In I ROBOT Isaac Asimov's 1950 short story collection about robots in the future, he sets up the Three Laws of Robotics: 1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm 2) A robot must obey orders givein to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
The interlocking narrative through the eyes of A Dr. Susan Calvin, chief scientist at U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc. recounts an interlocking narrative of robots troubled by interaction with he human race in conflict with the Three Laws of Robotics. The tales were set in the 21st Century.
I.E. now.
Two weeks ago a self-driving Uber car ran down a pedestrian in Arizona, thereby breaking Law # 1.
The robot driver stopped only after impact.
The safety driver appeared shocked by the fatal accident.
The governor of that desert state and Uber had kept the program a secret according to the Guardian. He rode in a driverless car entrusting his faith in technology. Mind you I couldn't find a single photo of the governor kissing a baby on the campaign trail, eating a hot dog, or drinking a beer. Is he an alien?
No, he's a Catholic educated by Jesuits.
I couldn't find any photos of him as an altar boy.
But he loves driverless cars.
Even though he doesn't believe in the 3rd Law of Robotics.
Mankind before God. ps the name of the woman killed by the driverless car was Elaine Herzberg.
She was 49 years old.
She was homeless.
People called her 'Elle'.
Se was not a robot.
Cover of I ROBOT by Robert Cartier.
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