were manipulated in order to solve them.
I, Robot is completely accessible, entertaining, and hardly feels dated despite its 50+ years of age. I found myself laughing quite a bit, especially as the field engineers, Powell and Donovan, kept running into crazy situations.
I did wonder if I should have just picked up instead, but after finishing I, Robot, I think that the selection of stories here made perfect sense to read alone. I'll definitely be reading more Asimov sooner than later.
January 6, 2023
Maravilloso, sorprendente, inteligente, desbordante de imaginaci贸n y lo que fue unos de los "Sense of Wonder" de mi juventud.
Las Tres Leyes (las may煤sculas no son gratuitas) se quedaron tan grabadas en mi coraz贸n como en los cerebros positr贸nicos.
Las Tres Leyes (las may煤sculas no son gratuitas) se quedaron tan grabadas en mi coraz贸n como en los cerebros positr贸nicos.
March 8, 2011
Asimov gives you quite a good idea of what's it like to have to debug an artificial intelligence, before there were any. Applause! The movie, however, is an abomination that should have been strangled at birth. They've made Susan Calvin sexy; you see her suggestively outlined through the semi-opaque glass of her shower cubicle.
I can't continue with this review. I'm starting to get too emotional. Sorry. A few things are still sacred, you know?
_____________________________________
PS My real I, Robot review is . Though I'm afraid it contains yet another example of That Joke...
I can't continue with this review. I'm starting to get too emotional. Sorry. A few things are still sacred, you know?
_____________________________________
PS My real I, Robot review is . Though I'm afraid it contains yet another example of That Joke...
June 4, 2021
I saw this movie in the theatre and I loved the story. I went in thinking this was going to be, at least, similar to the movie. The story in the movie is not in here. This is a book of short stories set in the future where there are robots. The movie took the 3 laws and the idea of a robot with the 3 laws and did their own thing. The movie is much better.
I found Isaac's writing to be confusing. People are having a conversation and all the sudden a new character is in the conversation and I wondered where the new person came from. It happened in the later stories often. They were talking about a character, what they were going to say to him and then the character is there and they are talking to him. It's messy in my mind.
What Isaac is good at is coming up with out there situations where the robots seem to be malfunctioning and seeing the characters figure out why a thing is happening is interesting. Isaac was amazing with logic puzzles. That was cool.
We had a few characters we saw through the book. Dr. Calvin was the only woman and she was in most of the stories. I felt there could have been more developed with the world. Most things are told, not shown. We don't see exactly how normal people feel about the robots, we only hear about it.
I knew the style would be older and I was okay with that, but the story didn't blow me away. It was interesting and the 3 laws are a cool thing that so many people after this have used. It's a foundation in modern Science Fiction. I'm glad I read it, but I really can't say I'm much of a fan. I'm giving it a low 3 star rating. I feel like it is the foundation of which many sci-fy books stand on, but it simply wasn't a whole lot of fun to watch. It took me forever to read. I could give this 2 stars, but it simply did to much for the genre. It's a classic. I might read more in this series. I'm not sure yet.
I found Isaac's writing to be confusing. People are having a conversation and all the sudden a new character is in the conversation and I wondered where the new person came from. It happened in the later stories often. They were talking about a character, what they were going to say to him and then the character is there and they are talking to him. It's messy in my mind.
What Isaac is good at is coming up with out there situations where the robots seem to be malfunctioning and seeing the characters figure out why a thing is happening is interesting. Isaac was amazing with logic puzzles. That was cool.
We had a few characters we saw through the book. Dr. Calvin was the only woman and she was in most of the stories. I felt there could have been more developed with the world. Most things are told, not shown. We don't see exactly how normal people feel about the robots, we only hear about it.
