Я, Робот

           There’smoretothis."Hepointedafingerwithawidesweep,"Lanning,takeit!"

           Dr.AlfredLanningviewedtheproceedingswithfaintscorn-hisusualreactiontothedoingsofthevastlybetterpaidbusinessandsalesdivisions.Hisunbelievablegrayeyebrowshunchedlowandhisvoicewasdry:

           "Fromascientificstandpointthesituation,whilenotentirelyclear,issubjecttointelligentanalysis.Thequestionofinterstellartravelunderpresentconditionsofphysicaltheoryis...uh...vague.Thematteriswideopen–andtheinformationgivenbyConsolidatedtoitsthinkingmachine,assumingthesewehavetobethesame,wassimilarlywideopen.Ourmathematicaldepartmenthasgivenitathoroughanalysis,anditseemsConsolidatedhasincludedeverything.ItsmaterialforsubmissioncontainsallknowndevelopmentsofFranciacci’sspace-warptheory,and,apparently,allpertinentastrophysicalandelectronicdata.It’squiteamouthful."

           Robertsonfollowedanxiously.Heinterrupted,"ToomuchforTheBraintohandle?"

           Lanningshookhisheaddecisively,"No.TherearenoknownlimitstoTheBrain’scapacity.It’sadifferentmatter.It’saquestionoftheRoboticLaws.TheBrain,forinstance,couldneversupplyasolutiontoaproblemsettoitifthatsolution,wouldinvolvethedeathorinjuryofhumans.Asfarasitwouldbeconcerned,aproblemwithonlysuchasolutionwouldbeinsoluble.