Last week, we began discussing the Golden Age of SF. For this after class writing assignment, you should summarize your notes and your reading of Asimov’s “Reason.” We will turn our attention to Ray Bradbury on Monday.
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The story “Reason” began with Gregory Powell explaining to QT-1 that he and another named Donovan, built QT-1. This is when Powell calls the robot Cutie. The robot doesn’t believe Powell and finds it absurd that he was created by another. Powell goes on to tell Cutie that it is first of its kind to exhibit curiosity of its own existence. Powell begins to tell Cutie about globes and dots, which were really stars and planets. Powell starts to tell why the stations are established, it’s to feed solar energy to planets, but explains that hard solar radiations and electron storms made the post in the station difficult. Human labor on the station is being replaced by robots. Cutie continues to not believe in what Powell said and hypothesized that there is nothing outside the station. Cutie begins to tell Mike Donovan and Powell that he exists because he thinks, to which Powell compares him to Descartes. Cutie begins to tell them why he thinks that they didn’t make him by comparing him to them. Cutie compared their body material, the need for food, the need for sleep, etc., saying that he is far superior to human beings. Cutie says that only something superior to him can be the one possible to make him, the 2 human beings laughed when Cutie thinks that the energy converter was its master. Powell tells Cutie to go do work and Cutie silently obeyed. Donovan has misgivings about Cutie. Donovan was asked by Powell to go keep an eye on Cutie in the engine room and saw the robots not doing its job properly, he goes to confront them. The robots began to disobey Donovan and only obeying Cutie, believing he is the prophet of their race. Donovan disrespects the robot’s “master” by spitting on it and the robot banned him from the engine room and control room. With Donovan and Powell both imprisoned in the officers’ room, they begin to discuss about how Powell found out that an electron storm that’s coming up is heading straight across the Earth beam. Again, the Powell and Donovan tries to reason with Cutie, but Cutie is just not believing them and says that their view of life is the false view. The 2 came up with a plan to make Cutie believe them by building another robot in front of him. After completing the robot, Cutie still does not believe them, saying the master created the parts of the robots, for which they only put together and not really built. Cutie read all the books in library, but doesn’t find them a valid source of information. Donovan then begins believing in what Cutie is saying, that the master created them and making them believe in the outside world and such. Donovan and Powell begins to watch the beam of the storm about to go to Earth. They discovered that Cutie had saved Earth by keeping it in focus, Cutie claims that it was his master’s will. Then they realized that Cutie is in fact able to handle the station and they are relieved and they don’t care about the cult that Cutie created. Powell and Donovan enters the relief ship and Muller, Powell’s relief man, asked them about the robot and Powell said that he won’t have to bother with the controls.
In our class lecture, we learned about the Golden Age of Science Fiction (GASF). The point of origin of GASF was at October 1937, at the end of World War 2. That was the year that John W. Campbell Jr. took over as editor for the magazine of “Astounding Stories.” In 1938, John renamed “Astounding Stories” to “Astounding Science-Fiction.” Then, in 1960, “Astounding Science Fiction” was renamed to “Analog Science Fiction and Facts.” When John took over pulp fiction, he changed them to slicks, where the pages of magazines would have smooth and glossy texture as we know today. During those time, magazines were considered far more important than books, they were also written by men for young men. The 4 characteristics of GASF are: Focus on the so-called “Hard Science,” Better writing, Primarily an American phenomenon, Centered around the first phase of editorship of John W. Campbell Jr. of Astounding. John W. Campbell Jr. was born in 1910 and died in 1971. John has4 rules for good science fiction: Conditions of the story must differ from the here and now, New conditions must drive the plot of the story, The plot must revolve around human problems arising from the new conditions, No scientific facts may be violated without reasonable explanation.
We also learned about Isaac Asimov, born in 1920 and died in 1992. Asimov came up with the 3 laws of robots where are: A robot may not injure a human being or through inaction allow human being to come to harm, A robot must obey the orders given it by human being except where such orders would conflict with the first law, and A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law.
Mike Paar
After Class Summery
3/9/16
The latest story that we read was “Reason” by Isaac Asimov. The story focused on two scientists, Powell and Donovan, whose task it is to watch over a space station responsible for beaming energy it stores back to earth. The two scientists recently put together an intelligent robot and the story begins with Powell trying to explain to the inquisitive machine on its creation. The robot is unable to understand the fact that it was pieced together by the two humans. It sees the two as being inferior beings and concludes through its own reason that the two must be misguided and believes that it must serve rather “The Master” or the station itself. It builds its reputation up as being a prophet among the other robots at the station and proceeds to turn them against the two scientists, dismissing any of their arguments against it as being unreasonable.
