Line #35 Literature/IRobot


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/irbt1950a.jpg]]
2
3	->''To you, a robot is a robot. Gears and metal; electricity and positrons. Mind and iron! Human-made! If necessary, human-destroyed! But you haven't worked with them, so you don't know them. They're a cleaner better breed than we are.''
4	-->--'''Dr Susan Calvin'''
5
6	First published in 1950 by Dr Asimov with Creator/GnomePress, this [[{{Anthology}} collection]] was edited into a complete {{Novel}} by adding a FramingDevice of a [[MostWritersAreWriters journalist]] interviewing Dr Susan Calvin. Together, they tell the history of robots and humans. This volume reprints several stories that were notable for redefining the perception of robots in fiction, introducing the word "robotics", and inventing the ThreeLawsOfRobotics. The stories are essentially a {{Genre Deconstruction}} of AIIsACrapshoot, exploring the specific [[LogicBomb faults in logical reasoning]] which may cause a robot to conclude that it must behave erratically.
7
8	Stories in this collection:
9	[[index]]
10	* "{{Literature/Robbie}}"
11	* "{{Literature/Runaround}}"
12	* "{{Literature/Reason}}"
13	* "Literature/CatchThatRabbit"
14	* "Literature/{{Liar\|1941}}!"
15	* "Literature/LittleLostRobot"
16	* "{{Literature/Escape}}"
17	* "{{Literature/Evidence}}"
18	* "Literature/TheEvitableConflict"
19	[[/index]]
20
21	If you are looking for the 1939 short story by Eando Binder from which Asimov's publisher stole the title, [[Literature/AdamLink click here]].
22
23	If you are looking for the first arcade video game to use solid 3D rendered raster graphics, created by {{Creator/Atari}} in 1984, [[VideoGame/IRobot click here]].
24
25	This book has been continuously in print since it was first published, and has been included in multiple {{Omnibus}}es. It has inspired several adaptations/homages, such as Music/TheAlanParsonsProject's [[Music/IRobot 1977 album]], the [[Script/IRobotTheIllustratedScreenplay 1978 movie screenplay]] that was published in 1994, the [[Film/IRobot 2004 movie]] starring Creator/WillSmith, and the 2005 short story by Creator/CoryDoctorow.
26	----
27	!!''I, Robot'' provides examples of:
28
29	* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: The FramingDevice is set many years after the stories being told by Dr Calvin. The world is ruled by a [[OneWorldOrder single planetary government]], robots/machines are used for nearly everything, and humanity has colonized parts of the solar system. By inference, we can tell the introduction begins in 2058 AD.
30	* AIIsACrapshoot: {{Deconstructed}}. Isaac Asimov felt it was ''absolutely ridiculous'' (and boring/cliche as a story concept) for robots/machines to behave in ways not covered by their programming, so he created the ThreeLawsOfRobotics as a guiding principle. Each story explores ways in which the Three Laws could conflict and cause the robots to not behave as intended, but the sphere of actions available to a robot always remains restricted to obeying the Three Laws or alternate interpretations of the Laws. Bottom line, robots don't go cuckoo for seemingly no reason; they go cuckoo explicitly as a result of a human error in logical reasoning, which the protagonists have to [[PuzzleThriller figure out]].
31	* AndroidsArePeopleToo: Dr Calvin, a [[HatesEveryoneEqually misanthrope]] who only cares for her robots, is used to humanize the robot characters. Other characters directly compare her to them, marking her as [[IronLady emotionless and dedicated as any robot]]. Despite this, we are made to sympathize with her view, and see her care deeply for several of the models, being tricked into romantic love and choosing to become a mother figure.
32	** Dr Calvin makes an argument for both her misanthropy and her love of robots using the Three Laws: because of the Three Laws, she argues that a cruel human being can only be a human being, whereas a kind, pacifistic, generous person can either be one of the very best of human beings, or a very advanced robot. The story "Evidence" is all about this argument over whether a prospective mayor is a robot or a man.
33	* AntiClimax: The FramingDevice featuring the reporter and Dr Calvin ends very abruptly after the last story, "Literature/TheEvitableConflict", ending with the reporter stating that she died recently.
34	* ArtifactTitle: In-universe, USR still calls itself "'''U'''nited '''S'''tates '''R'''obotics" long after the world's governments have been [[OneWorldOrder unified]] and the United States has ceased to exist as a nation.
35	* AsYouKnow: The viewpoint narrator of the FramingDevice often reviews information or prompts Dr Calvin to share colloquial knowledge. This helps the audience know background information, and is justified by the viewpoint character [[MostWritersAreWriters being a reporter who plans on writing the interview for public consumption]].
36	* AsimovsThreeKindsOfScienceFiction: The Three Laws of Robotics are the invention in question -- the series start detailing how the Laws are invented as well as their kinks, then move on to some adventure stories relying on the Laws, and end up with social science fiction about the impact of Three Laws-compliant AI on society, setting up Asimov's ''Robot'' novels.
