Я, Робот
Evidence
"Alfred,"shesaid,"don’ttalkfoolishly.WhatifarobotcameuponamadmanabouttosetfiretoahousewithpeopleinitHewouldstopthemadman,wouldn’the?"
"Ofcourse."
"Andiftheonlywayhecouldstophimwastokillhim-"
TherewasafaintsoundinLanning’sthroat.Nothingmore.
"Theanswertothat,Alfred,isthathewoulddohisbestnottokillhim.Ifthemadmandied,therobotwouldrequirepsychotherapybecausehemighteasilygomadattheconflictpresentedhim-ofhavingbrokenRuleOnetoadheretoRuleOneinahighersense.Butamanwouldbedeadandarobotwouldhavekilledhim."
"Well,isByerleymad?"demandedLanning,withallthesarcasmhecouldmuster.
"No,buthehaskillednomanhimself.Hehasexposedfactswhichmightrepresentaparticularhumanbeingtobedangeroustothelargemassofotherhumanbeingswecallsociety.HeprotectsthegreaternumberandthusadherestoRuleOneatmaximumpotential.Thatisasfarashegoes.Itisthejudgewhothencondemnsthecriminaltodeathorimprisonment,afterthejurydecidesonhisguiltorinnocence.Itisthejailerwhoimprisonshim,theexecutionerwhokillshim.AndMr.Byerleyhasdonenothingbutdeterminetruthandaidsociety.
"Asamatteroffact,Mr.Quinn,IhavelookedintoMr.Byerley’scareersinceyoufirstbroughtthismattertoourattention.Ifindthathehasneverdemandedthedeathsentenceinhisclosingspeechestothejury.
