Once in a while, a human being comes along with the genius to change the worldviews for all time to come. One such man, named Isaac Asimov, was born in Russia on January 2, 1920. He and his parents immigrated to New York City, in 1923. Asimov originally studied science in school, but later discovered his love for writing science fiction. By the year 1950, Isaac wrote I, Robot, in this Novel he creates, the term robotics, and the three laws of robotics, which have been adopted by science fiction writer in the present.
In his future books, he shows the world his vision of the future of robots through his stories. Today robots are not as advanced as Asimov envisioned they would be, although some of the problems he predicted are arising. Sadly, Isaac will not be alive to see his fictional robotic creations become reality because he passed away at the age of 72 in 1992. He will be greatly missed by the readers of science fiction, although he leaves behind him a legacy, he has forever altered the future of humanity.
Isaac coined the term “Robotics” in 1950, he gave the world laws to govern the robots, most importantly, he greatly influenced the world’s vision of future robots for all time, and he did this at a time when not even the simplest one existed. Asimov is a human writing machine, who has published more than 500 books, and has at least one book in each of the major divisions of the Dewey decimal system. Although, his most influential writing was about robots, which he basically created. In his book I, Robot, one of the stories is about the first consumer robot.
This robot is non-verbal and obeys the three laws of robotics; he is sold as a nursemaid to a wealthy family. The little girl that owns him loves him a lot, although her mother doesn’t trust the robot, which is named Robbie. The mother says, “ You listen to me George. I won’t have my daughter entrusted to a machine – and I don’t care how clever it is. It has no soul, and no one knows what it may be thinking. A child just isn’t made to be guarded by a thing of metal. ” (I, robot p. 9). George her husband has no choice but to get rid of Robbie.
This example proves that “ Isaac Asimov is the greatest explainer or the age. ” (Carl Sagan, Cornell University Astronomer) This also proves that “ I suspect that long after Isaac’s’ other contributions sort of blend into history, his speculations about robotics and artificial intelligence will survive long into the future, said long time collaborator Martin Greenberg, a professor of political science at the university of Wisconsin at green bay. He also says this shows how he will affect us long into the future. ”
This influence can already be seen in the first learning robot, which follows the three laws of robotics and learns through observation, this robot was created at M. I. T. This is the beginning of the future of Asimov’s type of robots. Science Fiction writers influenced the last generation of Visionaries. “ Asimov, along with the genre’s two other acknowledged giants, the late Robert Heinlein and Arthur C. Clark, influenced the generation that propelled us into space and landed us on the moon,” Greenberg said.
New generations will be more influenced by movies, like the George Lucas epics. (Newsday Volume 112, Number 18 P. 3) One such person that was influenced by Asimov was Casey Cowell; “ About 20 years ago a man named Casey Cowell started his small company. He loved Science fiction, and enjoyed reading I, Robot. The book talked about U. S. Robots, which was the first company to introduce a mobile robot with a voice. Eventually, U. S. Robots and mechanical men Corp. became the biggest and most advanced and powerful company on earth.
Casey Cowell dreamed about the same future for his company, and in spite of the fact that his company had nothing to do with robots, he decided to name is small company U. S. Robotics. Twenty years have passed, now Casey Cowell is Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of a big and advanced company. U. S. Robotics Corporation is one of the leading companies in information access and has branches and offices all over the world. His dream has come true. Was his success related to reading Asimov’s book? The book could have given him some ideas and also made him set a goal.
Even after society is drawn toward flashy movies for inspiration, “ teenagers and adults, everyone who loves science fiction stories, read and enjoy Asimov’s interesting stories. His books really effect people’s vision of the future, their ideas and goals. ” (I. I. T. computers in society. ) So if people can be affected in such a way by just writing, imagine how special effects and movies will effect the world. As humanity moves into the future who knows what will happen? Well Asimov has some predictions in the form of short stories to satisfy human curiosity.
