Blog Set #5

"Reason," by Isaac Asimov, 1941

I was confused reading this stories because I saw QT had a slight display of emotions and did not go along with the laws of robotics. I thought maybe it was that he was programmed with a bit too much intelligence and that’s why he deterred from the rules. From the beginning when he was questioning his existence and what it meant I had a feeling something would happen with him. He kept asking questions about his purpose and he didn’t seem to quite understand what the humans were telling him. He eventually just has this attitude where he feels he is superior to the humans and thinks he is the master. That part was a bit eerie to me because I would be freaked out if a robot told me he was my master.

         I feel like this robot had his intelligence too high because he also kept relying on the idea of logic when explaining to the humans why he didn’t believe they create him and earth wasn’t real. This robot had too much going through his though process and maybe that’s why he turned against the men. Also he gave long explanations to his actions meaning he thought about them thoroughly. He based them off the logic he knew and continued to go against the humans.

         The story to me sounds a bit cliché to the idea about robots taking over. The idea that we can create artificial intelligence and then have it turn on us is something I’ve seen quite a bit in science fiction literature. The idea is eerie to us and I think it has its roots back in this story. I liked the way the story went and how it gave a weird feeling to how we would see a robot going against us after questioning its existence. I was a bit confused at the end though.

"Super-Toys Last All Summer Long," by Brian Aldiss, 1969

I didn’t quite understand this story until the very end when it is explained that the little boy is artificial and he is to be replaced now that the parents were permitted to birth a natural child. I like that twist and how he also questions his existence like in the “Reason”. I definitely liked this story more than the first one.

         I didn’t understand why the child was having a hard time communicating with his mother until the end when she explains his communication wiring wasn’t working. That to me was very creepy. The child tries to convey his love towards his mother, which is another thing that didn’t that didn’t make sense to me because if he is a robot how can he feel emotion?

         With the developments in technology in the story we can see at this point there are artificial humans (and toys). But they make the child almost seem like a toy as feel. They seem as if they are trying to make a relationship with the child but at the same time when the mother discovers she can become pregnant she wants to dispose of him. This makes him seem like a toy as well. She mentions she has no issue getting rid of the teddy bear because he very well but is a little hesitant about the artificial child.

         The mother seems to be saddened by the fact that the child robot has emotion for her and values their relationship when she reads his letters to her. This may be difficult for her because she does not feel the same way about their relationship. She is ready to toss this robot to the side now that she knows she can give birth to an actual child. Its sad to see at the end when he rests and it says it feels like the embrace from his mother.