I knew the style would be older and I was okay with that, but the story didn't blow me away. It was interesting and the 3 laws are a cool thing that so many people after this have used. It's a foundation in modern Science Fiction. I'm glad I read it, but I really can't say I'm much of a fan. I'm giving it a low 3 star rating. I feel like it is the foundation of which many sci-fy books stand on, but it simply wasn't a whole lot of fun to watch. It took me forever to read. I could give this 2 stars, but it simply did to much for the genre. It's a classic. I might read more in this series. I'm not sure yet.
September 24, 2020
Mi primera toma de contacto con los robots y todo este mundo que cre贸 Asimov. Son historias entretenidas en las cuales se van contando los progresos en rob贸tica con el tiempo mediante historias de los diferentes tipos de robots que hab铆a en cada momento. Recomendable.
February 21, 2021
O kadar g眉zel, o kadar zekice yaz谋lm谋艧 ki! Asimov'dan daha az谋n谋 beklemiyordum elbette ama bu kadar e臒lenceli ve komik robot hikayeleri okumay谋 da beklemiyordum a莽谋k莽as谋. A艧谋r谋 e臒lenceli, a艧谋r谋 艧ok edici. Hele bir b枚l眉m var ki "莽谋ld谋r谋yorum, 莽谋ld谋r谋yorum!" diye okudum 馃槀 Ve Asimov'un d眉nyay谋, insanlar谋 y枚neten robotlar 枚ng枚r眉s眉 (ve belki de kehaneti) ke艧ke ger莽ek olsa demeden de edemedim.
January 9, 2021
3 rilettura, 5/9 gennaio 2021
Rilettura con gdl Edicola & Libreria
Che dire. Meraviglioso. Mi ha emozionato come se fosse la prima volta. Era da tanto che volevo rileggerli e sono stata davvero contenta quando hanno vinto la votazione.
Lo so, sono di parte. Io amo Asimov, e l鈥檜niverso che ha creato. lo sanno tutti. E se non lo sapevate, adesso lo sapete.
Mi sono innamorata dei suoi libri a 13 anni. Ho letto tutto di lui grazie alla biblioteca, e quando poi ho avuto la possibilit脿, sono stati i primi libri che mi sono comprata. Per cui potete capire cosa provo.
E proprio per non portare in giro e rovinare cos矛 il mio libro edizione Mondadori a cui sono affezionata, ho preso l鈥檈dizione Urania Collezione, che non avevo mai letto, perch茅 reputavo uguale alla mia. Come mi sbagliavo!
Ho scoperto cos矛 che i racconti, che gi脿 sono legati tra di loro per personaggi ed evoluzione della storia, sono messi insieme come racconti fatti da Susan Calvin in un鈥檌ntervista, che ci fa conoscere di pi霉 la robopsicologa, con altri aneddoti.
L鈥檋o semplicemente adorato 馃槏 Susan 猫 una dei miei personaggi preferiti, e scoprire di pi霉 su di lei e averla come protagonista, mi ha mandato in brodo di giuggiole.
Ora per貌 mi chiedo come mai non ne sapevo nulla? Perch茅? Dopo quasi 30 anni ho riscoperto un libro. Il potere delle riletture 猫 immenso.
Se potete quindi trovate e leggere questa versione. 脠 molto pi霉 coinvolgente. Se a me era piaciuta la raccolta originale, questa mi 猫 entrata dritta al cuore.
Ora non vedo l鈥檕ra di leggere tutto il resto.
Forse prima mi rivedr貌 per la millesima volta Io, robot, che come gi脿 detto 猫 un crogiolo di questi racconti.
Ok basta ho fatto un papiro.
2 rilettura
ASIMOV 猫 SEMPRE ASIMOV
E' inutile sono innamorata di lui, dei suoi robot, di Susan Calvin e di come riesce sempre a portarmi in un'altra dimensione.non posso farci nulla, 猫 cos矛 punto e basta.
Questo libro non 猫 come il film, o meglio: il film non 猫 come il libro, 猫 una storia unica, mentre il libro tratta diversi episodi che riguardano i robot.
Il film 猫 praticamente un insieme di tutto con l'aggiunta del bel Will Smith e del mistero.
