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as to cause it to forget too much or too little. We would detect such tampering, because we
have built-in safeguards. How- 191 ever, since there is no need for clearing the robot in its
ordinary work, or for doing other useless things, this raises no problem.' Dean Hart touched
his head as though to make sure his carefully cultivated strands lay evenly distributed and
said, 'You are anxious to have us take the machine. Yet surely it is a losing proposition for
U.S. Robots. One thousand a year is a ridiculously low price. Is it that you hope through this
to rent other such machines to other universities at a more reasonable price?' 'Certainly
that's a fair hope,' said Lanning. 'But even so, the number of machines you could rent would
be limited. I doubt if you could make it a paying proposition.' Lanning put his elbows on the
table and earnestly leaned forward. 'Let me put it bluntly, gentlemen. Robots cannot be used
on Earth, except in certain special cases, because of prejudice against them on the part of
the public. U.S. Robots is a highly successful corporation with our extraterrestrial and
spaceflight markets alone, to say nothing of our computer subsidiaries. However, we are
concerned with more than profits alone. It is our firm belief that the use of robots on Earth
itself would mean a better life for all eventually, even if a certain amount of economic
dislocation resulted at first. 'The labor unions are naturally against us, but surely we may
expect cooperation from the large universities. The robot, Easy, will help you by relieving you
of scholastic drudgeryby assuming, if you permit it, the role of galley slave for you. Other
universities and research institutions will follow your lead, and if it works out, then perhaps
other robots of other types may be placed and the public's 192 objections to them broken
down by stages.' Minott murmured, 'Today Northeastern University, tomorrow the world.'
Angrily, Lanning whispered to Susan Calvin, 'I wasn't nearly that eloquent and they weren't
nearly that reluctant. At a thousand a year, they were jumping to get Easy. Professor Minott
told me he'd never seen as beautiful a job as that graph he was holding and there was no
mistake on the galley or anywhere else. Hart admitted it freely.' The severe vertical lines on
Dr. Calvin's face did not soften. 'You should have demanded more money than they could
pay, Alfred, and let them beat you down.' 'Maybe,' he grumbled. Prosecution was not quite
done with Professor Hart. 'After Dr. Lanning left, did you vote on whether to accept Robot
EZ-27?' 'Yes, we did.' 'With what result?' 'In favor of acceptance, by majority vote.' 'What
would you say influenced the vote?' Defense objected immediately. Prosecution rephrased
the question. 'What influenced you, personally, in your individual vote? You did vote in favor, I
think.' 'I voted in favor, yes. I did so largely because I was impressed by Dr. Lanning's feeling
that it was our duty as members of the world's intellectual leadership to allow robotics to help
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Man in the solution of his problems.' 'In other words, Dr. Lanning talked you into it.' 'That's his
job. He did it very well.' 'Your witness.' Defense strode up to the witness chair and surveyed
Professor Hart for a long moment. He said, 'In reality, you 193 were all pretty eager to have
Robot EZ-27 in your employ, weren't you?' 'We thought that if it could do the work, it might
be useful.' 'If it could do the work? I understand you examined the samples of Robot EZ-27's
original work with particular care on the day of the meeting which you have just described.'
'Yes, I did. Since the machine's work dealt primarily with the handling of the English
language, and since that is my field of competence, it seemed logical that I be the one
chosen to examine the work.' 'Very good. Was there anything on display on the table at the
time of the meeting which was less than satisfactory? I have all the material here as exhibits.
Can you point to a single unsatisfactory item?' 'Well ' 'It's a simple question. Was there one
single solitary unsatisfactory item? You inspected it. Was there?' The English professor
frowned. 'There wasn't.' 'I also have some samples of work done by Robot EZ-27 during the
course of his fourteen-month employ at Northeastern. Would you examine these and tell me
if there is anything wrong with them in even one particular?' Hart snapped. 'When he did
make a mistake, it was a beauty.' 'Answer my question,' thundered Defense, 'and only the
question I am putting to you! Is there anything wrong with the material?' Dean Hart looked
cautiously at each item. 'Well, nothing.' 'Barring the matter concerning which we are here
engaged, do you know of any mistake on the part of EZ-27?' 194 'Barring the matter for [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]