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I, Robot

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I, Robot
First edition cover
AuthorIsaac Asimov
Cover artistEdd Cartier
LanguageEnglish
SeriesRobotseries
GenreScience fiction
PublisherGnome Press
Publication date
December 2, 1950
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardback)
Pages253
Followed byThe Rest of the Robots
The Complete Robot

I, Robotis afixupcollectionmade up ofscience fictionshort stories by American writerIsaac Asimov.The stories originally appeared in the American magazinesSuper Science StoriesandAstounding Science Fictionbetween 1940 and 1950 and were then compiled into a single publication byGnome Pressin 1950, in an initial edition of 5,000 copies.

Overview

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The stories are woven together by aframing narrativein which the fictional Dr.Susan Calvintells 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,andmorality,and when combined they tell a larger story of Asimov's fictional history ofrobotics.[1]

Several of the stories feature the character of Dr. Calvin, chiefrobopsychologistatU.S. Robots and Mechanical Men,Inc., the major manufacturer of robots. Upon their publication in this collection, Asimov wrote aframing sequencepresenting the stories as Calvin's reminiscences during an interview with her about her life's work, chiefly concerned with aberrant behaviour of robots and the use of "robopsychology"to sort out what is happening in theirpositronic brain.The book also contains the short story in which Asimov'sThree Laws of Roboticsfirst appear, which had large influence on later science fiction and had impact on thought onethics of artificial intelligenceas well. Other characters that appear in these short stories arePowell and Donovan,a field-testing team which locates flaws in USRMM's prototype models.[2]

The collection shares a title with the then recent short story "I, Robot"(1939) byEando Binder(pseudonym of Earl andOtto Binder), which greatly influenced Asimov. Asimov had wanted to call his collectionMind and Ironand objected when the publisher made the title the same as Binder's. In his introduction to the story inIsaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories(1979), Asimov wrote:

It certainly caught my attention. Two months after I read it, I began "Robbie", about a sympathetic robot, and that was the start of mypositronicrobot series. Eleven years later, when nine of my robot stories were collected into a book, the publisher named the collectionI, Robotover my objections. My book is now the more famous, but Otto's story was there first.

— Isaac Asimov (1979)[3]

Contents

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Reception

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The New York TimesdescribedI, Robotas "an exciting science thriller [which] could be fun for those whose nerves are not already made raw by the potentialities of the atomic age".[4]

Describing it as "continuously fascinating",Groff Conklin"unreservedly recommended" the book.[5]

P. Schuyler Millerrecommended the collection: "For puzzle situations, for humor, for warm character, [and] for most of the values of plain good writing."[6]

Awards

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The first two stories of the collection, "Robbie" (1940) and "Runarond" (1942), were nominated for the Retro-Hugo Best Short Story award in 2016[7]and 2018[8]respectively. "Robbie" won the 1941 Retro-Hugo Award for the Best Short Story.

Adaptations

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Television

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At least three of the short stories fromI, Robothave been adapted for television. The first was a 1962 episode ofOut of this Worldhosted byBoris Karloffcalled "Little Lost Robot"withMaxine AudleyasSusan Calvin.Two short stories from the collection were made into episodes of the British seriesOut of the Unknown.These are "The Prophet" (1967), based on "Reason";and"Liar!"(1969). Both episodes werewipedby theBBCand are no longer thought to exist, although video clips, audio extracts and still photographs have survived. Repurposed robot costumes from the former appeared in the 1968Doctor WhoserialThe Mind Robber.[9]The 12th episode of theUSSRscience fiction TV seriesThis Fantastic World,filmed in 1987 and entitledDon't Joke with Robots,was based on works byAleksandr BelyaevandFredrik Kilanderas well as Asimov's "Liar!"story.[10]

Both theoriginalandrevival seriesofThe Outer Limitsinclude episodes named "I, Robot"but these are adaptations ofan unrelated workbyEarl and Otto Binderunder their jointpseudonym"Eando Binder". The Binders' story introduced a recurring character, the robot namedAdam Link.