37	* BanOnAI: Between retelling the events of "{{Literature/Robbie}}" and "{{Literature/Runaround}}", Dr Calvin mentions that Earth-based robots (for purposes other than scientific research) were banned by most governments during the years of 2003-2007.
38	* BoxedSet: ''Isaac Asimov: Five Books by the Master of Science Fiction'' contains five books, all published by Creator/FawcettCrest; ''Literature/IRobot'', ''Literature/TheGodsThemselves'', ''Literature/TheCavesOfSteel'', ''Literature/TheMartianWayAndOtherStories'', and ''Literature/EarthIsRoomEnough''.
39	* ByronicHero: Dr Calvin is incredibly cynical and takes several amoral and hypocritical actions (destroying Herbie's mind because he lied to her, suggesting they destroy an entire shipment of NS units just to get a single wanted robot).
40	* CassetteCraze: JustifiedTrope because the viewpoint character is a [[MostWritersAreWriters journalist]] that planned ahead of time to interview Dr Calvin. They use a pocket recorder to ensure accuracy in recordkeeping.
41	* CharacterizationMarchesOn: "Literature/Liar1941" is the first appearance of Susan Calvin[[note]]Her cameo appearance in "Literature/{{Robbie}}" is actually a [[OrwellianRetcon later addition]][[/note]], and is more emotionally-driven than the IceQueen she would become. Her motivation for destroying Herbie is spite, unlike her pragmatic decision in "Literature/RobotDreams".
42	* CompanyTown: By the time of the framing device, the [=USR=] factory is city-sized and has its own fire department.
43	* {{Dedication}}: This collection is dedicated to Creator/JohnWCampbell, and recognized as the "godfather" of the robots.
44	* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Humans calling robots "Boy", Robots calling human "Masters" and then "Sir", a human cannot find a robot because [[RacialFaceBlindness all robots look alike]], [[ActivistFundamentalistAntics humans protesting about robots that could have the same rights as humans]], 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 American 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" (for more on this, see the page for ''{{Theatre/RUR}}'', the work that originated the word).
45	* FictionalDocument: During the introduction, the [[MostWritersAreWriters narrator/journalist]] mentions the ''Encyclopedia [[PlanetTerra Tellurica]]'' as a resource.
46	* FramingDevice: The stories in this [[{{Anthology}} collection]] are [[PatchworkStory linked together]] with interludes of a young journalist interviewing an elderly Dr Susan Calvin, the [[FamedInStory famous robopsychologist]].
47	* HatesEveryoneEqually: Dr Susan Calvin has a withering dislike for all humans because they fail to live up to her ideals of positronic robots. Robots make much more sense... although she does not hesitate to destroy any robot that lacks/breaks [[ThreeLawsCompliant the Laws of Robotics]].
48	* HumanInterestStory: The [[MostWritersAreWriters reporter whose point of view we follow]] in the FramingDevice is trying to write an article about the [[FamedInStory famous]] Dr Susan Calvin because she's retiring from U. S. Robots, after having worked there as Chief robopsychologist for fifty years.
49	-->"Human interest out of robots? A contradiction."\
50	"No, doctor. Out of you."\
51	"Well, I've been called a robot myself. Surely, they've told you I'm not human."
52	* IcyGrayEyes: Susan Calvin's gray eyes are frequently described as being cold.
53	* ICommaNoun: A [[{{Anthology}} collection]] of ArtificialIntelligence stories. The title was stolen from one of the ''Literature/AdamLink'' stories by Eando Binder.
54	* IronLady: Dr Susan Calvin is portrayed as distant and dispassionate from the very start of the book. In the introduction, her "masklike expression and a hypertrophy of intellect" contrast against the "hectic discussion" of a panel about next-generation robots. Dr Calvin's personality is consistently described with cold analogies, [[TheStoic keeping her emotions under tight control]].
55	* {{Irony}}: In "The Evitable Conflict", Stephen Byerley is horrified by the idea that [[spoiler: the Machines are running the world]], and Susan Calvin has to point out the advantages to this. The last time Dr Calvin expressed similar opinons was in "Evidence" when [[spoiler: Byerley himself was suspected of being a robot ... and now that he's World Co-Ordinator, she's still not sure he isn't.]]
56	* LoopholeAbuse: In the story "Little Lost Robot" notes that the ".. or through inaction.." clause of the Three Laws was added prevent a different Loophole Abuse, where a robot could push a heavy box onto a human from above if it knew itself to be capable of later preventing it hitting the human - arguing that the action of pushing therefore had no certainty of causing harm - but then ''not'' actually save the human, since their compliance with the law was fully satisfied by pushing the box. The clause was problematic, as it resulted in robots spontaneously grabbing humans and pulling them out of even regular X-ray machines, since the robot could not be certain how long the human would be exposed for and even a short-duration exposure causes some amount of "harm", even though it is insignificant if managed correctly.
57	* MessyHair: Donovan's hair always springs back to the same unruly state he does to it, so he just doesn't bother. Anyway, he has bigger problems when we see him.
