Я, Робот
Runaround
Powellsighed."Well,itcan’tbehelpednow–butwe’reinafinefix."Hehaddismountedfromhisrobot,andwassitting,backagainstthecliff.Donovanjoinedhimandtheylinkedarms:Inthedistancetheburningsunlightseemedtowaitcat-and-mouseforthem,andjustnextthem,thetwogiantrobotswereinvisiblebutforthedullredoftheirphotoelectriceyesthatstareddownatthem,unblinking,unwaveringandunconcerned.
Unconcerned!AswasallthispoisonousMercury,aslargeinjinxasitwassmallinsize.
Powell’sradiovoicewastenseinDonovan’sear:"Now,look,let’sstartwiththethreefundamentalRulesofRobotics–thethreerulesthatarebuiltmostdeeplyintoarobot’spositronicbrain."Inthedarkness,hisglovedfingerstickedoffeachpoint.
"Wehave:One,arobotmaynotinjureahumanbeing,or,throughinaction,allowahumanbeingtocometoharm."
"Right!"
"Two,"continuedPowell,"arobotmustobeytheordersgivenitbyhumanbeingsexceptwheresuchorderswouldconflictwiththeFirstLaw."
"Right"
"Andthree,arobotmustprotectitsownexistenceaslongassuchprotectiondoesnotconflictwiththeFirstorSecondLaws."
"Right!Nowwherearewe?"
"Exactlyattheexplanation.Theconflictbetweenthevariousrulesisironedoutbythedifferentpositronicpotentialsinthebrain.
