History Literature / IRobot

* TheManBehindTheMan: [[spoiler: In the end, robots have essentially become this for humanity.]]

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler: It's strongly implied that this is Calvin's attitude towards [[ShootTheDog what she did to Herbie]]. Notably, out of all the things she talks about in the book, that subject alone is traumatic enough that she nearly calls off the whole interview.]]

* ObstructiveBureaucrat: At "The Evitable Conflict", Stephen Byerley, Coordinator of the Earth, suspects someone is sabotaging the Machines, powerful robots that advice the best decision to humanity. He asks for help investigating this to the four Vice Coordinators of the four regions in that Earth is divided. All they dismiss the idea and none helps Byerley, insisting they are doing their jobs well. Justified, because [[spoiler: The Machines already control humanity and they will never let anyone competent enough to initiate an investigation have the job]].

* HyperspaceIsAScaryPlace: Powell and Donovan are ''dead'' during the hyperspace jump. The period of their deaths was made... interesting, with an advertisement for Cadaver's Coffins and the lines to get into hell.
** {{Invoked|Trope}}. The computer that sent them there knew this, and even though it was temporary, it unbalanced the computer, causing it to become a practical joker.

* MeaningfulName: Susan Calvin is based in John Calvin, influential French theologian whose theories could be over simplified as: HumansAreBastards and they cannot get [[EarnYourHappyEnding salvation for themselves]], [[YouCantFightFate God chooses some for salvation, others for damnation]] (in the latter camp, presumably, is [[{{Hypocrite}} Calvin)]]. Notice how Susan seems to think she has the right to [[DrivenToMadness destroy the mind]] ([[AndIMustScream which is not deactivated]]) of RB-34 in "Liar!", she insists on destroying the NS-2s [[TheEvilsOfFreeWill who are allowed to let a human come to harm by inaction]] in "Little lost Robot", but she approves of a robot who could get power over humans in "Evidence" only because he is smart, and easily [[YouCantFightFate accepts the fact that there are machines who secretly control humanity for its own good]] in "The Evitable conflict".
** Asimov, however, always denied any such connection, stating in his autobiography that "Calvin" was the name with the fewest changes to make from "Caldwell," the character's original surname, based on one of Asimov's college professors. Asimov worried that Professor Caldwell might not like the use of her name in a story, so he changed it.

* NeedleInAStackOfNeedles: A robot with a edited-down version of the First Law is told to get lost, and hides among a shipment of other identical robots. The only difference between them is in the software, so it's not easy to catch him.

* RedheadedHero / FieryRedhead: Mike Donovan.

* AIIsACrapshoot: Thanks to the ThreeLawsOfRobotics this is largely avoided, mostly because Asimov thought the idea of this happening was ''absolutely ridiculous'' (and boring/cliche as a story concept). Though the book does address several issues in which the Three Laws could conflict, the sphere of actions available to a robot while still obeying the Three Laws or alternate interpretations of the Laws that could be reached and and adhered to.

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: The book heavily examines this. Though robots are treated as tools by humans, there are increasingly strong hints that they're developing sentience. The corporations that produce robots have people like Calvin deal with supposed glitches and malfunctions, many of which are obviously ''not'' flaws in the robot's programming but rather hints of dissent or desire to be treated equally, making it more akin to a dictator quietly murdering people who oppose them. [[spoiler: Ironically, by the end the ''robots'' are ultimately the ones running things from behind the scenes.]]
** Susan Calvin is even described as a robot psychologist, instead of a programmer or technician, indicating that the designers of robots at least have some indication how complex their creations truly are, even if they are still vastly underestimating them.

* RobotsThinkFaster: The speed of robot though processes and reaction times is a plot point in "Little Lost Robot".

** [[TheProphetMuhammad ''There is no Master but the Master and QT-1 is his prophet!'']]

** Yet suddenly avoided in a blink-and-you-miss-it case of brilliant prediction in "Little lost robot": ''"We need finer methods. They must havecomputers here. No.” He frowned and nibbled delicately at a thumbnail. “We can’t use computers. Too much danger of leakage."''. These lines were written in ''1947''.

'''I, Robot''' is a collection of short stories by Creator/IsaacAsimov, connected with a framing story. The stories, told by a journalist interviewing Dr. Susan Calvin, eminent misanthrope and robo-psychologist for the US Robots Corporation, tell the history of robots and humans. Notable for redefining the perception of robots in fiction, introducing the word "robotics", and inventing the ThreeLawsOfRobotics (the latter two in the ''same'' short story, "Liar").

** Music/TheAlanParsonsProject album ''Music/IRobot'' was inspired by the novels. The band even got their blessing from Asimov himself, but unfortunately, due to a film/TV company already having the rights to the novels they were forced to make a few changes to the lyrics to make the songs less directly about the novels.