58	* MostWritersAreWriters: The viewpoint character of the FramingDevice is a journalist interviewing Dr Susan Calvin.
59	* NatureVersusNurture: Used this with regards to robots, of all beings, by comparing physically and [[ArtificialIntelligence positronically]] identical robots who developed with different frames of reference (generally resulting in [[InstantAIJustAddWater aberrant behavior]]).
60	* NoNameGiven: The unnamed [[MostWritersAreWriters reporter who acts as our viewpoint character]] for the FramingDevice never shares their name (to the audience) while interviewing Dr Calvin. The closest she gets to directly addressing them is saying "young man".
61	* NotSoAboveItAll: Despite her [[HatesEveryoneEqually misanthropy]] and stoic veneer, the one time Dr Calvin loses her cool, particularly with a robot, is when the telepathic Herbie falsely tells her that a man returns her affections.
62	* OddCouple: Donovan is the quirky, HotBlooded RedOni to Powell's calmer, saner BlueOni, but they work well together, united in their quest to survive dealing with the invariably insane robots their bosses throw at them.
63	* {{Omnibus}}: ''Great Science Fiction Stories'', published by Creator/StMichaelsPress, collects four ScienceFiction novels; ''[[Literature/TheSpaceOdysseySeries 2001: A Space Odyssey]]'', ''Literature/TheDemolishedMan'', ''Literature/TheDayOfTheTriffids'', and ''Literature/IRobot''.
64	* PatchworkStory: This {{novel}} begins with a FramingDevice of having a journalist interview Dr Susan Calvin. The stories that Dr Calvin tells the journalist are all previously published works featuring positronic robots. Many of them have been [[OrwellianRetcon tweaked]] for their inclusion in this [[{{Anthology}} collection]], adding scenes and fixing timelines.
65	* PlanetTerra: The [[FictionalDocument (fictional) encyclopedia resource]] mentioned in the introduction is named ''Encyclopedia Tellurica'', making it a set of books about the Earth.
66	* PluckyComicRelief: The stories featuring Powell and Donovan tend to always be the most comedic, with the fellas typically subjected to TheChewToy slapstick treatment bordering on CosmicPlaything.
67	* RedOniBlueOni: Donovan is the quirky, HotBlooded RedOni to Powell's calmer, saner BlueOni, but they work well together, united in their quest to survive dealing with the invariably insane robots their bosses throw at them.
68	* SeriesContinuityError:
69	** "Little Lost Robot", which, according to Dr Calvin's narrative, is set in 2029, references a World Coordinator; however, in "Evidence", Dr Calvin states that the first World Coordinator was elected in 2044.
70	** In "The Evitable Conflict", set in 2052, when Dr Calvin is seventy, Bogert is said to be dead; however, in "Feminine Intuition", when Dr Calvin is nearly eighty, Bogert is very much alive.
71	* SpellMyNameWithAnS: The Creator/DigitBooks cover from 1958 publishes the author name as "Issac Asimov".
72	* TheStoic: Susan Calvin makes out that she has no emotions. [[NotSoStoic She does, but she bottles them up and tries to forget about them.]]
73	* {{Tagline}}:
74	** "MAN-MADE MACHINES RULE THE WORLD! Fascinating Tales of a Strange Tomorrow" -- Creator/{{Signet}} cover, 1957
75	** "Stories of Science Fiction" -- Creator/GraysonAndGrayson cover, 1952
76	** "The Day of the Mechanical Men-- [-PROPHETIC GLIMPSES OF A STRANGE AND THREATENING TOMORROW-]" -- Creator/{{Signet}} cover, 1961
77	** "''Fascinating Tales from Beyond Tomorrow by the'' Master of Science Fiction" -- Creator/FawcettCrest, 1970
78	** "Over 1 million copies in print" -- Creator/DelRey, 1983
79	* ThoseTwoGuys: Powell and Donovan. Even portrayed as explicit HeterosexualLifePartners in Harlan Ellison's unfilmed screenplay.
80	* TheUnReveal: Though it's hinted Stephen Byerley may actually be a robot, the book never definitely says so. Even in death, he avoided any proofs one way or the other. Calvin doesn't care either way; as she sees it, him being a robot would only mean he'd do his job to the best of his ability, as much as could be asked of any human.
81	* {{Unobtainium}}: Positronic central processing units are made from a "the spongy globe of plantinumiridium about the size of a human brain". These "positronic brains" are used, in conjunction with the [[ThreeLawsCompliant Three Laws of Robotics]], as plot devices to create the PuzzleThriller stories.
82	* TheWatson: The FramingDevice is written [[MostWritersAreWriters from the perspective of a reporter]] who is interviewing Dr Susan Calvin, [[FamedInStory the famous robopsychologist]]. It is at their prompting that Dr Calvin tells the stories and drops {{Exposition}} about [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture the world of the future]].
83	* 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. 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. [[spoiler:Ironically, by the end the ''robots'' are ultimately the ones running things from behind the scenes.]]

Context Literature / IRobot