Even though Isaac Asimov didnt create the gene he definitely defined it. One of the Grandmasters of Science Fiction set a tone in the theme of robotics that so many other writers are intimidated to even try and strike out on their own. Asimovs Three Laws of Robotics are such a mainstay that so many shows have adapted them into their robots even if they dont state it. CMD Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation not only lived by these laws but he also had the positronic brain that Asimov popularized. The Three Laws are such: A robot can not harm a human nor allow a human to come to harm. A robot must follow every order by a human unless that order conflicts with the first order. A robot must not harm itself or allow itself to come to harm unless there is a conflict with the first or second law. (For those more geeky than myself and recognize that I didnt state The Three Laws perfectly, know this; its been 20 years since Ive read an Asimovs robot story. I quoted from memory and I am dayam proud that I can recall them so well.) This weeks selection comes from the series Futurestates. Futurestates is produced by the ITVS and is shown on PBS affiliates. It is a series of anthologies of short films that have a different theme with each show. This gem is titled A Robot Walks Into A Bar (2014) by Alex Rivera. In short, robots are being used by employers to replace employees. The question is; how would this conflicts with the three laws. This one falls under the double category of Intriguing and thought provoking. I present A Robot Walks Into A Bar (2014) by Alex Rivera. Enjoy. (Dont bother with comment. I know, theres nothing you can really say.) youtube/watch?v=fOz1cMu7hZQ
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 23:53:58 +0000