Robot Rules, OK?
An Examination of
Asimov's 'Laws of Robotics' Fiction

Roger Clarke

Australian National University

Published in two parts in IEEE Computer (December 1993, January 1994)

© Australian National University, 1991, 1992, 1993

Abstract

With the death of Isaac Asimov on 6 April 1992, the world lost a prodigious imagination. Asimov stated many times his attitude to robotics, and his motivation in creating, and writing stories based on, his 'Laws of Robotics'. He regarded robotics as a promising technological innovation to be exploited and managed, not, as writers before him had done, as a threat to be feared.

This paper examines the stories that he wrote, not from the perspective of the literary critic but rather as a 'gedankenexperiment' - as an exercise in thinking through the ramifications of the design. The conclusion is reached that the body of work achieves the reverse of Asimov's stated intention: it creates serious doubt about the possibility of devising a set of rules which would provide reliable control over semi-autonomous machines.

Exhibit 3
An Extended Set of the Laws of Robotics

The Meta-Law

A robot may not act unless its actions are subject to the Laws of Robotics

__________

Law Zero

A robot may not injure humanity, or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm

Law One

A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm, unless this would violate a higher-order Law

Law Two

(a) A robot must obey orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with a higher-order Law

(b) A robot must obey orders given it by superordinate robots, except where such orders would conflict with a higher-order Law

Law Three

(a) A robot must protect the existence of a superordinate robot as long as such protection does not conflict with a higher-order Law

(b) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with a higher-order Law

Law Four

A robot must perform the duties for which it has been programmed, except where that would conflict with a higher-order law

__________

The Procreation Law

A robot may not take any part in the design or manufacture of a robot unless the new robot's actions are subject to the Laws of Robotics


Navigation

Go to Roger's Home Page.

Go to the contents-page for this segment.

Send an email to Roger

Last Amended: 15 May 1996


These community service pages are a joint offering of the Australian National University (which provides the infrastructure), and Roger Clarke (who provides the content).
The Australian National University
Visiting Fellow, Faculty of
Engineering and Information Technology,
Information Sciences Building Room 211
Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd, ACN: 002 360 456
78 Sidaway St
Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
Tel: +61 6 288 6916 Fax: +61 6 288 1472