In August 2023,David S. Goyerrevealed that he had gotten permission fromFOXheadLachlan Murdoch,a self-professed fan ofApple TV+'sFoundation,to adapt concepts fromI, Robotto the series' 2023 second season, in "tying [Demerzel/Daneel] into theI, Robotlaws [and] doing aspin-offmini-seriesthat specifically delves into our version of "The Robot Wars".[11]

Films

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Harlan Ellison's screenplay (1977–1978)

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During the late 1970s,Warner Bros.acquired theoptionto make a film based on the book, but no screenplay was ever accepted. The most notable attempt was one byHarlan Ellison,who collaborated with Asimov himself to create a version which captured the spirit of the original. Asimov is quoted as saying that this screenplay would lead to "the first really adult, complex, worthwhilescience fiction movieever made. "Ellison worked on the project from December 1977 to December 1978. Asimov himself advised Ellison as to the scientific validity of some elements of the script.

Ellison's script, taking inspiration fromCitizen Kane,[12]began with reporter Robert Bratenahl tracking down information about Susan Calvin's alleged former lover Stephen Byerly. This provided for aframing sequenceto adaptations of Asimov's stories. These differ from the originals in that they more strongly center around Calvin as a character. Ellison placed Calvin into stories in which she had not appeared and amplified her role in ones in which she did.

Although well-regarded by critics, the screenplay is generally considered to have been unfilmable for practical reasons, given the technology and average film budgets of the time.[12]Asimov also believed that the film may have been scrapped owing to a conflict between Ellison and the producers: when the producers suggested changes in the script, instead of being diplomatic as advised by Asimov, Ellison "reacted violently" and offended them.[13]

The script was serialized inAsimov's Science Fictionmagazine in late 1987, and appeared in book form with illustrations byMark Zugunder the titleI, Robot: The Illustrated Screenplay,in 1994 (reprinted 2004,ISBN1-4165-0600-4). Both Ellison and Asimov received credits.

2004 film

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Main article:I, Robot (film)

The filmI, Robot,starringWill Smith,was released byTwentieth Century Foxon July 16, 2004 in the United States. Its plot uses elements of "Little Lost Robot",[14]a few of Asimov's character names and theThree Laws.The plot of the movie is original; the screenplayHardwiredbyJeff Vintaris not based on Asimov's stories.[14]It has been compared to Asimov'sThe Caves of Steel,which revolves around the murder of a roboticist. Unlike the works by Asimov, the movie featured hordes of killer robots.

Radio

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BBC Radio 4aired an audio drama adaptation of five of theI, Robotstories on their15 Minute Dramain 2017, dramatized by Richard Kurti and starringHermione Norris.

  1. Robbie[15]
  2. Reason[16]
  3. Little Lost Robot[17]
  4. Liar[18]
  5. The Evitable Conflict[19]

These also aired in a single program onBBC Radio 4 ExtraasIsaac Asimov's 'I, Robot': Omnibus.[20]

Prequels

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The Asimov estate askedMickey Zucker Reichert(best known for the Norse fantasyRenshaiseries) to write three[21]prequels forI, Robot,since she was a science fiction writer with a medical degree who had first met Asimov when she was 23, although she did not know him well.[22]She was the first female writer to be authorized to write stories based on Asimov's novels.[22]

The follow-ups to Asimov'sFoundationseries had been written byGregory Benford,Greg Bear,andDavid Brin.[21]

Berkley Booksordered theI, Robotprequels, which included:

  • I, Robot: To Protect(2011)
  • I, Robot: To Obey(2013)
  • I, Robot: To Preserve(2016)
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See also:The Three Laws of Robotics in popular culture

In 2004,The Saturday Evening Postsaid thatI, Robot'sThree Laws"revolutionized the science fiction genre and made robots far more interesting than they ever had been before."[23]I, Robothas influenced many aspects of modern popular culture, particularly with respect to science fiction and technology. One example of this is in the technology industry. The name of the real-life modem manufacturer namedU.S. Roboticswas directly inspired byI, Robot.The name is taken from the name of a robot manufacturer ( "United States Robots and Mechanical Men" ) that appears throughout Asimov's robot short stories.[24]

Many works in the field of science fiction have also paid homage to Asimov's collection.[citation needed]

An episode of the originalStar Trekseries, "I, Mudd"(1967), which depicts a planet of androids in need of humans, referencesI, Robot.Another reference appears in the title of aStar Trek: The Next Generationepisode, "I, Borg"(1992), in which Geordi La Forge befriends a lost member of the Borg collective and teaches it a sense of individuality and free will.[citation needed]

ADoctor Whostory,The Robots of Death(1977), referencesI, Robotwith the "First Principle", stating: "It is forbidden for robots to harm humans."[citation needed]

