Robot Dreams

Isaac Asimov was born between October 4, 1919, and January 2, 1920, in Petrovichi, Russia, but he moved with his family to the United States when he was three years old. His parents owned a candy store in Brooklyn, and it was here that he developed a voracious appetite, not for candy, but for reading. Asimov earned a PhD in biochemistry from Columbia University and later served as a professor at Boston University School of Medicine. His scientific background deeply influenced his writing, providing a solid foundation for the speculative elements in his stories.

Asimov is perhaps most famous for formulating the Three Laws of Robotics, first introduced in his 1942 short story “Runaround,” part of the collection titled I, Robot. These laws have since become a cornerstone in discussions about the ethical programming of artificial intelligence.

[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 the orders given 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 Laws (Asimov, Isaac.