Я, Робот
Runaround
We’llsaythatarobotiswalkingintodangerandknowsit.TheautomaticpotentialthatRule3setsupturnshimback.Butsupposeyouorderhimtowalkintothatdanger.Inthatcase,Rule2setsupacounterpotentialhigherthanthepreviousoneandtherobotfollowsordersattheriskofexistence."
"Well,Iknowthat.Whataboutit?"
"Let’stakeSpeedy’scase.Speedyisoneofthelatestmodels,extremelyspecialized,andasexpensiveasabattleship.It’snotathingtobelightlydestroyed"
"So?"
"SoRule3hasbeenstrengthened–thatwasspecificallymentioned,bytheway,intheadvancenoticesontheSPDmodels–sothathisallergytodangerisunusuallyhigh.Atthesametime,whenyousenthimoutaftertheselenium,yougavehimhisordercasuallyandwithoutspecialemphasis,sothattheRule2potentialset-upwasratherweak.Now,holdon;I’mjuststatingfacts."
"Allright,goahead.IthinkIgetit."
"Youseehowitworks,don’tyou?There’ssomesortofdangercenteringattheseleniumpool.Itincreasesasheapproaches,andatacertaindistancefromittheRule3potential,unusuallyhightostartwith,exactlybalancestheRule2potential,unusuallylowtostartwith."
Donovanrosetohisfeetinexcitement."Anditstrikesanequilibrium.Isee.Rule3driveshimbackandRule2driveshimforward-"
"Sohefollowsacirclearoundtheseleniumpool,stayingonthelocusofallpointsofpotentialequilibrium.