In the filmAliens(1986), the synthetic person Bishop paraphrases Asimov's First Law in the line: "It is impossible for me to harm, or by omission of action allow to be harmed, a human being."[citation needed]

An episode ofThe Simpsonsentitled "I D'oh Bot"(2004) hasProfessor Frinkbuild a robot named "Smashius Clay" (also named "Killhammad Aieee" ) that follows all three of Asimov's laws of robotics.[25]

Theanimatedscience fiction/comedyFuturamamakes several references toI, Robot.The title of the episode "I, Roommate"(1999) is a spoof onI, Robotalthough the plot of the episode has little to do with the original stories.[26]Additionally, the episode "The Cyber House Rules"included an optician named" Eye Robot "and the episode"Anthology of Interest II"included a segment called" I, Meatbag. "[27]Also in "Bender's Game"(2008) the psychiatrist is shown a logical fallacy and explodes when the assistant shouts" Liar! "a la"Liar!".Leela once told Bender to" cover his ears "so that he would not hear the robot-destroying paradox which she used to destroy Robot Santa (he punishes the bad, he kills people, killing is bad, therefore he must punish himself), causing a total breakdown; additionally, Bender has stated that he is Three Laws Safe.[citation needed]

Thepositronic brain,which Asimov named his robots' central processors, is what powersDatafromStar Trek: The Next Generation,as well as other Soong type androids. Positronic brains have been referenced in a number of other television shows includingDoctor Who,Once Upon a Time... Space,Perry Rhodan,The Number of the Beast,and others.[citation needed]

AuthorCory Doctorowhas written a story called "I, Robot"as homage to and critique of Asimov,[28]as well as "I, Row-Boat", both released in the 2007 short story collectionOverclocked: Stories of the Future Present.He has also said, "If I return to this theme, it will be with a story about uplifted cheese sandwiches, called 'I, Rarebit.'"[29]

Other cultural references to the book are less directly related to science fiction and technology. The albumI Robot(1977), byThe Alan Parsons Project,was inspired by Asimov'sI, Robot.In its original conception, the album was to follow the themes and concepts presented in the short story collection. The Alan Parsons Project were not able to obtain the rights in spite of Asimov's enthusiasm; he had already assigned the rights elsewhere. Thus, the album's concept was altered slightly although the name was kept (minus comma to avoid copyright infringement).[30]An album,I, Human(2009), by Singaporean bandDeus Ex Machina,draws heavily upon Asimov's principles on robotics and applies it to the concept of cloning.[31]

The Indian science fiction filmEndhiran(2010) refers to Asimov's three laws for artificial intelligence for the fictional character "Chitti: The Robot". When a scientist takes in the robot for evaluation, the panel inquires whether the robot was built using the Three Laws of Robotics.[citation needed]

The theme forBurning Man 2018was "I, Robot".[32]

