pickA spectacular collection of short stories, connected by the framing device of interviewing a person who has not only been involved in robotics for decades, specifically with the largest company that produces them and knows the rocky history of earlier days, but is a robopsychologist, the person with the most insight into the thinking of robots in the face of Asimov's famous Three Laws/Rules of Robotics. 1/?
“...there is nothing so eternally adhesive as the memory of power.“ Ominous AND profound
It's all relative! 😆
These poor scientists. 🫢
pickOh My Gosh, this is a very well worded book. The writing style tells instead of shows, which I don‘t like, yet the story itself more than makes up for it. This is comprised of short stories. While issues are also popping up with the robots, nobody seems to really care. Because of how society “needs” the robots. This is an incredible book to be reading nowadays with how robots are becoming increasingly a part of our society.
I've never been one for physical activity, especially if it's to a practical end, so to relieve me from the tedium of mowing the lawn, we got a robomower!
In best Asimovian tradition, he's been anthropomorphised, and named Ian, after letters in his serial number. 🤖
I can take no credit for setting it up, which my practically-minded son kindly did when he visited yesterday.
Book and a glass of wine in the late evening sun? Don't mind if I do 😊
pickThis collection of nine short stories published in 1950 is extraordinary with its vision of a future with robots. Each story could stand alone but they collectively tell a larger story. The famous “Three Laws of Robotics” first appears here. Really interesting and well-thought out. Hard to believe that this was written well before artificial intelligence was developed. Bravo!
pickA fun novelisation of the 1966 movie by Asimov, who does what he can within the scifi premise to include realistic science as problems to be solved by the crew of scientists and technicians, miniaturised in a nuclear-powered submarine and injected into the bloodstream of a defecting physicist with an inoperable brain tumour to save his life and the knowledge he has in order to maintain a cold war stalemate.
👇🏼
1w
Runaround: Still a favourite, the only one I vaguely remembered decades later. The challenging problem it presents, the way it addresses one of the many ways that three laws wouldn't be flawless in application, the duo of scientists arguing it out, and the ending, the last line actually made me laugh. 1w
Catch That Rabbit: Upping the cheeky banter between the two frustrated scientists, and the ending was a bit sillier too.
Liar!: Just tragic. Has a point, but damn.
Lost Little Robot: Tense but fascinating, sort of a mystery plot. 1w
Evidence: Just a beautiful, clever peice of work.
Evitable: To have the answer be so hopeful and yet kinda chilling at the same time, yes and no to a lurking concern in this age of emerging AI...
It's a tragedy that my local library network has so little Asimov available, but between interlibrary loans and used bookstores I'm sure I can get my hands on more, and will do so soon! 1w