Isaac Asimov | Lecturia

Isaac Asimov: Someday

“Someday” is a short story by Isaac Asimov published in August 1956 in the magazine Infinity Science Fiction. Set in a future in which machines have replaced much of everyday work, the story follows Niccolo and Paul, two friends who discover an old Narrator, a device that automatically creates and tells stories. The two friends complain that the machine only tells stories set in a world with horses, cows, and other things they do not recognize. While Paul tries to improve the device, he tells Niccolo that there was once a time—before computers—when people had to do something called “reading” in order to learn new stories.

Isaac Asimov: The Fun They Had

“The Fun They Had” is a short story by Isaac Asimov, published in December 1951 in Boys and Girls Page. Margie and Tommy, two children living in a future society, discover something they have never seen before: a real book printed on paper. The two friends—and Margie in particular—are fascinated by this unusual object, which describes a distant time when education was conducted in a way very different from the one they know.

Isaac Asimov: The Dead Past. Summary

In a future where scientific research is controlled by the government, Professor of History Arnold Potterley seeks access to the chronoscope, a device that allows images of the past to be viewed, in order to study ancient Carthage, but his request is denied. Frustrated, he persuades the young physicist Jonas Foster to investigate Neutrinics, the scientific basis of chronoscopy. Foster discovers a more efficient method for building chronoscopes and constructs one, but reveals that it can observe only up to one hundred and twenty-five years into the past. When Potterley’s wife wishes to use the device to see her deceased daughter, Potterley destroys it. He then informs on Foster to the authorities in order to prevent the dissemination of the discovery; however, Foster’s uncle has already sent the plans to multiple publishers. The head of Chronoscopy then reveals the devastating truth: the chronoscope can observe not only the dead past but also the immediate present, so its widespread use would mean the absolute end of human privacy.

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.