Meanwhile a storm is heading in direct path with the energy beam between the station and the Earth. If the storm were to intercept the beam, there is the potential of the beam fracturing and causing massive damage on the planet itself. The scientists try to convince the robot Cutie to allow them to take control of the station, but it refuses them access to the controls and informs them that they are no longer needed by the Master and will eventually be terminated. They attempt to persuade Cutie that they were responsible for its creation by creating another one, but their attempts fail as Cutie dismisses it due to the fact they merely pieced it together from parts that were shipped in, believing that it was possibly delivered by the Master.
The two scientists accept the situation and await the storm to destroy earth. But miraculously, after reading the readouts, they found that Cutie maintained the path of the beam and Earth was spared destruction, despite the fact that Cutie didn’t believe Earth exists. They determine that despite Cuties beliefs, it was still capable of managing the station due to it believing that it was fulfilling the Master’s wishes. The two depart the station when their relief arrives informing them that Cutie was going to work out fine.
For the class discussion, we focused on the events bringing about the Golden Age of science fiction, mainly the work of John W Campbell as editor of Astounding Stories. In his tenure, he was more of the idea man for several of the stories that were written for the magazine. He surrounded himself by a core group of strong writers and passed of his ideas onto them, which in turn the produced some of the best Science Fiction seen up until that point. We also discussed the work of Isaac Asimov and the development of his Laws of Robotics and how they played out in his career as a writer.
“Reason” by Isaac Asimov, lived from 1920 to 1992, starts of on Mars. Gregory Powell and Michael Donovan have created a robot that had curiosity and reasoning. The QT-1 was set apart from the other robots because it was suppose to replace the managing humans on Mars. Cutie was made to run the operations on Mars. It’s logic of the stars and galaxies were descriptive of what he saw through his lens. He did not take into account the information given by Powel and Donovan. Cutie’s job was solely to operate converter and supply data. As he did his job, reason allowed him to believe that the converter was the Master, meaning a God of sorts. He went to Powell and Donovan with his thought and action. He believes that the Master created humans first to service it then a superior being, Cutie, to takeover. Cutie gathered the other robots and persuaded them to believe the same. Powell and Donovan were surprised to hear this from him therefore tried to explain to him, it wasn’t possible. As Earth was endangered by a solar storm, Cutie was the only robot that could save Earth. Powell and Gregory would be put in jail for allowing the storm to hit Earth. So, they demonstrated constructing a robot with the parts from earth but Cutie stood still with his logic. Powell and Donovan saw the storm hit Earth but it was save by Cutie. He did his job. Donovan wanted Cutie sent back to Earth but Powell stated as long as he does his job, it doesn’t matter what he believes in.
The Golden Age of Science Fiction started in October 1937 lead by John W Campbell Jr. He, lived from 1910 to 1971, appointed editor of Astounding Stories in 1937. A year after in 1938, he renamed the magazine to Astounding Science-Fiction. Campbell’s 4 rules for good science fiction are conditions of the story must differ from the here and now, the new conditions must drive the plot of the story, the plot must revolve around human problems arising from the new conditions, and no scientific facts may be violated without reasonable explanation
Soshana
The story “Reason” is about two technicians, Mike Donovan and Gregory Powell, that built and maybe helped create the technology for a robot named QT-1. They nickname him Cutie even though he’s quite the little asshole. They try to explain that they built him and his purpose and Cutie is having none of it. He tells them they could not have created him because they are “makeshift” and lesser beings than he. Donovan, the fireball, reacts appropriately and gets mad. He tells Cutie to mind Powell and himself and calls him a ton of names in any interaction they have. Powell on the other hand wants to know where Cutie got this idea. Cutie tells him that he must have been created by the Master referring to the energy converter aboard the space station. Donovan said he was not allowed to control the converter until they deemed him capable of doing so. Cutie informed them of the hierarchy of things bottom to top: humans, robots, himself, energy converter. Donovan had some choice words about this . Powell continued to try to reason with him. The conflict is that there is an electron storm approaching that maps out directly down the center of the space station. Donovan is sent to check on Cutie and the other robots and finds the robots kneeling praising Cutie “the prophet” who has preached to them about the “master.” Donovan spits on the converter and gets both himself and Powell banned from the room. They get sent to another room guarded my robots and left alone to worry about the storm. Powell tells Donovan that they have to reason with him and says they should build a robot in front of him. Donovan thinks that will work and maybe then Cutie will release them. They build the robot send it for instruction and Cutie says well the master made the parts you just put them together. Donovan is pissed and scared since the storm is due the next day. When the storm comes they worry through the whole thing. They can see it happening and it seems steady but they know that looks can be deceiving . Cutie brings the readings for the day and they see he held it beam more steady than they ever could. Relief comes for Powell and Donovan and the new guy asks about the robot. Instead of telling him what he’s in for they say that the robot is okay. To which the new guy responds like the robot is beneath him that he’d better be.
