I, Robot

I recently finished reading the science-fiction book I, Robot. I enjoyed the interesting view it was written in, as if being written like an article by a person who interviewed the main character, Dr. Susan Calvin. The book began in the past, reviewing how some robots functioned and lived, and then the meat of the story was in the section where Dr. Calvin and her colleagues were working on how to solve a problem with robots, since they were the heads of that department. The problem was this: There are three laws robots are designed to follow, and the First Law is the "No robot shall ever harm a human being". Robots have been made with these laws for years, until Dr. Calvin realizes a mistake. The robot she works with, Herbie, can read minds. When Dr. Calvin confides in him that she secretly loves one of the men she works with, Milton Ashe, he reads her mind and tells her Ashe loves her back, even though she is not attractive, but because she is smart he likes her. Dr. Calvin believes him, but the next time she has a meeting with Ashe, he tells her he is going to get married to another woman. Devastated and furious, Dr. Calvin confronts the cowering Herbie. He tells her this is all just a dream, because that is what she wants it to be. However, despite being on the verge of hysteria, Dr. Calvin realizes the truth- Herbie cannot tell her the truth she does not want to hear. This is because of the First Law. No robot shall ever harm a human being. In the creation of these laws, it was not ever considered that a mind reading robot might not be able to tell his master the truth, because he would be hurting her feelings. The First Law never specified whether a robot could not harm humans physically or internally. For the remainder of the book, bitter Dr. Calvin and her colleagues work to try to change this, and attempt to stop a rogue robot from messing with other robots. It is very different from other books I have read, and I enjoyed its difference.