Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics + the Zeroth Law : History of Information (2024)

In the March 1942 issue of Astounding Science Fiction science fiction author Isaac Asimov introduced The Three Laws of Roboticsin his short story "Runaround." The Three Laws 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 to 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.

"These form an organizing principle and unifying theme for Asimov'srobotic-based fiction, appearing in hisRobotseries, the stories linked to it, and hisLucky Starrseriesofyoung-adult fiction. The Laws are incorporated into almost all of thepositronic robotsappearing in his fiction, and cannot be bypassed, being intended as a safety feature. Many of Asimov's robot-focused stories involve robots behaving in unusual and counter-intuitive ways as an unintended consequence of how the robot applies the Three Laws to the situation in which it finds itself. Other authors working in Asimov's fictional universe have adopted them and references, oftenparodic, appear throughout science fiction as well as in other genres.

"The original laws have been altered and elaborated on by Asimov and other authors. Asimov himself made slight modifications to the first three in various books and short stories to further develop how robots would interact with humans and each other. In later fiction where robots had taken responsibility for government of whole planets and human civilizations, Asimov also added a fourth, or zeroth law, to precede the others:

0. A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm."
(Wikipedia article on Three Laws of Robotics, accessed 10-20-2013).
Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics + the Zeroth Law :  History of Information (2024)

FAQs

What are the 3 laws of robotics as defined by Asimov? ›

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 would conflict with the First Law. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

What is the zeroth law three laws of robotics? ›

Law Three – “A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.” Asimov later added the “Zeroth Law,” above all the others – “A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.”

What is the zeroth law Asimov? ›

The Zeroth Law of Robotics , the most important Law for Giskardian robots, was phrased multiple ways: 'A robot may not harm humanity, or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm. '

Where did Asimov's three laws come from? ›

three laws of robotics, rules developed by science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov, who sought to create an ethical system for humans and robots. The laws first appeared in his short story “Runaround” (1942) and subsequently became hugely influential in the sci-fi genre.

Why Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics are unethical? ›

The flaw with the laws is this: They assume that morality and moral decisions can be made by means of an algorithm, that discrete yes/no answers suffice to “solve” moral quandaries. They are not sufficient.

Is there a 4th law of robotics? ›

For the 1986 tribute anthology, Foundation's Friends, Harry Harrison wrote a story entitled, "The Fourth Law of Robotics". This Fourth Law states: "A robot must reproduce. As long as such reproduction does not interfere with the First or Second or Third Law."

Who created Zeroth Law? ›

It provides an independent definition of temperature without reference to entropy, which is defined in the second law. The law was established by Ralph H. Fowler in the 1930s, long after the first, second, and third laws were widely recognized.

When were the 3 laws of robotics created? ›

Back in 1942, before the term was even coined, the science fiction writer Isaac Asimov wrote The Three Laws of Robotics: A moral code to keep our machines in check. And the three laws of robotics are: a robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm.

How do you play 3 laws of robotics? ›

3 Laws is a lively deduction game for 4 to 8 players where you know everyone's information except your own! Each round you ask a single question to try and figure out who is on your side, being sure to obey the laws as they're added. Ask the right questions, find your team, and boot up victorious in 3 Laws of Robotics!

What is zeroth law in simple words? ›

The zeroth law of thermodynamics states that if two bodies are each in thermal equilibrium with some third body, then they are also in equilibrium with each other.

What is zeroth law in real life examples? ›

Here are some of the examples of the zeroth law of thermodynamics listed below.
  • After some time, the cup of tea will become cold.
  • hot water and cold water.
  • fruits in your refrigerator.
  • Thermometer.
  • The thermostat in your room.

Why is it called the zeroth law? ›

The law deals with the concepts used for designing the thermometer. It is called the "zeroth" law because it came to light after the first and second laws of thermodynamics had already been established and named, but was considered more fundamental and thus was given a lower number — zero.

Who discovered the Three Laws of Robotics? ›

The most famous was author Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, which are designed to prevent robots harming humans.

Which of Asimov's predictions came true? ›

Asimov correctly predicted that over-population and pollution would increase, although he hoped - rather optimistically - that "by 2019 advances in technology will place in our hands the tools that will help accelerate the process whereby the deterioration of the environment will be reversed".