See also

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Citations

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  1. ^Beauchamp, Gorman (1980). "The Frankenstein Complex and Asimov's Robots".Mosaic: An Interdisciplinary Critical Journal.13(3/4): 83–94.JSTOR24780264.
  2. ^Portelli, Alessandrro (1980). "The Three Laws of Robotics: Laws of the Text, Laws of Production, Laws of Society (Les Trois Lois de la Robotique: lois du texte, lois de la production, lois de la société)".Science Fiction Studies.7(2): 150–156.JSTOR4239326.
  3. ^Asimov, Isaac (1979).Isaac Asimov Presents the Great SF Stories.
  4. ^"Realm of the Spacemen".The New York Times Book Review.February 4, 1951.
  5. ^Conklin, Groff (April 1951)."Galaxy's 5 Star Shelf".Galaxy Science Fiction.pp. 59–61.
  6. ^Book Reviews.Astounding Science Fiction.September 1951. pp. 124–125.
  7. ^"1941 Retro-Hugo Awards".August 18, 2016.
  8. ^"1943 Retro-Hugo Awards".August 16, 2018.
  9. ^"IMDb list of actresses that have played Susan Calvin".IMDb.Archivedfrom the original on December 18, 2016.RetrievedJune 29,2018.
  10. ^(in Russian)State Fund of Television and Radio ProgramsArchivedSeptember 8, 2009, at theWayback Machine
  11. ^DavidGoyerFoundation(August 2, 2023)."AMA: Hello Reddit! I'm David S. Goyer, showrunner ofFoundationon Apple TV and Director of episodes 202 and 203. Ask me anything! ".Reddit.Archivedfrom the original on August 1, 2023.RetrievedAugust 2,2023.DavidGoyerFoundation:Will we do anything more with tying Demerzel into theI, Robotlaws? Yes, for sure. Keep watching this season. We've even discussed doing a spin-off mini-series that specifically delves into our version of "The Robot Wars".No idea if we'll ever get there or ifAppleor the audience have the appetite for it. Depends on S2 reception and beyond. Maybe we do that – or maybe we try to incorporate that storyline within one of the seasonal arcs.
  12. ^abWeil, Ellen; Wolfe, Gary K. (2002).Harlan Ellison: The Edge of Forever.Columbus, OH: Ohio State University Press. p. 126.ISBN0-8142-0892-4.
  13. ^Isaac Asimov, "Hollywood and I". InAsimov's Science Fiction,May 1979.
  14. ^abTopel, Fred (August 17, 2004).""Jeff Vintar was Hardwired for I, ROBOT" (interview with Jeff Vintar, script writer) ".Screenwriter's Utopia.Christopher Wehner.Archivedfrom the original on August 31, 2018.RetrievedJuly 30,2014.
  15. ^"Robbie, Isaac Asimov's I, Robot, 15 Minute Drama - BBC Radio 4".BBC.Archivedfrom the original on December 22, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 10,2017.
  16. ^"Reason, Isaac Asimov's I, Robot, 15 Minute Drama - BBC Radio 4".BBC.Archivedfrom the original on February 8, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 10,2017.
  17. ^"Little Lost Robot, Isaac Asimov's I, Robot, 15 Minute Drama - BBC Radio 4".BBC.Archivedfrom the original on February 10, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 10,2017.
  18. ^"Liar, Isaac Asimov's I, Robot, 15 Minute Drama - BBC Radio 4".BBC.Archivedfrom the original on February 10, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 10,2017.
  19. ^"The Evitable Conflict, Isaac Asimov's I, Robot, 15 Minute Drama - BBC Radio 4".BBC.Archivedfrom the original on February 11, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 10,2017.
  20. ^"Isaac Asimov's 'I, Robot': Omnibus - BBC Radio 4 Extra".BBC.Archivedfrom the original on February 9, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 10,2017.
  21. ^ab"Fantasy author to write new 'Isaac Asimov' novels".October 29, 2009.RetrievedNovember 9,2014.
  22. ^ab"Area author continues works of Isaac Asimov".Kalona News. May 25, 2011.RetrievedNovember 9,2014.[permanent dead link]
  23. ^Kreiter, Ted. "Revisiting The Master Of Science Fiction".Saturday Evening Post.276(6): 38.ISSN0048-9239.
  24. ^U.S. Robotics Press Kit, 2004,p3PDF formatArchivedSeptember 28, 2007, at theWayback Machine
  25. ^Wellman, Henry M. (December 3, 2019).Reading Minds: How Childhood Teaches Us to Understand People.Oxford University Press. p. 135.ISBN978-0-19-087868-9.
  26. ^M. Keith Booker (2006).Drawn to Television: Prime-Time Animation from the Flintstones to Family Guy.Westport, Conn.: Praeger. p.122.ISBN0-275-99019-2.
  27. ^"The Cyber House Rules - The Infosphere, the Futurama Wiki".theinfosphere.org.Archivedfrom the original on February 6, 2024.RetrievedMay 31,2024.
  28. ^Doctorow, Cory. "Cory Doctorow's Craphound.com".http://www.craphound.com/?p=189ArchivedApril 27, 2008, at theWayback Machine(retrieved April 27, 2008)
  29. ^Doctorow, Cory."Cory Doctorow's Craphound.com".Archivedfrom the original on March 31, 2008.RetrievedApril 27,2008.
  30. ^Official Alan Parsons Project websiteArchived2009-02-18 at theWayback Machine
  31. ^"Reviews".Live 4 Metal. Archived fromthe originalon October 19, 2011.RetrievedOctober 13,2011.
  32. ^"I, ROBOT".October 18, 2017.Archivedfrom the original on July 3, 2018.RetrievedJune 1,2018.

General and cited references

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  • Chalker, Jack L.;Mark Owings (1998).The Science-Fantasy Publishers: A Bibliographic History, 1923–1998.Westminster, MD and Baltimore: Mirage Press, Ltd. p. 299.
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