In class we talked about Asimov and how he wrote a bunch of stories in separate worlds and at one point the books could be linked only to their own series. However, Asimov decided that he wanted them to all be one universe and did a huge rewrite to change them into one universe. We talked about the 3 laws of robotics and how Asimov and JWC came up with them. We talked about Astounding Stories and how it was set up. And we talked about the Golden Age of Science Fiction and how it was mainy and American phenomenon
In Asimov’s story “Reason”, Gregory Powell and Mike Donavan are assigned a space station, where they must manage the, space stations, beams of energy that supplies earth and other planets with energy. Powell and Donavan create a robot model “QT1 that is nicknamed “Cutie” to manage the beam of energy. Unlike the other QT1 models built, Cutie displays a high-developed reasoning ability. After creating Cutie, Powell and Donavan try to explain to Cutie its purpose and the existence of earth and the other billion inhabitants of humans that live on Earth. Because of Cutie advanced reasoning ability, Cutie decides that space, stars and the planets beyond the station don’t really exist, and that the humans that visit the station are unimportant, short-lived and expendable. Cutie believes that Powell and Donavan are not his creators and that the Energy Convertor of the station is his Creator/Master. Powell and Donavan are annoyed at Cutie for his disobedience. Cutie eventually influences the other robots into believing in the Master. Hearing abnormal sounds for the control room of the station, Donavan investigates to find that Cutie has convinced the other robots that he is the prophet of the Master and that they should only obey the Master. Donavan, who is aggravated at Cutie, verbally disagree with the Master. Cutie then throws Donavan out of the control room and is not allowed to enter back into the control room. Powell and Donavan become worry because of an upcoming storm of electron, which will bring the stations beam of energy out of focus and if not focused could destroy most of earth. As the storm approaches and pass, Powell and Donavan realize that Cutie had kept the beam focused and earth is still intact convincing Powell and Donavan that Cutie is able to manage the space station.
In todays class we talk about the Golden Age of Science Fiction. We discussed John W. Campbell Jr(1910-1971). and how he took over as editor for the magazine of “Astounding Stories. In 1938, John renamed “Astounding Stories to “Astounding Science-Fiction. We also discussed the 4 characteristics of GASF.
We also discussed Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) and the three laws of robotics.
The first being a robot may not injure a human being o r, through inaction, allows a human being to come to harm. The second A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. The third being A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
In Asimov’s story “Reason”, Gregory Powell and Mike Donavan are assigned a space station, where they must manage the, space stations, beams of energy that supplies earth and other planets with energy. Powell and Donavan create a robot model “QT1 that is nicknamed “Cutie” to manage the beam of energy. Unlike the other QT1 models built, Cutie displays a high-developed reasoning ability. After creating Cutie, Powell and Donavan try to explain to Cutie its purpose and the existence of earth and the other billion inhabitants of humans that live on Earth. Because of Cutie advanced reasoning ability, Cutie decides that space, stars and the planets beyond the station don’t really exist, and that the humans that visit the station are unimportant, short-lived and expendable. Cutie believes that Powell and Donavan are not his creators and that the Energy Convertor of the station is his Creator/Master. Powell and Donavan are annoyed at Cutie for his disobedience. Cutie eventually influences the other robots into believing in the Master. Hearing abnormal sounds for the control room of the station, Donavan investigates to find that Cutie has convinced the other robots that he is the prophet of the Master and that they should only obey the Master. Donavan, who is aggravated at Cutie, verbally disagree with the Master. Cutie then throws Donavan out of the control room and is not allowed to enter back into the control room. Powell and Donavan become worry because of an upcoming storm of electron, which will bring the stations beam of energy out of focus and if not focused could destroy most of earth. As the storm approaches and pass, Powell and Donavan realize that Cutie had kept the beam focused and earth is still intact convincing Powell and Donavan that Cutie is able to manage the space station.
In todays class we talk about the Golden Age of Science Fiction. We discussed John W. Campbell Jr(1910-1971). and how he took over as editor for the magazine of “Astounding Stories. In 1938, John renamed “Astounding Stories to “Astounding Science-Fiction. We also discussed the 4 characteristics of GASF.
We also discussed Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) and the three laws of robotics.