A me son piaciuti entrambi. anche se il libro, non so su di me ha sempre un certo fascino, anche se parlando di robot ci si accorge che la descrizione che fa Asimov 猫 un p貌 vecchiotta, sono tutti enormi e questo perch茅 non era ancora stato scoperto il microchip, e la possibilit脿 di avere tutto in uno spazio super ridotto, ma forse 猫 proprio questo che affascina, che mi affascina.
Io sono di parte, per cui il mio giudizio 猫 sempre offuscato dall'amore che provo per questi libri.
Consigliato agli amanti del genere, e a chi vuole provare un p貌 di fantascienza dai buoni sentimenti, senza catastrofi imminenti, e pi霉 umana.
Rilettura con gdl Edicola & Libreria
Che dire. Meraviglioso. Mi ha emozionato come se fosse la prima volta. Era da tanto che volevo rileggerli e sono stata davvero contenta quando hanno vinto la votazione.
Lo so, sono di parte. Io amo Asimov, e l鈥檜niverso che ha creato. lo sanno tutti. E se non lo sapevate, adesso lo sapete.
Mi sono innamorata dei suoi libri a 13 anni. Ho letto tutto di lui grazie alla biblioteca, e quando poi ho avuto la possibilit脿, sono stati i primi libri che mi sono comprata. Per cui potete capire cosa provo.
E proprio per non portare in giro e rovinare cos矛 il mio libro edizione Mondadori a cui sono affezionata, ho preso l鈥檈dizione Urania Collezione, che non avevo mai letto, perch茅 reputavo uguale alla mia. Come mi sbagliavo!
Ho scoperto cos矛 che i racconti, che gi脿 sono legati tra di loro per personaggi ed evoluzione della storia, sono messi insieme come racconti fatti da Susan Calvin in un鈥檌ntervista, che ci fa conoscere di pi霉 la robopsicologa, con altri aneddoti.
L鈥檋o semplicemente adorato 馃槏 Susan 猫 una dei miei personaggi preferiti, e scoprire di pi霉 su di lei e averla come protagonista, mi ha mandato in brodo di giuggiole.
Ora per貌 mi chiedo come mai non ne sapevo nulla? Perch茅? Dopo quasi 30 anni ho riscoperto un libro. Il potere delle riletture 猫 immenso.
Se potete quindi trovate e leggere questa versione. 脠 molto pi霉 coinvolgente. Se a me era piaciuta la raccolta originale, questa mi 猫 entrata dritta al cuore.
Ora non vedo l鈥檕ra di leggere tutto il resto.
Forse prima mi rivedr貌 per la millesima volta Io, robot, che come gi脿 detto 猫 un crogiolo di questi racconti.
Ok basta ho fatto un papiro.
2 rilettura
ASIMOV 猫 SEMPRE ASIMOV
E' inutile sono innamorata di lui, dei suoi robot, di Susan Calvin e di come riesce sempre a portarmi in un'altra dimensione.non posso farci nulla, 猫 cos矛 punto e basta.
Questo libro non 猫 come il film, o meglio: il film non 猫 come il libro, 猫 una storia unica, mentre il libro tratta diversi episodi che riguardano i robot.
Il film 猫 praticamente un insieme di tutto con l'aggiunta del bel Will Smith e del mistero.
A me son piaciuti entrambi. anche se il libro, non so su di me ha sempre un certo fascino, anche se parlando di robot ci si accorge che la descrizione che fa Asimov 猫 un p貌 vecchiotta, sono tutti enormi e questo perch茅 non era ancora stato scoperto il microchip, e la possibilit脿 di avere tutto in uno spazio super ridotto, ma forse 猫 proprio questo che affascina, che mi affascina.
Io sono di parte, per cui il mio giudizio 猫 sempre offuscato dall'amore che provo per questi libri.
