@RUTGERS.ARPA:pugh (05/06/85)
From: "pugh jon%e.mfenet"@LLL-MFE.ARPA
I read _Foundation's Edge_ and _The Robots of Dawn_ and I would like to
do some predictions of what I think is to come from Dr A.
**** Spoiler Warning ****
In both these books, and the short _Liar_, Issac introduced telepathic
robots, with differing results. Lenny was the first such robot, and as
such was doomed to failure, as most prototypes are (you should see our
new Cray!). In _Robots_ they worked much better and had gotten very subtle,
a dangerous and/or necessary trait that allows them much more versatility.
Would robots be really useful if they couldn't make decisions on their own?
I think they would need to ask every 20 nanos or so if they weren't capable
of deciding on a course of action and following it.
In _Edge_ the robots finished the ultra-subtle problem of ETs. They zapped
time around so that there weren't any ETs, just humans. After all, that is
the safest way for humans to live. I doubt any aliens could stand to live
in the same universe as us, regardless of whether we could handle it. I
mean really, we don't even like each other. So anyhow, the robots have been
subtly controlling us, even to the point of playing with the fabric of
space/time.
What is missing?
The book in which they do zap the old path of time, of course.
I think Issac has his next project going. We'll see. If he doesn't, perhaps
we can persuade him. Send those cards and letters.
By the way, does anybody know if Dr A really uses a Trash 80?
-- Jon Pugh@RUTGERS.ARPA,@MIT-MC:LS.SRB@MIT-EECS (05/08/85)
From: "Stephen R. Balzac" <LS.SRB%MIT-EECS@MIT-MC.ARPA>
Date: Monday, 6 May 1985 11:57-EDT
From: "pugh jon%e.mfenet" at LLL-MFE.ARPA
To: SF-LOVERS at MIT-MC
Re: Asimov's plans?
I read _Foundation's Edge_ and _The Robots of Dawn_ and I would like
to do some predictions of what I think is to come from Dr A.
**** Spoiler Warning ****
In both these books, and the short _Liar_, Isaac introduced
telepathic robots, with differing results. Lenny was the first such
robot, and as such was doomed to failure, as most prototypes are
(you should see our new Cray!). In _Robots_ they worked much better
and had gotten very subtle, a dangerous and/or necessary trait that
allows them much more versatility. Would robots be really useful if
they couldn't make decisions on their own? I think they would need
to ask every 20 nanos or so if they weren't capable of deciding on a
course of action and following it.
In _Edge_ the robots finished the ultra-subtle problem of ETs. They
zapped time around so that there weren't any ETs, just humans.
After all, that is the safest way for humans to live. I doubt any
aliens could stand to live in the same universe as us, regardless of
whether we could handle it. I mean really, we don't even like each
other. So anyhow, the robots have been subtly controlling us, even
to the point of playing with the fabric of space/time.
What is missing?
The book in which they do zap the old path of time, of course.
The events you are referring to are chronicled in "The End of Eternity"