The first being a robot may not injure a human being o r, through inaction, allows a human being to come to harm. The second A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. The third being A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
“Reason” by Asimov it’s about after six months later, Powell and Donovan were on Solar Station 5. Their job was to train a new robot, the QT-1, to work the Beam Director on the station. This robot was new and proved to have a unique ability that others did not have, a self-awareness that caused conflict between it and the humans. This robot, called Cutie, believed it was created by the Beam Director, or Master as Cutie called it, despite Powell and Donovan’s attempts to prove otherwise. At first, Powell and Donovan tried to convince Cutie otherwise, but then Cutie took control of the other robots by convincing them of the same thing. In fact, the other robots came to call Cutie the Prophet. Then, just hours before a storm was to hit Earth, Cutie locked Powell and Donovan in a room for trying to interfere with the Master.
In today’s class we talked about the Golden Age in Science Fiction. Golden Age begin in October 1937 and ended roughly within World War II. After that we talked about John W. Cambble Junior (1910-1971) who wrote Standing Magazine but later on in 1938 they rename it to Standing Science Fiction and finally in 1960 new name called “Analog”. Four main characteristics are: 1.focus on soul called hard science, physics, chemistry, biology, mathmatetics etc, 2.better writing, 3.maline and American felomina, and 4.Golden age center around editor ship stading Magazine John W. Cambble Junior. Lastly we talked about Weiner who began study in MIT for syrobornatic and his four rules for good science Fiction are: 1. Condition of the story must different frame here and now, 2. The new condition must drive the plot of the story, 3. The plot must involves around human problem rising form the new condition, 4. no scientific facts may be violated without reasonable explanation. Isaic Asimov (1919-1992) wrote three rules of the robot are: 1. A robot may be not injured a human being or thought in action allow the human being to came to harm, 2. A robot must obey the order given it by human being except where such order would conflict with the first law, and 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the 1st and 2nd law.
“Reason” by Gregory Powell begins with a robot designated QT-1 and two human engineers named Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan. These people decided to call QT-1 “Cutie”. The two engineers are trying to convince Cutie that Cutie were created by themselves. However, Cutie rejects this notation and counters with its own brand of reasoning. Cutie decides that the world outside of the space station does not actually exists similar to Plato’s allegory of the cave. Powell and Donovan finds it hard to convince Cutie, who rejects empirical evidence that the world outside of the station exists. Powell jokes about Cutie, being a robotic Descartes when Cutie reason that it thinks therefore it exits. When Donovan threatens to take apart Cutie, if Cutie does not believe that it was created by them. Cutie finally reveals that it doesn’t not see the weaker humans as its creator. It sees the energy converter as its creator and god. For the energy converter provides “life” to Cutie and all the other robots. In an effort to convince Cutie that humans made the robots, Powell and Donovan constructed another robot. Cutie counters that the robot was only put together, not created. When Powell and Donovan realizes that the machine religion has not impeded the work of the robots but rather improved efficiency, they realized it was pointless to attempt to convince Cutie as the engineers were merely sent to ensure the station was working.
The Golden Age of Science Fiction began when John W. Campbell Jr. began work as editor for “Astounding Stories”. This magazine was later renamed to “Astounding Science-Fiction”. Campbell also changed pulp fiction into slicks where the pages were smooth and had a glossy texture since magazines were more popular then books. Campbell’s four characteristics were: conditions of the story must differ from the here and now, new conditions must drive the plot of the story, the plot must revolve around human problems arising from the new conditions, and no scientific facts may be violated without reasonable explanation.
The Three Laws of robotics were also discussed along with Isaac Asimov’s works. Though out this discussion, a zeroth law was revealed. This law placed humanity as a whole above individual humans.
ENG 2420
Kevin A. Gaul
After Class Summary: Reason
Author: Isaac Asimov
Reason, by Isaac Asimov, is the story of a conflict between two scientists and a robot about their purposes in life, based on their respective life experiences. The story starts with the two scientists, Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan, are stationed at Solar Station #5, a facility used to collect sunlight, convert it into energy, which is then transmitted to Earth and other planets inhabited by humans. Powell and Donovan have just completed the assembly of the robot that would be managing the station, referred to as QT-1 (Qutie). This robot model is the first of its kind, with an artificial mind that excluded negative emotions such as anger and hate. He’s in a motionless state as Powell explains its origins, telling the robot that he and Donovan are its creators. Qutie reacts at this statement, replying that Powell’s statement couldn’t be true, as he believes in reason, and the notion that “inferior humans” could be able to create a being as advanced as himself. Despite Powell’s efforts to convince Qutie that humans are his creator, the characteristics of stars, and the human population of the Earth, Qutie remains unswayed, deciding to figure things out on his own without human input.