In most of the short stories in I, Robot, there is a common character; her name is Susan Calvin. She is quite important, her role is head ‘Robopsychologist’ at U. S. Robots and Mechanical Men Inc. Susan has quite a few interesting experiences in her job. One such experience is when the corporation she works for builds a mind reading robot by mistake. This robot is named Herbie, its builders including Susan try to question it and find out what makes it capable to read minds. Each person gets a different answer when they question Herbie.
Susan figures out why and lets everyone else know this when she says; “ This robot reads minds. Do you suppose it doesn’t know everything about mental injury? Do you suppose that if asked a question, it wouldn’t give exactly the answer that one wants to hear? Wouldn’t any other answer hurt us? And wouldn’t Herbie know that? ” (I, Robot, p. 131). The reason Susan figures all of this out is because Herbie told her, that the man of her dreams loved her and then Susan found out this wasn’t true.
This shows that, “ It seems unbelievable, but the four top researchers of U. S. robots become the victims of their own creation, and I would say victims of the robotic laws… When Susan learns that the robot was lying about her dream man, she loses control and attacks the robot bitterly, forcing it to burn out its own brain because the paradox of being forever aware of what would make people happy and to be unable to provide it. It is a very interesting problem related to psychology and ethics of human beings. Very often what we need to make us happy is impossible or even can be harmful. ” (I. I. T. Computers in society.
This story could be taken as a warning, of how not to become victims to the 3 laws of robotics and to be careful when creating new laws. In this day and age, we have politicians. They cheat, steal, lie, and commit adultery. Everyone wishes there were a better kind of politician. Asimov provides it, in the form of a robot that looks and acts human. Would humanity accept this thing to govern us? Yes although, only if humans didn’t know it was a robot. This would be the best politician ever because it would have to obey the three laws of robotics, meaning it could never hurt us.
Even though Asimov’s character meets resistance when he comes under the suspicion of being a robot. This is seen here, “A very interesting and dramatic story is about Stephen Byerley whom is a lawyer running for a political office. Some people say that he is not human. They say that he is a robot. Byerley proves his humanity by striking a human being. Susan Calvin realizes that it could have been another robot, which would prove that Byerley was a robot. Dr. Calvin lets it go because she understands that it would be better to have a good robot as a political figure than the position would be taken by a worse human being” (I. I. T. computers in society. )
Even thought Byerley might have hit a robot, it does not prove he is or isn’t human. Also, no one can blame Byerley for striking that man, he was provoked to do so when the man said, “ You cant hit me. You won’t hit me. You’re not human. You’re a monster, a make – believe man. ” (I, Robot, p. 235). Byerley must have temporarily lost control of himself, and he took his aggression out on this man. A few years later, Byerley who is now mayor runs for the office of World Co-ordinator.
He achieves this office, and Asimov creates a troublesome world for him to run, this world is run by computers, and unfortunately they are giving back false data to their human counterparts, which is impossible since they must obey the laws of robotics. He asks Susan to help him solve the problem, Susan asks the Computers directly, it says it can not answer, meaning that the answer could harm humanity. They take into account all the factors, including humans who are against the computers, this is what they come up with, “ A very interesting picture of the future.
The economy of the entire planet is totally controlled by positronic super brains, the Machines. They know what they are doing, and what they’re doing is providing for a better, more wonderful future than humanity could ever manage on its own. Susan Calvin says: ‘ … it means that the machine is conducting our future for us not only simply in direct questions, but in general answer to the world situation and to human psychology as a whole… Think, that for all time, all conflicts are finally avoidable.
Only the machines, from now on, are inevitable. ” (I. I. T. computers in society. ) This is just one possibility in a frightening future provided to the world by a master of fantasy. With Isaac’s stories as a possible guide to the future, it is up to humans of the world to decide and lead itself to the future. Robots in the workplace are already causeing problems with human workers. Hopefully these creations will stay under human control, no matter how smart the get, and above all the robots must remain loyal to the humans.