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One Hundred Years of Robots
The expression of imagination as fictional writing opens up the doors of the psyche to allow the impossible to become real. Science fiction uses rational assumptions to transform our understanding of the current world into a potentiality of limitless variety. The books shown here are examples of science fiction that utilize a particular trope in order to examine the future of human beings and the ways we view and understand each other. -
L'Ève Future.
Villiers de L'Isle-Adam, Auguste. L'Ève future. Paris: M. de Brunhoff, 1886.
This is a tale of an inventor who designs a robot to substitute for a woman who has disappointed his friend as a love interest. -
Ozma of Oz
Baum, L. Frank. Ozma of Oz. Chicago: Reilly & Britton Co, 1907.
In this children's book, Tik-Tok is an emotionless automaton who nonetheless is Dorothy's protector and servant. -
I, Robot
Asimov, Isaac. I, Robot. New York, N.Y.: Bantam, Spectra, 1950. This is a series of short stories that introduce a variety of machines that emulate human capabilities in a wide variety of ways. Asimov challenges the assumptions we make about some of the ideals of human standards and questions values. -
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1968.
This is the book that inspired the movie "Blade Runner." In the story, robots in human form are created to do jobs that are dangerous or distasteful. These robots rebel and fight to uncover their origins and terms of existence. -
The HItchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Adams, Douglas. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. London: Pan Books, 1979.
In this book, scientists have built a superior humanoid machine that accompanies the protagonist on most of his adventures. Contrary to the assumption that intelligence leads to happiness, this robot that is millions of times smarter than any human is depressed, sarcastic and passive-aggressive towards the species which created it.