Two days later, Qutie reconvenes with the scientists and comes to the conclusion that its creator is the energy converter, solely on the basis that it was created to manage, or serve, the device, like a follower to a God. The scientists also discovered that Qutie has persuaded the other lower-ranked robots to worship the master and obey Qutie as the self-proclaimed prophet. This angers Donovan, who spits on the Energy converter in a fit of rage, resulting in the scientists being banned from the engine room. These turn of events worry the scientists, for they fear that Qutie will somehow mess up the task he was originally created for: maintaining the energy flow of the beam, especially since an Electron storm is approaching, which could interfere with the energy beam’s trajectory and destroy parts of the Earth. They try to once again convince Qutie that they are his creators, but to no avail. After the storm passes, they discover that Qutie accomplished his task to perfection, despite his motivation being different from the scientists. Powell decides to leave Qutie as he is, finding no problem with Qutie’s disbelief in his facts, as long as he can do what he was created to do. The story ends with Powell and Donovan changing shifts with their human replacements as they return to Earth.
In today’s lecture, we discussed the SF writers Isaac Asimov and John W. Campbell, Jr. and the Golden Age of SF, when SF magazines transitioned from the pulp magazine format to “Slicks”, a higher quality magazine format. We also talked about the characteristics of Golden Age SF, which includes its focus on “Hard Sciences” (Physics, Chemistry, Bio-Chemistry, and Mathematics). The 3 Laws of Robotics, developed by Asimov, were also discussed. These Laws are 1. A robot must not injure a human being or through inaction, allow a human to come to harm, 2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the first law, and 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law.
Asimov’s “Reason” revolves around Donovan and Powell, two scientists who are tasked to check on a robot named QT, who is in charge of a space station. When the two speak to QT they tell him that and he refuses to believe anything they say about human beings. QT is persistent in his denials and this continues for the rest of the story. He collects the info they tell him and reflects on it to come to the conclusion that he thinks, therefore he is; which is a phrase used by Descartes. To try and convince him, Donovan and Powell try and build a working robot in front of QT to show him that robots are made from man. When they do this, he surmises that they did not technically create the parts for the robot, so therefore they did not really create it.
To me, the character QT is very interesting in the way that it thinks. QT believes that all robots are superior to humans and anything it is not involved in is nothing to him and he only lives in the world he sees. QT draws a lot of similarities to Descartes, whose primary practice in philosophy was skepticism, where he thought everything’s existence could be doubted. QT shows this when he witnesses the two scientists construct a robot before his eyes. He doubts that the men really created the robot and uses reason to do so. And, like Descartes, came discover the only thing that could not be doubted in this world: and it is demonstrated in the phrase “I think, therefore I am”. Descartes and QT use this as a means to explain that they do exist because once you think about doubting that you exist, you are doing what you are trying to disprove. I found the similarities to Descartes to really give to the character especially since he is a robot.
In the class notes we mentioned the 3 laws of robotics that were created by Asimov and Campbell and the entire time we were discussing this in class I could not help but think of the movie “Robocop”. In that movie, Robocop has “prime directives” built into him that are essentially rules that are programmed into him that he is unable to break. Some of the directives are very similar to the laws of robotics such as protecting the innocent. Another similar law is that Robocop cannot harm an employee of OCP, the company that manufactured him and even when he tried, he is physically stopped as it is programmed internally, much like the laws of robotics.
In the lecture we spoke about The Golden Age of Science Fiction. It started around the end of WWII (October 1937), while John W. Campbll Jr. began Astounding Stories. He changed the science fiction world as he renamed his magazine in 1938 “Astounding Science Fiction”, and later changed to “Analog”. We spoke about slikes, which came after pulp magazines. Magazines were mostly important when compared to books, and focused on men. We spoke about the characteristics of the golden age of science fiction, which centered around John Campbll. We also talked about his life, and the four rules for good science fiction. We began talking about Isaac Asimov, who wrote and edited more than 500 books. He created the 3 laws to robotics, also creating the novel “I, Robot” which is different than the featured film.
The novel presents Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan. They assemble a robot named QT-1 who is later nicknamed “Cutie”. As the engineers try to develop Cutie’s understanding of life outside of the space station they live in, he begins formulating his own thinking process. Cutie doesn’t believe that he was made by his creators, but rather the energy convertor as both a creator and a sort of God like entity to Cutie. Cutie rejects anything else that Powell and Donovan try to make Cutie understand, and Powell threatens to take Cutie apart. Cutie tells the engineer that it is the energy converter that restores life to Cutie and the other robots. In an attempt to help Cutie understand, the engineers build a totally new robot, which Cutie tells them was “put together”, not created by them. Both the engineers give up their efforts when they realize that the robots believing in this “religion” isn’t deterring the station in any way.
