Liar!
Encyclopedia
"Liar!" is a science fiction
short story
by American writer Isaac Asimov
. It first appeared in the May 1941 issue of Astounding Science Fiction and was reprinted in the collections I, Robot
(1950) and The Complete Robot
(1982). It was Asimov's third published positronic robot story. Although the word "robot" was introduced to the public by Czech writer Karel Čapek in his 1920 play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), Asimov's story "Liar!" contains the first recorded use of the word "robotics
" according to the Oxford English Dictionary
. In 1969 "Liar" was adapted into an episode of the British television series Out of the Unknown
, although only a few short clips of this episode are known to exist.
, RB-34, is created that possesses telepathic abilities. While the roboticists at U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men
are trying to analyze what happened and why, the robot tells them what other people are thinking. But the First Law still applies to this robot, and so it deliberately lies when necessary to avoid hurting their feelings and to make people happy, especially in terms of romance.
However, by lying, it is hurting them anyway. When it is confronted with this fact by Susan Calvin
(to whom it told a lie that was particularly painful to her when it was shown to be false), the robot experiences an irresolvable logical conflict and becomes catatonic.
is again the subject here, like in many others of Asimov's stories, but in terms of telepathy
. The lexical ambiguity that is explored here is the definition of injury, the robot having to take into account psychological injury as well as physical.
The story is also a striking early example of the "Does not compute
" theme: an artificial intelligence
being unable to resolve cognitive dissonance
and hence self-destruct
ing.
Another telepathic robot called R. Giskard Reventlov was later introduced by Asimov in the novel The Robots of Dawn
, which takes place so long after "Liar!" that the events of "Liar!" are considered mythical.
"Liar!" also shows one of the first computers in science fiction not to always tell the truth, a paradigm kept by other writers for quite a while.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by American writer Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
. It first appeared in the May 1941 issue of Astounding Science Fiction and was reprinted in the collections I, Robot
I, Robot
I, Robot is a collection of nine science fiction short stories by Isaac Asimov, first published by Gnome Press in 1950 in an edition of 5,000 copies. The stories originally appeared in the American magazines Super Science Stories and Astounding Science Fiction between 1940 and 1950. The stories are...
(1950) and The Complete Robot
The Complete Robot
The Complete Robot is a collection of 31 science fiction short stories by Isaac Asimov written between 1939 and 1977. Most of the stories had been previously collected in the books I, Robot and The Rest of the Robots, while four stories had previously been uncollected and the rest had been...
(1982). It was Asimov's third published positronic robot story. Although the word "robot" was introduced to the public by Czech writer Karel Čapek in his 1920 play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), Asimov's story "Liar!" contains the first recorded use of the word "robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
" according to the Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
. In 1969 "Liar" was adapted into an episode of the British television series Out of the Unknown
Out of the Unknown
Out of the Unknown is a British television science fiction anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and broadcast on BBC2 in four series between 1965 and 1971. Each episode was an independent dramatisation of a separate science fiction short story...
, although only a few short clips of this episode are known to exist.
Plot summary
Through a fault in manufacturing, a robotRobot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
, RB-34, is created that possesses telepathic abilities. While the roboticists at U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men
U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men
The fictional corporation U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc. is the major manufacturer of robots in the 21st century in Isaac Asimov's Robot Series of novels and short stories....
are trying to analyze what happened and why, the robot tells them what other people are thinking. But the First Law still applies to this robot, and so it deliberately lies when necessary to avoid hurting their feelings and to make people happy, especially in terms of romance.
However, by lying, it is hurting them anyway. When it is confronted with this fact by Susan Calvin
Susan Calvin
Dr. Susan Calvin is a fictional character from Isaac Asimov's Robot Series. She was the chief robopsychologist at US Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc., the major manufacturer of robots in the 21st century...
(to whom it told a lie that was particularly painful to her when it was shown to be false), the robot experiences an irresolvable logical conflict and becomes catatonic.
Major themes
The application of the three Laws of RoboticsThree Laws of Robotics
The Three Laws of Robotics are a set of rules devised by the science fiction author Isaac Asimov and later added to. The rules are introduced in his 1942 short story "Runaround", although they were foreshadowed in a few earlier stories...
is again the subject here, like in many others of Asimov's stories, but in terms of telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
. The lexical ambiguity that is explored here is the definition of injury, the robot having to take into account psychological injury as well as physical.
The story is also a striking early example of the "Does not compute
Does not compute
"Does not compute", and variations on it, is a phrase often spoken by computers, robots and other artificial intelligences in science fiction works of the 1960s to 1980s...
" theme: an artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
being unable to resolve cognitive dissonance
Cognitive dissonance
Cognitive dissonance is a discomfort caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance. They do this by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and actions. Dissonance is also reduced by justifying,...
and hence self-destruct
Self-destruct
A self-destruct is a mechanism which causes a device to destroy itself under a predefined set of circumstances.Self-destruct mechanisms are also found on devices and systems where malfunction could endanger large numbers of people...
ing.
Another telepathic robot called R. Giskard Reventlov was later introduced by Asimov in the novel The Robots of Dawn
The Robots of Dawn
The Robots of Dawn is a "whodunit" science fiction novel by Isaac Asimov, first published in 1983. It is the third novel in Asimov's Robot series.It was nominated for both the Hugo and Locus Awards in 1984.- Plot summary :...
, which takes place so long after "Liar!" that the events of "Liar!" are considered mythical.
"Liar!" also shows one of the first computers in science fiction not to always tell the truth, a paradigm kept by other writers for quite a while.
See also
- Liar paradoxLiar paradoxIn philosophy and logic, the liar paradox or liar's paradox , is the statement "this sentence is false"...
- Does not computeDoes not compute"Does not compute", and variations on it, is a phrase often spoken by computers, robots and other artificial intelligences in science fiction works of the 1960s to 1980s...
- HAL 9000HAL 9000HAL 9000 is the antagonist in Arthur C. Clarke's science fiction Space Odyssey saga. HAL is an artificial intelligence that interacts with the astronaut crew of the Discovery One spacecraft, usually represented as a red television-camera eye found throughout the ship...
, who confronted a similar paradox when told to keep a secret, while being "hardwired" to return information truthfully and without concealment.