ROBOTS in ASIMOV's SHORT STORIES Majed S Allehaibi

MANSOURA UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF ARTS ـــ

THE NEW HUMAN: ROBOTS IN ASIMOV’S SHORT STORIES

Majed S Allehaibi Prof. of American Literature and Intellectual History School of Arts and Humanities Jazan University- Saudi Arabia

Journal of The Faculty of Arts- Mansoura University

th 67 ISSUE- OUG. 2020

THE NEW HUMAN: ROBOTS IN ASIMOV’S SHORT STORIES Majed S Allehaibi Prof. of American Literature and Intellectual History School of Arts and Humanities Jazan University- Saudi Arabia Abstract This paper focuses on selected short stories of Isaac Asimov and discusses the progression of robots depicted in these stories from mere toys to sophisticated creatures. During their evolution from simple devices, and tools to sophisticated human-like creatures, robots become aware of their condition as slaves and of their superiority to human beings, their creators, and thus seek liberation and the creation of their own society. Keywords: Evolution, Robot, Utopia, Reason, Thinking, Robotic laws. ملخص البحث:

Introduction positronic3 brains that provide them with a Thinking is a unique human quality; it is form of consciousness. Robots, thus, have what makes humans, in the Aristotelian three laws embedded in their consciousness. worldview, partly divine since they share Asimov lists them in his short story this quality with the divine this exercise of ―Runaround:‖ thinking1. However, in Isaac Asimov’s 1. A robot may not injure a human being, stories, robots share with humanity this or, through inaction, allow a human quality of thought and awareness of their being to come to harm. existence. Like humans, Asimov’s robots 2. A robot must obey orders given to it by learn from experience. In the context of his human beings except where such orders stories, the process of thinking evolves to would conflict with the First Law. become in some sense comparable to the 3. A robot must protect its own existence human soul. The robot evolves from simple as long as such protection does not thinking entity to a more complex being conflict with the First or Second Law. crowned by spirituality and religion2. (Asimov The Complete Robot 269-270) As part of Asimov’s paradigm, robots have 4 These laws lead robots to be effective and more caring about humans’ lives, in essence

1 The Aristotelian God is a mind thinking of itself. an idealization of the human consciousness. Phillip Cary writes, in his Augustine’s Invention In a story called "Evidence," Susan Calvin, of the Inner Self, ―Aristotle’s theology is famous a robopsychologist, describes how robots, for its central tenet that God is utterly separate the human creation, are better than most from the natural world and thinks of nothing but human beings, God's creation. In the itself: God is in fact defined as intellectual activity understanding itself. . . .‖ (21). following passage, she equates the robot to a 2 In this article, I use evolution in the sense of linear very good human being: progression from simple forms to more complex forms, not evolution in the sense of adaptation to environmental changes in which organisms acquire lucky variations that make them more 3 Asimov defines the positronic brain in ―Reason,‖ a likely to survive. These random variations allow short story, as ―calculated neuronic paths, which particular organisms to survive and reproduce, imbued each robot with what amounted to a pre- while other organisms that do not adapt fall into natal education‖ (294). extinction. The constant incremental 4 Later, Asimov added the Zeroth Law in his Prelude accumulation of these random modifications in to Foundation: "A robot may not harm humanity, response to external circumstances explains or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm‖ evolution in the Darwinian sense. (486).

