Я, Робот
Introduction
"Thirty-two,"Isaid.
"Thenyoudon’trememberaworldwithoutrobots.Therewasatimewhenhumanityfacedtheuniversealoneandwithoutafriend.Nowhehascreaturestohelphim;strongercreaturesthanhimself,morefaithful,moreuseful,andabsolutelydevotedtohim.Mankindisnolongeralone.Haveyoueverthoughtofitthatway?"
"I’mafraidIhaven’t.MayIquoteyou?"
"Youmay.Toyou,arobotisarobot.Gearsandmetal;electricityandpositrons.Mindandiron!Human-made!Itnecessary,human-destroyed!Butyouhaven’tworkedwiththem,soyoudon’tknowthem.They’reacleanerbetterbreedthanweare."
Itriedtonudgehergentlywithwords,"We’dliketohearsomeofthethingsyoucouldtellus;getyourviewsonrobots.TheInterplanetaryPressreachestheentireSolarSystem.Potentialaudienceisthreebillion,Dr.Calvin.Theyoughttoknowwhatyoucouldtellthemonrobots."
Itwasn’tnecessarytonudge.Shedidn’thearme,butshewasmovingintherightdirection.
"Theymighthaveknownthatfromthestart.WesoldrobotsforEarth-usethen–beforemytimeitwas,even.Ofcourse,thatwaswhenrobotscouldnottalk.Afterward,theybecamemorehumanandoppositionbegan.Thelaborunions,ofcourse,naturallyopposedrobotcompetitionforhumanjobs,andvarioussegmentsofreligiousopinionhadtheirsuperstitiousobjections.Itwasallquiteridiculousandquiteuseless.Andyetthereitwas."
