The Point of No Return

Throughout the course of our existence, the human race has been faced with one social conflict after another. Asimov’s I,Robot takes place in a future world controlled by robots that is seemingly rid of such conflict. This world is divided into regions and within each region a robot with incredible calculating abilities known as The Machine is tasked with deciding what is best for the region it controls. The entire population of the human race is therefore at the mercy of these Machines. In this seemingly perfect world, humans are no longer the ones deciding their own fate because robotic technology has progressed beyond the possibility of human control. However, this is not entirely the case. Because the Machines are still robots, they must follow the Three Rules of Robotics. These robots are unique in that they serve all of humanity, so the first law is therefore modified to “no machine may harm humanity; or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm” (269). The Machine will always do what is in the best interest of humanity because it is unwilling and unable to cause humans harm. As long as the Machines rule the world, there can be no conflicts that would cause harm to humanity because the Machines must follow the First Law of Robotics and would not allow it. Therefore, humanity is safe as long as the Machines continue to function. However, with the failure of the Machine will come the failure of civilization due to the fact that humans allowed technology to reach the point at which robots are all that stands between humanity and its downfall. This is the point of no return.