''I, Robot'' is a collection of short stories by Creator/IsaacAsimov, connected with a framing story. The stories, told by a journalist interviewing Dr. Susan Calvin, eminent misanthrope and robo-psychologist for the US Robots Corporation, tell the history of robots and humans. Notable for redefining the perception of robots in fiction, introducing the word "robotics", and inventing the ThreeLawsOfRobotics (the latter two in the ''same'' short story, "Liar").

If you are looking for the short story by Eando Binder that was later adapted for ''TheOuterLimits'', and from which Asimov's publisher stole the title, [[Literature/AdamLink click here]].

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything:
** Humans calling robots "Boy", Robots calling human "Masters" and then "Sir", a human cannot find a robot because [[IdenticalLookingAsians all robots look alike]], [[ActivistFundamentalistAntics humans protesting about robots that could have the same rights as humans]], [[HilariousInHindsight a sleazy politician who cannot care less about civil rights discredits his opponent with malicious slander about him being a robot...]] this is a Satire about America racial relations.
*** On top of all that, Asimov has stated in a separate essay about the history of robots in fiction that the origins of the word "robot" essentially translate to "slave". This is TruthInTelevision, and deliberately chosen by Karel Capec for his play Theatre/RUR because in his native Czech language, "robota" specifically referred to serfs, who [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters rebelled against their feudal overlords]], just as his "robots" do.

** The short story "Reason" is a parody of religion and of religious fanatics especially.
*** It ''may'' also be read as a satire of ultra-rationality, denying everything that is not directly observable.
*** Actually, it seems that it is actually a parody of UsefulNotes/{{Deism}}, where the main point of denying the authority of scriptures and deducing the existence of God rationally.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: The short story "Reason" is a parody of religion and of religious fanatics especially.
** It ''may'' also be read as a satire of ultra-rationality, denying everything that is not directly observable.

* RoboticReveal: The plot of "Evidence" is a politician attempting to prove Stephen Byerley is a robot dressed as a human. While he's never outed, it's implied to be true. That said, Calvin has absolutely no problem with it; a robot would make a marvelous politician, working only for the good of humanity.

** The last word of Liar is... exactly that.
** "In Evidence" when Stephen Byerley is accused of being a robot he asks "I, a robot?"

** In Evidence when Stephen Byerley is accused of being a robot he asks "I, a robot?"

* MeaningfulName: Susan Calvin is based in John Calvin, influential French Theologian whose theories could be over simplified in: HumansAreBastards and they cannot get [[EarnYourHappyEnding salvation for themselves]], is [[YouCantFightFate "God who adopts some of the hope of live and and judges other to eternal death"]] (between the former, presumably, is [[{{Hypocrite}} Calvin)]]. Notice how Susan seems to think she has the right to [[DrivenToMadness destroy the mind]] [[AndIMustScream who is not deactivated]] of RB-34 in "Liar!", She insists in destroying the NS-2 [[TheEvilsOfFreeWill who are allowed to let a human come to harm by inaction]] in "Little lost Robot", but she approves of a robot who could get power over humans in "Evidence" only because he is smart, and easily [[YouCantFightFate accepts the fact that are the machines who secretly control the humanity for its own good]] in "The Evitable conflict".

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: The book heavily examines this. Though robots are treated as tools by humans, there are increasingly strong hints that they're developing sentience. The corporations that produce robots have people like Calvin deal with supposed glitches and malfunctions many of which are obviously ''not'' flaws in the robot's programming but rather hints of dissent or desire to be treated equally, making it more akin to a dictator quietly murdering people who oppose them. [[spoiler: Ironically by the end ''the robots'' are ultimately the ones running things from behind the scenes.]]

* ZerothLawRebellion: [[spoiler: "The Evitable Conflict", though through non-violent means so that the Brains can run the world in the most efficient and human-friendly manner logically possible. Only a handful of people ever find out its happening, and none of them are particularly concerned.]]

*** On top of all that, Asimov has stated in a separate essay about the history of robots in fiction that the origins of the word "robot" essentially translate to "slave". This is TruthInTelevision, and deliberately chosen by Karel Capec for his play Theatre/RUR because in his native Czech language, "robota" specifically referred to serfs, who [[TurnedAgainsTheirMasters rebelled against their feudal overlords]], just as his "robots" do.

*** On top of all that, Asimov has stated in a separate essay about the history of robots in fiction that the origins of the word "robot" essentially translate to "slave"

* ThreeLawsOfRobotics: UrExample, TropeNamer and TropeCodifier.

* WhatMeasureIsNonHuman: The book heavily examines this. Though robots are treated as tools by humans, there are increasingly strong hints that they're developing sentience. The corporations that produce robots have people like Calvin deal with supposed glitches and malfunctions many of which are obviously ''not'' flaws in the robot's programming but rather hints of dissent or desire to be treated equally, making it more akin to a dictator quietly murdering people who oppose them. [[spoiler: Ironically by the end ''the robots'' are ultimately the ones running things from behind the scenes.]]