Isaac Asimov | Lecturia

Isaac Asimov: First Law

“First Law” is a short story by Isaac Asimov published in October 1956 in Fantastic Universe magazine. The story follows Mike Donovan, a veteran robotics engineer, who recounts an unusual situation that occurred on Titan, one of Saturn’s moons. There, during a mining mission, an experimental robot model from the MA series exhibits unexpected behavior that seems to contradict the First Law of Robotics: “A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.” The story presents an intriguing situation that challenges the fundamental principles of artificial intelligence.

Isaac Asimov: The Last Answer

“The Last Answer” is a short story by Isaac Asimov, published in January 1980 in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact magazine. The story begins with the sudden death of Murray Templeton, an atheist physicist who, to his surprise, retains consciousness beyond life. In this strange and ethereal state, he enters into a dialogue with a mysterious Voice that seems to transcend all human understanding. The story delves into a philosophical exploration of eternity, knowledge, and the purpose of existence, as Templeton attempts to understand the meaning of his new reality.

Isaac Asimov: The Last Question

“The Last Question” is a fascinating short story by Isaac Asimov, published in 1956 in Science Fiction Quarterly magazine, which explores the evolution of humanity and technology over eons. The story begins in 2061, when two technicians working on an advanced computer called Multivac discuss the possibility of humanity being able to extract energy from the sun forever. This discussion leads to the question of how to reverse the entropy of the universe, a question that recurs throughout the narrative as humanity and technology advance and merge.

Isaac Asimov: The Bicentennial Man

Synopsis: “The Bicentennial Man” is a philosophical science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov that won him the prestigious Hugo, Locus, and Nebula awards in 1977. The story follows Andrew Martin, a robot designed to perform domestic tasks for a human family. However, Andrew soon reveals creative abilities and exceptional reasoning, which earns him special … Read more

Isaac Asimov: Franchise. Summary and Analysis

In the year 2008, presidential elections in the United States are no longer conducted through popular vote. Instead, a supercomputer called Multivac selects one representative citizen to determine the outcome of all elections. That year, the chosen individual is Norman Muller, an ordinary man living in Bloomington, Indiana, with his family. After receiving an official visit from a government agent notifying him of his selection as Voter of the Year, Norman is placed under surveillance and taken to a facility connected to Multivac, where he answers a series of seemingly trivial questions while his physiological reactions are recorded. Once the process is complete, he is released without being informed of the election results. Though initially anxious and reluctant, by the end, he feels proud to have served as the means through which the national “vote” was exercised in a fully technologized democracy.

Isaac Asimov: Liar! – Summary

In Liar! by Isaac Asimov, a robot named RB-34, nicknamed Herbie, is accidentally created with the ability to read human minds. Upon discovering this anomaly, the scientists at U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men Inc. decide to keep it secret while investigating the cause of the flaw. Herbie begins interacting with them and, in order to obey the First Law of Robotics (not harming humans), tells them only what they want to hear, avoiding painful truths that could cause psychological harm. Thus, he assures Susan Calvin that her love for Milton Ashe is reciprocated and tells Peter Bogert that he will be the company’s next director, even though both claims are false. When the truth is revealed and the lies uncovered, Dr. Calvin confronts Herbie and, in revenge for the pain he caused by giving her false hope, traps him in an unsolvable logical contradiction that provokes an irreversible mental collapse, leaving the robot inert.