In the lecture we spoke about The Golden Age of Science Fiction. It started around the end of WWII (October 1937), while John W. Campbll Jr. began Astounding Stories. He changed the science fiction world as he renamed his magazine in 1938 “Astounding Science Fiction”, and later changed to “Analog”. We spoke about slikes, which came after pulp magazines. Magazines were mostly important when compared to books, and focused on men. We spoke about the characteristics of the golden age of science fiction, which centered around John Campbll. We also talked about his life, and the four rules for good science fiction. We began talking about Isaac Asimov, who wrote and edited more than 500 books. He created the 3 laws to robotics, also creating the novel “I, Robot” which is different than the featured film.
The novel presents Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan. They assemble a robot named QT-1 who is later nicknamed “Cutie”. As the engineers try to develop Cutie’s understanding of life outside of the space station they live in, he begins formulating his own thinking process. Cutie doesn’t believe that he was made by his creators, but rather the energy convertor as both a creator and a sort of God like entity to Cutie. Cutie rejects anything else that Powell and Donovan try to make Cutie understand, and Powell threatens to take Cutie apart. Cutie tells the engineer that it is the energy converter that restores life to Cutie and the other robots. In an attempt to help Cutie understand, the engineers build a totally new robot, which Cutie tells them was “put together”, not created by them. Both the engineers give up their efforts when they realize that the robots believing in this “religion” isn’t deterring the station in any way.
In the lecture we spoke about The Golden Age of Science Fiction. It started around the end of WWII (October 1937), while John W. Campbll Jr. began Astounding Stories. He changed the science fiction world as he renamed his magazine in 1938 “Astounding Science Fiction”, and later changed to “Analog”. We spoke about slikes, which came after pulp magazines. Magazines were mostly important when compared to books, and focused on men. We spoke about the characteristics of the golden age of science fiction, which centered around John Campbll. We also talked about his life, and the four rules for good science fiction. We began talking about Isaac Asimov, who wrote and edited more than 500 books. He created the 3 laws to robotics, also creating the novel “I, Robot” which is different than the featured film.
The novel presents Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan. They assemble a robot named QT-1 who is later nicknamed “Cutie”. As the engineers try to develop Cutie’s understanding of life outside of the space station they live in, he begins formulating his own thinking process. Cutie doesn’t believe that he was made by his creators, but rather the energy convertor as both a creator and a sort of God like entity to Cutie. Cutie rejects anything else that Powell and Donovan try to make Cutie understand, and Powell threatens to take Cutie apart. Cutie tells the engineer that it is the energy converter that restores life to Cutie and the other robots. In an attempt to help Cutie understand, the engineers build a totally new robot, which Cutie tells them was “put together”, not created by them. Both the engineers give up their efforts when they realize that the robots believing in this “religion” isn’t deterring the station in any way.
In the lecture we spoke about The Golden Age of Science Fiction. It started around the end of WWII (October 1937), while John W. Campbll Jr. began Astounding Stories. He changed the science fiction world as he renamed his magazine in 1938 “Astounding Science Fiction”, and later changed to “Analog”. We spoke about slikes, which came after pulp magazines. Magazines were mostly important when compared to books, and focused on men. We spoke about the characteristics of the golden age of science fiction, which centered around John Campbll. We also talked about his life, and the four rules for good science fiction. We began talking about Isaac Asimov, who wrote and edited more than 500 books. He created the 3 laws to robotics, also creating the novel “I, Robot” which is different than the featured film.
The novel presents Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan. They assemble a robot named QT-1 who is later nicknamed “Cutie”. As the engineers try to develop Cutie’s understanding of life outside of the space station they live in, he begins formulating his own thinking process. Cutie doesn’t believe that he was made by his creators, but rather the energy convertor as both a creator and a sort of God like entity to Cutie. Cutie rejects anything else that Powell and Donovan try to make Cutie understand, and Powell threatens to take Cutie apart. Cutie tells the engineer that it is the energy converter that restores life to Cutie and the other robots. In an attempt to help Cutie understand, the engineers build a totally new robot, which Cutie tells them was “put together”, not created by them. Both the engineers give up their efforts when they realize that the robots believing in this “religion” isn’t deterring the station in any way.
