{Isaac Asimov

His Life and an Intro. to the Short Story “Robbie”

{ {Isaac Asimov

One of the most prolific writers of all time Wrote/edited over 500

books 90,000 personal

correspondances Published in all ten

categories of the Dewey Decimal System

Writer Extraordinaire

{ {Part of the Big Three

Master of Sci Fi Robert A.

Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, and Asimov are called the “Big Three” of science fiction writing masters

Master of Sci Fi

{ {Popular Writing

Foundation Series Robot Series Galactic Empire

Series

Best Known Writing

{ {Three Laws of Robotics A ROBOT MAY NOT INJURE A

HUMAN BEING, OR, THROUGH INACTION, ALLOW A HUMAN BEING TO COME TO HARM

A ROBOT MUST OBEY ORDERS GIVEN IT BY HUMAN BEINGS EXCEPT WHERE SUCH ORDERS CONFLICT WITH THE FIRST LAW

A ROBOT MUST PROTECT ITS OWN EXISTENCE AS LONG AS SUCH PROTECTION DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH THE FIRST OR THE SECOND LAW

Lasting Legacy

{ {Term: Robot

Asimov coined the term “robotics” in his 1941 story “Liar!”

He didn’t know it was an original term, but he has since continued to be credited with it.

Lasting Legacy

{ {In his honor:

Asteroid 5020 Crater on Mars Elementary

school in Brooklyn

Isaac Asimov literary award

Lasting Legacy

{ {Writing

“Robbie” was Asimov’s first robot story

He began writing it in 1939

Published in 1940 A revised version

was printed in his book I, Robot in 1950

Robbie

{ {Ideas

Asimov writes about the unwarranted technophobia people exhibit toward robots.

A common theme was the “Frankenstein Complex”=robot turns on its creator

Asimov’s writing typically employed robots coming to the aid of humanity, rather than destroying it

Robbie