Consigliato agli amanti del genere, e a chi vuole provare un p貌 di fantascienza dai buoni sentimenti, senza catastrofi imminenti, e pi霉 umana.
December 6, 2023
To you, a robot is a robot. Gears and metal; electricity and positrons.鈥擬ind and iron! Human-made! If necessary, human-destroyed! But you haven鈥檛 worked with them, so you don鈥檛 know them. They鈥檙e a cleaner better breed than we are.
I, Robot was the first and is still the most well-known collection of Asimov's robot stories. This collection features stories that deal with Asimov's Three Laws of Robots:
The collection is framed as a series of interviews with the lead Robot Psychologist of US Robots, Dr. Susan Calvin. It begins with one of the earliest robot models made available and then each story progresses further along the robot timeline with significant advances between each. I was a tad lukewarm on the first story, but I loved each and every one that followed.
The basic setup for each story is that the model of robot being used in a certain situation is running into some issue stemming from the three laws of robotics that certain characters from US Robotics need to solve (with the exception of the first story). Despite the similar basic outline, the stories all go in their own direction and ask some very interesting questions. Though, the highlights for me were Donovan and Powell, two US Robotics employees who feature in a few of the stories, I've never come across characters in hard sci-fi filled with so much personality, they're great.
While this wasn't my first Asimov read, this was definitely the one that really sparked my interest in devouring the rest of his work. Right now I'm working on Foundation but I'm looking forward to returning to the Robot series before exploring his other series and standalones. This is a must read for hard sci-fi fans.
I, Robot was the first and is still the most well-known collection of Asimov's robot stories. This collection features stories that deal with Asimov's Three Laws of Robots:
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws
The collection is framed as a series of interviews with the lead Robot Psychologist of US Robots, Dr. Susan Calvin. It begins with one of the earliest robot models made available and then each story progresses further along the robot timeline with significant advances between each. I was a tad lukewarm on the first story, but I loved each and every one that followed.
The basic setup for each story is that the model of robot being used in a certain situation is running into some issue stemming from the three laws of robotics that certain characters from US Robotics need to solve (with the exception of the first story). Despite the similar basic outline, the stories all go in their own direction and ask some very interesting questions. Though, the highlights for me were Donovan and Powell, two US Robotics employees who feature in a few of the stories, I've never come across characters in hard sci-fi filled with so much personality, they're great.
While this wasn't my first Asimov read, this was definitely the one that really sparked my interest in devouring the rest of his work. Right now I'm working on Foundation but I'm looking forward to returning to the Robot series before exploring his other series and standalones. This is a must read for hard sci-fi fans.
August 3, 2022
This one is made up of short stories featuring the same characters over a period of time, each story introduces a theme and explores it. The stories are thought-provoking and interesting but they're also quite repetitive.
Having said that I still liked this book, it was engaging and humorous at times.
I recommended, if you like Science Fiction, this is essential reading. 馃
Having said that I still liked this book, it was engaging and humorous at times.
I recommended, if you like Science Fiction, this is essential reading. 馃
April 20, 2018
What a fabulous book! Isaac Asimov is an awesome scientist and writer. I鈥檝e watched a few interviews and he is a very smart man. If only we had more like him in the world. I don鈥檛 agree with his views on God, but other than that, I would definitely have driven anywhere in the USA for a book-signing event of his.
I, Robot is my first Asimov book and I'm glad I started here. The book talks about many points when it comes to robots, or just technology in general. It opens with a girl who is attached to her 鈥減et鈥� robot. It helps her, plays with her, and does anything she wants to do with no objection. The comparison with our world is very sad. I look around and see so many kids and young teens鈥攅ven adults, so entranced with their iPhones. How many of you have seen the meme with people walking down a street in some big city and all of them are on their iPhones and the caption below says 鈥淭he Zombie Apocalypse鈥�? I鈥檓 sad to say I鈥檝e witnessed a room full of my cousins all talking to each other on their iPhones鈥攖exting each other, not actually talking. In the story, the girl鈥檚 parents were alarmed by their daughter鈥檚 physical and emotional dependence on the robot. The similarities are definitely there. Was Asimov warning us?
