请输入您要查询的百科知识:

 

词条 First Law
释义

  1. Background

  2. Plot summary

  3. References

{{Other uses|First law (disambiguation)}}{{Infobox short story
|name = First Law
|author = Isaac Asimov
|country = United States
|language = English
|series = Robot series
|genre = Science fiction
|image =
|publication_type = Periodical
|published_in = Fantastic Universe
|publisher = King-Size Publications
|media_type = Print (Magazine, Hardback & Paperback)
|pub_date = October 1956
|preceded_by = Robot AL-76 Goes Astray
|followed_by = Runaround
}}

"First Law" is a science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov, first published in the October 1956 issue of Fantastic Universe magazine and later collected in The Rest of the Robots (1964) and The Complete Robot (1982).[1] The title of the story is a reference to the first of the Three Laws of Robotics.

Background

In 1941 John W. Campbell of Astounding Science Fiction began a new department, "Probability Zero", for very short stories. He hoped to publish new writers, but wanted experienced authors early on, including Isaac Asimov. To Asimov's surprise, Campbell rejected "Big Game" and "First Law" in November and December 1941. Having learned that a rejected story might sell elsewhere, he saved "First Law" until it was published by Fantastic Universe in October 1956.[2]

Plot summary

The story is very short, only three pages in length, and takes the form of Mike Donovan's account of an incident that occurred on Titan, one of Saturn's moons. He tells of a malfunctioning robot named Emma that escaped from the base and was later encountered by Donovan while he was lost during a storm. While Donovan's life was in danger, Emma chose to protect its offspring, a small robot that it had built, instead of assisting him. This was a direct violation of the First Law of Robotics, which states that "a robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm". Apparently, maternal instincts in the robot took precedence over its programming, an example of the commonly encountered literary theme of paternalism in Asimov's work.

While such direct disobedience of the First Law is not described in any other robot story by Asimov, he points out that the story is told by Donovan, who may be an unreliable narrator.[3] Asimov admits that "I was being funny at the expense of my robots".[3] In The Complete Robot, he also points out that this story is intended as a parody and is not to be taken seriously.[4]

References

1. ^{{isfdb title|44202}}
2. ^{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/stream/earlyasimovorele00asim#page/384/mode/2up |title=The early Asimov; or, Eleven years of trying |last=Asimov |first=Isaac |date=1972 |publisher=Doubleday |location=Garden City NY |pages=383-387}}
3. ^{{cite book |title=The Rest of the Robots |date=1964 |isbn=0-385-09041-2}}
4. ^{{cite book |title=The Complete Robot |date=1982}}
{{The Rest of the Robots}}{{The Complete Robot}}{{sf-story-stub}}

3 : Robot series short stories by Isaac Asimov|1956 short stories|Works originally published in Fantastic Universe

随便看

 

开放百科全书收录14589846条英语、德语、日语等多语种百科知识,基本涵盖了大多数领域的百科知识,是一部内容自由、开放的电子版国际百科全书。

 

Copyright © 2023 OENC.NET All Rights Reserved
京ICP备2021023879号 更新时间:2024/11/14 0:29:52