I, Robot (The Robot Series)

This classic science fiction masterwork by Isaac Asimov weaves stories about robots, humanity, and the deep questions of existence into a novel of shocking intelligence and heart. #160; A must-read for science-fiction buffs and literature enjoyers alike. The Guardian I, Robot , the first and most widely read book in Asimovs Robot series, forever changed the worlds perception of artificial intelligence. Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-reading robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the worldall told with the dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction that has become Asimovs trademark.#160; The 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. With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov formulated the laws governing robots behavior. In I, Robot , Asimov chronicles the development of the robot from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant futurea#160; future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete. Tremendously exciting and entertaining . . . Asimov dramatizes an interesting question: How can we live with machines that, generation by generation, grow more intelligent than their creators and not eventually clash with our own invention? The Chicago Tribune In the late 1940s and early 1950s Isaac Asimov found a home on the pages of the science-fiction magazines Astounding and Super-Science Stories. World War II had just ended and the world was obsessed with air combat and the role of technology in society. Asimov s stories reflected the concerns over the danger of technology but they also humanized robots, indicating that it is not technology that is evil but the way it is sometimes abused. His stories were so successful that in 1950 nine of his best short stories were selected for publication as the book I, Robot. In this book you get such greats as: Catch That Rabbit Runaround The Evitable Conflict Robbie These classics revolutionized science fiction, and just a few years later, in 1957, Asimov s birth country would forever change history by launching the world s first artificial satellite, Sputnik. If you like this book, you may also enjoy Asimov s full-length features_The Caves of Steel_ and The Naked Sun, also available in eBook format. Science-Fiction The 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. With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future--a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete. Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-read robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world--all told with the dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction that has become Asmiov's trademark I, Robot is a fixup novel 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, in an initial edition of 5,000 copies. The stories are woven together by a framing narrative in which the fictional Dr. Susan Calvin tells each story to a reporter (who serves as the narrator) in the 21st century. Although the stories can be read separately, they share a theme of the interaction of humans, robots, and morality, and when combined they tell a larger story of Asimov's fictional history of robotics. ---------- Contains: "Introduction" "Robbie" (1940, 1950) "Runaround" (1942) "Reason" (1941) "Catch That Rabbit" (1944) "Liar!" (1941) "Little Lost Robot" (1947) "Escape!" (1945) "Evidence" (1946) "The Evitable Conflict" (1950)