Who is the father of robotics? ›

Ismail al-Jazari, the Muslim inventor whom some call the 'Father of Robotics'

Are Asimov's laws scientifically plausible? ›

Asimov's laws of robotics are not scientific laws, they are instructions built in to every robot in his stories to prevent them malfunctioning in a way that could be dangerous. The first law is that a robot shall not harm a human, or by inaction allow a human to come to harm.

What is the main ethical dilemma faced by robotics? ›

A robot must obey the orders given by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. A robot must protect its existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

What are the two ethical problems of robotics? ›

Robot ethics, sometimes known as "roboethics", concerns ethical problems that occur with robots, such as whether robots pose a threat to humans in the long or short run, whether some uses of robots are problematic (such as in healthcare or as 'killer robots' in war), and how robots should be designed such that they act ...

What is the 6th law of robotics? ›

This sixth law states: "All robots endowed with comparable human reason and conscience should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."

Why did Asimov write the laws of robotics? ›

When science fiction author Isaac Asimov devised his Three Laws of Robotics he was thinking about androids. He envisioned a world where these human-like robots would act like servants and would need a set of programming rules to prevent them from causing harm.

Are the three laws of robotics used in real life? ›

Clearly, in 1942, these laws didn't have any real-world applications. They were little more than a device to drive Asimov's fiction, but robots are a reality now. No authorities have adopted these laws as a real regulation, but you can find examples of similar principles in robotics engineering.

What is the history of Zeroth Law? ›

The name 'zeroth law' was invented by Ralph H. Fowler in the 1930s, long after the first, second, and third laws were widely recognized. The law allows the definition of temperature in a non-circular way without reference to entropy, its conjugate variable. Such a temperature definition is said to be 'empirical'.

When was Zeroth law discovered? ›

The zeroth law of thermodynamics was discovered in 1871 by the Scottish scientist James Clerk Maxwell. The zeroth law of thermodynamics states that 'if two thermodynamic systems are both in thermal equilibrium with a third system it means the two systems are also in thermal equilibrium with one another.

What law is zeroth law? ›

When a body 'A' is in thermal equilibrium with another body 'b', and also separately in thermal equilibrium with a body 'C', then body 'B' and 'C' will also be in thermal equilibrium with each other. This statement defines the zeroth law of thermodynamics. The law is based on temperature measurement.

What is the Asimov cascade? ›

A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.

Who is known as the father of robotics and why? ›

JOSEPH ENGELBERGER // The Father of Robotics. Joseph F. Engelberger, an American physicist, engineer, and businessman, was responsible for the birth of one the most important and impactful industries, gaining him global recognition as the Father of Robotics.

What contribution did Isaac Asimov make? ›

His most famous works were the Foundation trilogy and I, Robot, in which he introduced his famous “Three Laws of Robotics.” On their face, the laws are meant to be rules for controlling technology. Asimov, however, used them to explore the unintended consequences of technology, and how humanity could overcome them.

Who created the word robot? ›

Robot is a relative newcomer to the English language. It was the brainchild of the Czech playwright, novelist and journalist Karel Čapek, who introduced it in his 1920 hit play, R.U.R., or Rossum's Universal Robots. Science historian Howard Markel discusses how Čapek thought up the word.

What are the three laws of motion define each? ›

In the first law, an object will not change its motion unless a force acts on it. In the second law, the force on an object is equal to its mass times its acceleration. In the third law, when two objects interact, they apply forces to each other of equal magnitude and opposite direction.

What is the difference between automation and robotics? ›

The terms “automation” and “robotics” are sometimes used interchangeably, but there are minor differences between the two. Automation is the process of using technology to complete human tasks. Robotics is the process of developing robots to carry out a particular function.

What is zeroth law formula? ›

The zeroth law of thermodynamics is very similar to the transitive property of equality in mathematics: If a = b and b = c, then a = c.

What is zeroth law and its consequences? ›

The consequences of the zeroth law of thermodynamics are that: When hotter and colder objects are placed in thermal contact, they tend to be in thermal equilibrium and a transfer of heat takes place. Two systems tend to be in thermal equilibrium if they are separated by a wall permeable to heat.

What are the basics zeroth and first law? ›

Zeroth law of thermodynamics – concept of temperature and thermal equilibrium– relationship between temperature scales – new temperature scales. First law of thermodynamics –application to closed and open systems – steady and unsteady flow processes. Heat Reservoir, source and sink.

