Laws of Robotics

The word robot first appeared in a 1921 Karel Čapek play, R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots).

Three Laws of Robotics by Isaac Asimov

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

In the 1990s, Roger MacBride Allen has modificated and added a fourth law to these laws:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must participate instead of obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such participations would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot cannot be ordered to destroy itself (no longer superseded by the Second Law)
4. A robot can do "whatever it likes" so long as this does not conflict with the first three Laws

The Fifth Law of Robotics, introduced by Nikola Kesarovski in his short story "The Fifth Law of Robotics":

• A robot must know it is a robot

(Lo ideal para un sistema autoritario!) The military would want strong safeguards
built into any robot where possible, so laws similar to Asimov's would
be embedded if possible. David Langford has suggested, tongue-in-cheek, that these laws might be the following:

1. A robot will not harm authorized Government personnel but will terminate intruders with extreme prejudice.
2. A robot will obey the orders of authorized personnel except where such orders conflict with the Third Law.
3. A robot will guard its own existence with lethal antipersonnel weaponry, because a robot is bloody expensive.

In a later essay, Asimov points out that analogues of his Three Laws are implicit in the design of almost all tools:

1. A tool must be safe to use. (Knives have handles, swords have hilts, and grenades have pins.)
2. A tool must perform its function efficiently unless this would harm the user.
3. A tool must remain intact during its use unless its destruction is required for its use or for safety.