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JOURNAL OF THE FACULTY OF ARTS 67th Issue – Oug . 2020 There are only two ways of definitely He gets used to this robot and develops proving Byerley to be a robot, sir . . . the affection for him. Similarly, the dog physical and the psychological. loves this boy and takes care of him. The Physically, you can dissect him or use an parents trust that their child will be safe X-ray. How to do that would be your as long as he is with the robotic dog. problem. Psychologically, his behavior One day, the parents decide to get their can be studied, for if he is a positronic child (who has never seen a living dog) a robot, he must conform to the three real dog. The boy’s answer is one of Rules of Robotics. A positronic brain bewilderment. He cannot grasp the cannot be constructed without them. . . . difference between the robot and the real If Mr. Byerley breaks any of those three dog. His robotic dog is real to him. Also, rules, he is not a robot. Unfortunately, when he hears that he’ll be replaced, the this procedure works in only one robotic dog shows a sense of fear as a direction. If he lives up to the rules, it metallic squeaking. The boy says, proves nothing one way or the ―Robot isn’t an imitation, Dad, he is my other…because, if you stop to think of dog‖ (17). The robot convinces the boy it, the three Rules of Robotics are the that he can feel and is capable of essential guiding principles of a good developing emotional ties with the child. many of the world’s ethical systems. Of When the father finally agrees that the course, every human being is supposed boy may keep his dog, the dog squeaks to have the instinct of self-preservation. happily. That’s Rule Three to a robot. Also, Similarly, in the story ―Sally,‖ there are every ―good‖ human being, with a social a group of cars with positronic brains. conscience and a sense of responsibility, They form their own community of cars is supposed to defer to proper authority; and love their caretakers. One female car to listen to his doctor, his boss, his named Sally is fond of her caretaker and government, his psychiatrist, his fellow always accompanies him. There are no man; to obey laws, to follow rules, to secrets between them. She intensely conform to custom--even when they hates Raymond Gellhorn, a businessman interfere with his comfort or his safety. who tries to steal the brains of the cars That’s Rule Two to a robot. Also, every and put them in brand new bodies. Their ―good‖ human being is supposed to love caretaker Jack refuses the offers and others as himself, protect his fellow Sally ridicules the idea. She does not man, risk his life to save another. That’s need a driver and hates to be ridden. At Rule One to a robot. To put it simply--if that moment, Raymond Gellhorn Byerley follows all the Rules of forcibly rides her. This action fills her Robotics, he may be a robot, and may with a sense of revenge; it is comparable simply be a very good man. (529-530) to rape. By the end, the cars, along with Robots are, in a sense, made by humans the bus (the abused slave who hates his in the ideal image of the Human in the master and has enough reasons to human mind. In their perfection, they are destroy him), succeed in their plot to kill more human than the flesh-and-blood Raymond Gellhorn, and, to wash off humans. They are superior to humanity what is left of him, Sally offers to allow as we know it. They demonstrate the her caretaker to ride her. That is a human qualities of minds and soul, remark of conscience. She feels guilty reason and emotions. that she has not allowed him to ride her In Asimov’s ―A Boy's Best Friend,‖ before, and now she wants to make up a boy lives with his parents on the moon. for that. He has a robotic dog for a long while. In ―Someday,‖ a fairytale telling

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THE NEW HUMAN: ROBOTS IN ASIMOV’S SHORT STORIES Majed S Allehaibi

computer (Bard) is kept in seclusion acknowledges the superiority of robots? from what is going in the world. He "The Tercentenary Incident" tells the keeps repeating to his master the things story of a robot identical in image and he knew before, so he is ridiculed and behavior to that of a fictitious future abused by the boys for his uselessness United States president, Hugo Allen and for being dated. For the sake of Winkler. This robot finds that this experiment, Niccolo and Paul try to president is a "vote-grabber, a promiser," expand the Bard’s ―memory tape‖ by but that he failed to accomplish anything downloading an up-to-date book about during his first term in office (232). So, computers in to its mind (45). This book this robot outfoxed the humans by serves as the connection between Bard vaporizing the real president using the and the outside world, about what is disintegrator gun as he is ready to going on in the field of computers. deliver his tercentenary speech. A When Bard accidentally is turned on by moment later, the robot appears and tells one of the boys, he starts telling his own them that he is the real president. What story of suffering with a voice that the robot killed was a device, a ―carried a hint of passion in it, a trace of metaphorical robot in the guise of a near feeling‖ (51). He ends with ―the president. This robot gives an little computer knew then that computers outstanding speech; no one has ever would always grow wiser and more heard a speech with such power and powerful until someday—someday— assurance. In this plot, the robot, in his someday‖ (52). calculation, is totally utilitarian. Though The dog, Sally, and Bard sense he hurts a human, he saves many. The kindness and cruelty and know how to story shows how much more potent and deal with them accordingly. Sally knows efficient he is than the real president. good from evil, and realizes that The secretary of the president implies in Raymond Gellhorn is evil while Jack is his conversation with Secret Service good. Bard’s years of oppression are agent Lawrence Edwards that as long the almost over. He says in his story, ―the job of human advancement is being done little computer knew then that computers perfectly and efficiently, does it really would always grow wiser and more matter if the president is a human or a powerful until someday – someday – machine? someday‖ (52). The Bard knows that ―someday‖ is near. Yet is ―someday‖ a language of revenge (like that in become conscious of their existence and of their 5 superiority to humans. They realize that they do R.U.R. ) — or is it the day man all the work and the humans, their oppressors, are only parasites living off of their labor. They 5 The utopian world displayed in Karel Capek’s play understand that the only way to freedom is by ―R.U.R.‖ ends as an apocalyptic vision. Domin, revolution and destroying mankind, considering the manager Rossum’s Universal Robots, humanity as an ―enemy, and an outlaw in the explains that robots are going to be the new universe‖ (34). They see their revolution as ―Mudsill‖ class in everyday society (James Henry progress towards self-determination and Hammond used this term in his 1858 speech titled independence from servitude. At this point, the ―Mud Sill‖ arguing that in every society there revolting robots see a new beginning, ―a new must be a lowest class - slaves- performing the world has a- risen‖ (49). But by killing their works that no other class is willing to perform). creator, who knows ―the secret of life,‖ they They can do any type of work more cheaply than destroy themselves (53). This realization comes man. They will produce vast quantities of food too late for a robot named Radius. Radius admits and goods, thus replacing human workers, and that only when robots are faced with their creating the conditions where humans can live in mortality do they become human. He says that leisure and with enough time to spend towards they studied human history and wanted to be the their own advancement. Soon, however, robots new human beings, but one without human flaws. 5