What is one real life example of the first law of thermodynamics? ›

Melting of ice cubes

The melting of the ice cube is a classic example of the first law of thermodynamics occurring in our daily lives. When you leave an ice cube out in the open, you will notice it melting and converting to water in just a few minutes.

What is a real life example of the third law of thermodynamics? ›

A real-life example of the third law of thermodynamics is Steam/vapors of water are the gaseous forms of water at high temperatures as the molecules within steam are randomly moving, thus it will have high entropy.

Why is the zeroth law placed first? ›

As Zeroth law was a fundamental law that was used further in the existing three laws. So, as per the importance perspective, this law was kept at the beginning. Q.

Does the zeroth law of thermodynamics allow us to define? ›

Temperature. Hint: The zeroth law of thermodynamics defines thermal equilibrium and forms a basis for the definition of temperature: If two systems are in thermal equilibrium with a third system, they are in thermal equilibrium with each other.

What are the limitations of the zeroth law of thermodynamics? ›

Limitations of Zeroth law is that it cannot be derived from other laws and cannot be applicable for other kinds of equilibrium.

Which country invented the first robot? ›

The first industrial robots were developed by George Devol, American inventor and founder of the first robotics company in history: Unimation. In 1954, what is considered the first industrial robot was developed in the USA: a hydraulic arm called Unimate, used to lift heavy loads, which was sold to General Motors.

Who invented the first human robot? ›

It was created by George Devol and constructed by Unimation, the first robot manufacturing company. Waseda University initiated the WABOT project in 1967, and in 1972 completed the WABOT-1, the world's first full-scale humanoid intelligent robot.

Where do you see robots in real life? ›

They can be found in factories and other industrial settings, performing dangerous or difficult tasks for humans to do. But robots are also starting to appear in more mundane environments, such as homes and hospitals.

Did Isaac Asimov create the word robotics? ›

Isaac Asimov was a Russian born American writer who created the term robotics and popularised the topic through his books. A common thread through his stories is his three laws of robotics.

What is Asimov's warning? ›

Asimov also expressed concerns about the over-reliance on computers and automation in his non-fiction works, cautioning against the potential loss of human skills, creativity, and decision-making abilities as a result of excessive reliance on technology.

What was Asimov's first name? ›

Isaac Asimov

What is one of the problems with Asimov's laws of robotics? ›

The first problem is that the laws are fiction! They are a plot device that Asimov made up to help drive his stories. Even more, his tales almost always revolved around how robots might follow these great sounding, logical ethical codes, but still go astray and the unintended consequences that result.

Who are the Big Four in robotics? ›

The big four

The four largest manufacturers of industrial robots are Fanuc and Yaskawa of Japan, KUKA of Germany and ABB of Switzerland. Between them they command around three quarters of the global market.

Did Nikola Tesla invent robotics? ›

Tesla's device was literally the birth of robotics, though he is seldom recognized for this accomplishment. The inventor was trained in electrical and mechanical engineering, and these skills merged beautifully in this remote-controlled boat.

Why is the 3 laws of motion important? ›

While Newton's laws of motion may seem obvious to us today, they were considered revolutionary centuries ago. The three laws of motion help us understand how objects behave when standing still, when moving and when forces act upon them.

Which of the 3 laws of motion is the first law? ›

The focus of Lesson 1 is Newton's first law of motion - sometimes referred to as the law of inertia. An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

What was Asimov's main career? ›

Isaac Asimov, (born January 2, 1920, Petrovichi, Russia—died April 6, 1992, New York, New York, U.S.), American author and biochemist, a highly successful and prolific writer of science fiction and of science books for the layperson.

What are the Three Laws of Robotics summary? ›

The first law is that a robot shall not harm a human, or by inaction allow a human to come to harm. The second law is that a robot shall obey any instruction given to it by a human, and the third law is that a robot shall avoid actions or situations that could cause it to come to harm itself.

What would happen if robots replaced humans? ›

Existing business models in many sectors will be seriously disrupted and millions of existing jobs will be lost. We estimate up to 20 million manufacturing jobs are set to be lost to robots by 2030. Robots are being developed to receive and make automated phone calls which is routine, repetitive, and predictable work.

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