Monday, September 24, 2012

Reason by Issac Asimov

On the character of Cutie, the Robot

Cutie can understand human language. Not only does he have a faculty of reason, but also 'intuition' which is associated with natural beings. He displays curiosity to his own existence. He is inquisitive and original in his approach to the world believing in investigating the causes of various observable phenomena. 

He accepts nothing on authority and wants evidence to back up any hypothesis, his doubts make him a skeptic. He formulates his own theory of evolution with humans at the bottom, mechanical robots in the middle and intelligent robots on top of the hierarchy. His attitude is rebellious from the point of view of humans but his ‘natural’ obedience is discernible in its veneration of the Beam Director/Energy Convertor and ultimately, in a circuitous way towards the humans. Heis more accurate and quick than humans, hence more efficient. His intelligence matches that of Rene Descartes and Albert Einstein and his genius threatens the humans to a degree that makes Donovan call him a 'lunatic' robot and a 'metal maniac.'  He has a developed consciousness verging on a personality-if robots can have a personality Cutie possesses it due to his unique characteristics. Cutie becomes the founder of a new religion- a prophet of the Master that is actually the Convertor. His genius verges on the ridiculous because at the end of it all- humans have created ‘him’ and it is to serve our planet Earth.

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