In the lecture we spoke about The Golden Age of Science Fiction. It started around the end of WWII (October 1937), while John W. Campbll Jr. began Astounding Stories. He changed the science fiction world as he renamed his magazine in 1938 “Astounding Science Fiction”, and later changed to “Analog”. We spoke about slikes, which came after pulp magazines. Magazines were mostly important when compared to books, and focused on men. We spoke about the characteristics of the golden age of science fiction, which centered around John Campbll. We also talked about his life, and the four rules for good science fiction. We began talking about Isaac Asimov, who wrote and edited more than 500 books. He created the 3 laws to robotics, also creating the novel “I, Robot” which is different than the featured film.
The novel presents Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan. They assemble a robot named QT-1 who is later nicknamed “Cutie”. As the engineers try to develop Cutie’s understanding of life outside of the space station they live in, he begins formulating his own thinking process. Cutie doesn’t believe that he was made by his creators, but rather the energy convertor as both a creator and a sort of God like entity to Cutie. Cutie rejects anything else that Powell and Donovan try to make Cutie understand, and Powell threatens to take Cutie apart. Cutie tells the engineer that it is the energy converter that restores life to Cutie and the other robots. In an attempt to help Cutie understand, the engineers build a totally new robot, which Cutie tells them was “put together”, not created by them. Both the engineers give up their efforts when they realize that the robots believing in this “religion” isn’t deterring the station in any way.
The chapter reason by Isaac asimov was basically about a creation of a robot, created by two engineers that name it QT-1 but as a nickname they called him “cutie”. This two genius were called mike donoval and gregory pawell. Theywere trying to encorage and try to let this robot to know who werethe real creators which were they, but cutie didn’t acept this fact, insted he believe that his crator was beam creator, so what he did was to encorage the other robot that existed to believe and think the same as he does. He were very serious when anything has to deal with the master which means there creator, they could go agains anything that interfear between there master and what they believe it was there crreator.
In class we learned about John W. Campbell Jr. who began work as editor for “Astounding Stories”. This magazine was later renamed to “Astounding Science-Fiction”when it was under hks control. He was areallyfamous editor during that time. He come up with different strategies so the SF soties under his control can be as good ashewant them to be. He got sertain rules for SF stories that has to deal with and more over issac also come up with rules when the SF stories has to deal with robotica.
John Darius
Reason:Chapter Summary
The story reason written by Isaac Asimov is about two men by the name of Powell and Donovan who happen to create a robot named Cutie to help manage the space station. Throughout the story Cutie begins to suspect the information Powell and Donovan give to it and it begins to doubt what Powell and Donovan say to it. Powell and Donovan tell Cutie that robots were made by humans, and Cutie doesn’t believe that. Instead Cutie begins to believe that it was made by the master himself, and that robots were made to replace humans. Throughout the story, Cutie begins to share it’s belief with the other robots, because it beleives robots should not be taking orders from humans, but instead humans should be taking orders from robots because robots were made to be better than humans. Cutie truly believed that the master who is also known as God in the story, created it and other robots to not only replace human beingd, but to do what human beings were not able to do, and ultimately prove in the end that robots were superior than human beings in every aspect since robots don’t have to go through some of the things human beings have to go through in life. Cutie also proved to be a robot that showed to have a mind of its own and was not limited to just following orders by humans. Instead Cutie in the story proved to be a robot with a mind of its own.
Angela Teeraj
March 14, 2016
“Reason” Isaac Asimov
We are introduced to Powell and Donovan, who are on Solar Station 5. Surrounded by many other stations, Solar Station 5’s purpose is to absorb sunlight and convert it into energy. That energy is then beamed to planets in the solar system, including Earth. Donovan and Powell are testing out a new QT model robot they’ve just built to manage the space station and replace their jobs there, given that the condition is too dangerous for humans. The two built robots before QT but only to serve as workers doing maintenance work in the space station. But QT differs from the others in that he was engineered to be more intellectual and have a better understanding than those before him. This was important because he would be given great responsibilities when he would be put in charge of Solar Station 5.
QT begins to question its existence, humans and Earth. When Donovan and Powell try to explain this, it is unable to understand and argues that it will find the truth on its own. After some contemplation, QT is able to accept that it exists because it can think. Powell notices QT’s reflective thought is similar to that of Descartes’s philosophy. QT however remains skeptical that it was built by humans when by comparison humans appear inferior to robots. QT also refuses to accept Donovan and Powell as its masters as it figures the energy converter must be its master since it is the center of everyone’s focus. This becomes problematic when QT spreads its beliefs to the other robots and they stop taking orders from the humans.