JOURNAL OF THE FACULTY OF ARTS 67th Issue – Oug . 2020 Finally, ―Reason‖ tells the story of an belief system, a religion and a worship advanced model of robots called ritual in a world far away from ours. QT1.They are stationed in space to ―to QT1 found that the cause of his feed solar energy to the planets‖ (282). existence is to become a prophet of god One of those robots, Cutie, shows and converts all the robots in the station ―curiosity as to his own existence‖ to his belief. Importantly, robots (281). Echoing Descartes, he says, ―I, continuously show human emotions of myself, exist, because I think‖ (285). He love (the dog and Sally), sadness like the refuses to believe in the existence of Bard. Interestingly, Cutie expresses an anything beyond the station. Powell, one advanced human emotion like righteous of the two humans overseeing the indignation; it makes him angry when robots, says ―he is a skeptic. . . . He his god is blasphemed by Donovan. He doesn’t believe we made him or that also expresses gratitude for the human Earth exists or space or stars‖ (283). who have done their best to serve the Cutie reasons that if he is a creation, the station. He says ―I really feel a sort of creator must be someone who is greater affection for you. You have served the than he is. Thus he concludes that this Master well, and he will reward you for station is his god, the creator. It created that‖ (291). Finally, Cutie expresses humans (Powell and Donovan) to serve sadness when Donovan and Powell are it. But because the humans are obsolete, about to leave the station. Cutie is weak, inefficient and ―makeshift,‖ the capable to communicate this station – god – decided to create a sentimentality to the humans as well. superior being, QT1, to serve it (285). Powel recognizes his sadness as QT1 announces that he has become the ―sympathy‖ and Donavan recognizes his Prophet of the Master and serves only anger as ―a sudden heightening of the Master. He sees himself as the tension,‖ which suggests that these highest creation of the master and his robots evolve to be recognized in some goal is to guide the other robots to the sense by human as equal. ―Truth‖ that ― There is no Master but Notably, this evolution parallels the end the Master and QT-1 is his prophet‖ of Karel Capek’s play R.U.R. when the (289). Cutie’s skepticism is founded on robots Primus and Helena develop the fact that he is better at doing his job human feelings. They love each other, as than the humans who pose as his masters it is evident in their dreams and willful in the station; he is flawless. In a sense, sacrifice for each other. Primus dreams confronted with a sense of loss, Cutie of Helena in his sleep and he speaks tries to understand his world and finds with her in a language he does not know, assurance and comfort in appealing to a one of love and romance, and higher power, a power that is more appreciation of beauty in the beloved: powerful than him, the station. Helena sees in Primus the rising sun and Throughout Asimov’s stories, the singing of the birds, and Primus sees robots evolve the way humans do. In the these same things in Helena. Seeing that examples above, we see them evolve. essential seed of humanity enables First, there is the child toy (the dog and Alquist to identify them as humans. He Bard). Second, we have a car with a compares them to Adam and Eve; they positronic brain (Sally). Then there is offer a new beginning, another step of the human servant that is aware of his evolution towards progress, in the sense superiority (the president). Finally, we that the future will always be better than see in ―Reason‖ the creation of a new the past. In these stories, robots evolve world order, the creation of a society, a

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THE NEW HUMAN: ROBOTS IN ASIMOV’S SHORT STORIES Majed S Allehaibi

to be human without human fallacies Ed. Junius P. Rodriguez. Santa and helplessness. Barbara: ABC-CLIO. 2007. Print. Works Cited VITA Asimov, Isaac. Prelude to Foundation. Majed Al-Lehaibi was born in Makkah, New York: Bantam Dell. 1988. Print. Saudi Arabia, where he was raised and ---. The Complete Robot. London: educated. He received his B.A. in English Grafton Books. 1983. Print. and Linguistics from Umm Al-Qura Capek, Karl. R.U.R. Trans. Paul Selver, University, Makkah, in 1998. He then and Nigel Playfair. Mineola: Dover pursued his graduate degree at the Publications. 2001. Print. University of Texas at Dallas, receiving his 1. Cary, Phillip. Augustine’s Invention M.A. in Humanities: Studies in Literature in of the Inner Self. Oxford: Oxford May 2004 and his Ph.D. in the same field in UP, 2000. Print. December 2011. Majed’s key areas of 2. Hammond, James Henry. "Mud-sill interest include the 20th century novel, Theory." Slavery in the United American social and political literature of States: A Social, Political, and the 1930s, American cultural and Historical Encyclopedia (Vol. 1). intellectual history of the 19th and 20th centuries

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