The book is not about the girl but about a scientist, Susan Calvin, and her studies on Robotics. Her story is an interesting one. I, Robot is also about our dependence on technology and what happens when that dependence backfires. If/When it backfires was it the robot鈥檚 fault? Robots are meant to be useful after all, but so is fire. Fire can be dangerous, too.
If you want to read this book because you鈥檝e seen the movie, well鈥鈥檓 sorry you鈥檒l be disappointed. The movie was about only one aspect of this book (or rather only one chapter) which was about 鈥渨hat happens when robots find out they can take control.鈥� WHAT? I thought that was the whole book? No, no it鈥檚 not. Like I said, that was only one chapter. The others talk about technological morality and other points. Can a robot be in government? Can a robot be a friend? Can a robot obey an order even if it goes against its programming? And so on.
This book talks about using technology so that it helps and not hinders society. Again, fire is helpful, but if used unwisely鈥攄isastrous.
I will warn you though, if you are new to the Sci-fi genre, be prepared for two-dimensional characters and very little to no character growth. Well, why would I want to read a book like that? Well, from what I鈥檝e gathered so far on my galactic journey, Sci-fi is about adventure. Adventure books are about the adventure and not so much the characters. I haven鈥檛 read a lot of Sci-fi books yet but from what I鈥檓 getting from Isaac Asimov, classic Sci-fi is adventure led. If you鈥檙e OK with that then be prepared for an interesting ride!
I loved this book and I hope you will too.
Now I'm off to Asimov's Foundation Series!!!
I, Robot is my first Asimov book and I'm glad I started here. The book talks about many points when it comes to robots, or just technology in general. It opens with a girl who is attached to her 鈥減et鈥� robot. It helps her, plays with her, and does anything she wants to do with no objection. The comparison with our world is very sad. I look around and see so many kids and young teens鈥攅ven adults, so entranced with their iPhones. How many of you have seen the meme with people walking down a street in some big city and all of them are on their iPhones and the caption below says 鈥淭he Zombie Apocalypse鈥�? I鈥檓 sad to say I鈥檝e witnessed a room full of my cousins all talking to each other on their iPhones鈥攖exting each other, not actually talking. In the story, the girl鈥檚 parents were alarmed by their daughter鈥檚 physical and emotional dependence on the robot. The similarities are definitely there. Was Asimov warning us?
The book is not about the girl but about a scientist, Susan Calvin, and her studies on Robotics. Her story is an interesting one. I, Robot is also about our dependence on technology and what happens when that dependence backfires. If/When it backfires was it the robot鈥檚 fault? Robots are meant to be useful after all, but so is fire. Fire can be dangerous, too.
If you want to read this book because you鈥檝e seen the movie, well鈥鈥檓 sorry you鈥檒l be disappointed. The movie was about only one aspect of this book (or rather only one chapter) which was about 鈥渨hat happens when robots find out they can take control.鈥� WHAT? I thought that was the whole book? No, no it鈥檚 not. Like I said, that was only one chapter. The others talk about technological morality and other points. Can a robot be in government? Can a robot be a friend? Can a robot obey an order even if it goes against its programming? And so on.
This book talks about using technology so that it helps and not hinders society. Again, fire is helpful, but if used unwisely鈥攄isastrous.
I will warn you though, if you are new to the Sci-fi genre, be prepared for two-dimensional characters and very little to no character growth. Well, why would I want to read a book like that? Well, from what I鈥檝e gathered so far on my galactic journey, Sci-fi is about adventure. Adventure books are about the adventure and not so much the characters. I haven鈥檛 read a lot of Sci-fi books yet but from what I鈥檓 getting from Isaac Asimov, classic Sci-fi is adventure led. If you鈥檙e OK with that then be prepared for an interesting ride!
