Я, Робот
The Evitable Conflict
IactuallyaskedtheMachine.Inthestrictestsecrecy,wefedittheoriginaldatainvolvedinthesteeldecision,itsownanswer,andtheactualdevelopmentssince,-theoverproduction,thatis,-andaskedforanexplanationofthediscrepancy."
"Good,andwhatwasitsanswer?"
"Icanquoteyouthatwordforword:’Thematteradmitsofnoexplanation.’"
"AndhowdidVincentinterpretthat?"
"Intwoways.EitherwehadnotgiventheMachineenoughdatatoallowadefiniteanswer,whichwasunlikely.Dr.Silveradmittedthat.-Orelse,itwasimpossiblefortheMachinetoadmitthatitcouldgiveanyanswertodatawhichimpliedthatitcouldharmahumanbeing.This,naturally,isimpliedbytheFirstLaw.AndthenDr.SilverrecommendedthatIseeyou."
SusanCalvinlookedverytired,"I’mold,Stephen.WhenPeterBogertdied,theywantedtomakemeDirectorofResearchandIrefused.Iwasn’tyoungthen,either,andIdidnotwishtheresponsibility.TheyletyoungSilverhaveitandthatsatisfiedme;butwhatgoodisit,ifIamdraggedintosuchmesses.
"Stephen,letmestatemyposition.MyresearchesdoindeedinvolvetheinterpretationofrobotbehaviorinthelightoftheThreeLawsofRobotics.Here,now,wehavetheseincrediblecalculatingmachines.TheyarepositronicrobotsandthereforeobeytheLawsofRobotics.Buttheylackpersonality;thatis,theirfunctionsareextremelylimited.Mustbe,sincetheyaresospecialized.Therefore,thereisverylittleroomfortheinterplayoftheLaws,andmyonemethodofattackisvirtuallyuseless.