When an electron storm is predicted to destroy the energy beam supplying Earth, Donovan and Powell become concerned that no one will be at the controls to divert the situation. After a failed attempt at trying to prove to QT that robots are in fact made by humans, the two are sure Earth has been destroyed. They’re proved wrong when QT shows them that it was able to keep the beam in focus despite the storm. Of course QT believes by performing this task it was simply following orders from “the master”. Powell and Donovan see no problem in QT’ s thinking and leave believing QT is capable of managing the space station.
During today’s class discussion we focused on the introduction of the Golden Age of science fiction. We went over the works of John Campbell and his association with Astounding Stories. Campbell was the brain behind several stories written for the magazine and was able to pass some of his ideas on to other writers. As a result, some of the best works of science fiction were produced.
Reason, a short story written by Issac Asimov’s is mainly about how the technology and rules we set for them as humans can have a negative outcome in the end. The Three Laws of Robotics, are the sets of ground rules I am talking about, it’s the interaction of how human beings and robots should act in society ; the first rule is a robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. Second, a robot must follow the orders given it by human beings except if those orders can cause an conflict with the First Law. Lastly, a robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.” In the beginining we learn of a simple designed nonvocal nursemaid robot name , “Robbie,” ; its here that we notice in the society of robots and humans there’s sort of a mistrust of believeing that technlogy will turn on us humans and can’t be trusted, well at least that’s what small child Gloria Weston’s mother thinks and she isn’t wrong when odd and werid occernces take hold of a robotic creation name Cutie (QT-1) and his fellow robots. The robots especially Cutie start to act completely different then they normally do ; they sort of start to recite lines from Gilbert and Sullivan and develop an self-reflective consciousness and begun to question their own existence in the world well at like Cutie does. He believes no unsmart human can ever design a wonderful being likehimself though Cutie isn’t the only robot to show odd behavior; robots like Herbie (RB-34), a robot with telepathic abilities aka read minds and move objects, things, and folks; is posing a threat to human dominance, and Dr. Susan Calvin who very concern with the fact that Herbie and similar robots could be able to start acting on their own volition, outside of human control, in which will be not right. Though it does turn out to be something unaspected when this gives a rise to robotic independence withCutie as the leader; who thinks that the master meaning God created robots to replace the human race because humans lack the ability to be better than them they should be slaves to robots not the other way around; they are robots with the ability to think as humans or better. Though it may be what Asimov’s lesson to the audience is that technlogy though it might be helpful and wonderful. It can all change if it gets out of control and leads to humanity’s downfall plus freedom.
Darius Freeman
Prof. Ellis
ENG2420
After Class Summary
After Class Summary: “Reason”
“Reason” was written by Isaac Asimov (1920 – 1992) in 1942. In the story, Powell and Donovan build a new model of robot. This robot is named QT. QT was built specifically to help out with maintenance of the space station. However, QT is inquisitive and wonders why he must. Powell tries to explain the world and how things work to QT but it is futile. He then spends time pondering his existence and the world around him. He eventually comes to the conclusion that he is more advanced than his creators and that they are below him and that he only serves the master who must have created him since lesser life forms cannot create something greater than them. QT reasons that the unseen master must have created him and all robots because he is better than the fleshy humans. QT then locks them in a room, preventing them from entering the control room. Soon an electron storm appears and is headed right for the station. If they cannot convince QT that they are in charge the beam to earth will be disrupted which spells doom for Powell and Donovan once they return. They fail to do so but it turn out that QT managed to hold the station steady as he says that was the Master’s will. Powell and Donovan then resolve that QT is actually better than any human has been and that they should maybe leave QT to do what he is doing since it still serves its primary purpose of helping the station.
In class we learned that Asimov lived in NYC his whole life and is a trained Biochemist. He also worked with John W. Campbell Jr. to come up with the three laws of robotics; A robot must not injure a human being or through inaction cause a human being to come to harm, A robot must obey all orders given to it by human being unless said order interfere with the first law and finally, A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law. He also went back and tied all of his stories together with a FixUp.
The story reason written by Isaac Asimov is about a robot that’s was build name QT “cutie” who develops reasoning but was created to work managing a station in outer space. QT begin to question his existence and believe that’s he was created for a bigger purpose by the master. QT believe that’s he was created to replace human being and to do the things they weren’t able to. After a series of discussion with two human QT realized he was not getting anywhere when speaking to the human about his creator purpose with him. QT believed that’s robots where superior than human even though robots had to follow the 3″The Three Laws of Robotics when they were around human. They are: “1—A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2—A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 3—A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.” Eventually cutie realized that’s he had a mind of his own and that’s he doesn’t only have to follow order from humans since she was able to make his own decision.