I loved this book and I hope you will too.
Now I'm off to Asimov's Foundation Series!!!
March 19, 2017
鉂� Science fiction writers foresee the inevitable, and although problems and catastrophes may be inevitable, solutions are not.鉂�
------------- Isaac Asimov--------------
This collection of concept-driven stories featuring robots were some of the first stories written by Science fiction god, Isaac Asimov. These stories also introduce the "Three laws of robotics" which became a milestone in science fiction history.
Pure logic based problem-solving and the genuine awe-inspiring imagination; That's what make I, Robot a superior science fiction. It's overwhelmingly impressive to witness how Asimov generated conflicts and loopholes within the three laws and then solve them with an equally stunning solution. My favorite in this category was "Runaround".
Another aspect Asimov explored was the reasoning skills of a Robot. Stories like "Liar" and "Reason" paints a picture where an AI's logic could go horribly wrong.
I couldn't agree more. Short stories like "The Evitable Conflict" and "Little Lost Robot" investigates the very concept of dangers posed by logic based reasoning. When an intelligent form lacks empathy, an imbalance is inevitable. After all,
鉂� You're inferior creatures, with poor reasoning faculties, but I really feel a sort of affection for you.鉂�
Oh, Asimov, you have provided food for thought for generations to come. And if a robot is reading this, please
------------------------
By the way, how do you define danger and harm? The first law of robotics specifically states that robots must not harm human being directly or through inaction. So if a robot finds you drinking too much alcohol, will it stop us? Does Robots calculate the probability of danger when someone drives too fast?
Needless to say, this book and "vague" laws of robotics will make you think. Especially when you are just about to sleep!
November 2, 2015
There is a method to the madness!
The other day when my spiffing new copy of the Foundation series arrived on my doorstep, faithfully delivered by the only Amazon delivery guy in our part of the town and I had to turn to them to have my fix of the written word ever since the only bookstore in the town was closed down (or rather was converted into a boutique), my dear friend, who is by the way one of those guys who has their rooms covered in comic graffiti and a bat signal alarm clock that he is still faithfully devoted to even in his late 20s, duly informed me that I couldn鈥檛 just couldn鈥檛 start with the foundation series and that even though Asimov had initially started with, the correct order of books to be followed is in fact not as per the publication date. And that鈥檚 a long sentence. Phew!
But the suggested reading order, which is chronological in order of future history, and not in the order in which they were written is to first read the complete Robot series and then the Foundation series.
So off to I,Robot. It is a collection of nine short stories narrated by Dr Susan Calvin who is psychologist to the robots and it is set in the future when the existence of the robots, even though they are supposed to be sentient, face opposition and fear. All the nine stories are unified with a single theme : complications arising from the interpretations of the three fundamental laws :
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a humang being to come to harm.
A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the first law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as it does not conflict with the First or Second law.
It鈥檚 when the robot interprets the law wrong or by human action interprets it too right, that the ringmarole ascends and the fun begins. Asimov鈥檚 genius is in that, even though there isn鈥檛 much in the way of character development and the writing is pretty straight forward ; the complications that are presented from the three laws that seem to be very basic at first look, is handled with much dexterity. The logic in the sequences put the science in fiction, and you end up with the comprehension of why he is regarded as one of THE science fiction writers.
In contrast to the movie that was replete with very anti-robot sentiments and played much in favour to the apprehension of man against anything artificial and intelligent , the book is very pro-robot. Via the problems in operation and instances when one or the other robot is perceived to have outsmarted the scientists , the solution is distilled down to a minor anomaly in the interpretation of the laws. All technicality aside, the stories deal with the issues of fear, prejudice, distrust, what Asimov himself called the 鈥楩rankenstein Complex鈥�
When asked once by an SF fan on the possibility of one of his works being made into a movie, Asimov replied that there have been talks but nobody ever ends up rustling up enough money. Of course this was before the movie was made but I sincerely hoped that it would have remained true till date.
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