Machines That Think

Machines That Think is a compilation of 29 science fiction stories probing the scientific, spiritual, and moral facets of computers and robots and speculating on their future. It was edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg, and Patricia S. Warrick.

Published in 1984 by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, it features a foreword by Asimov, the creator of the Three Laws of Robotics. In addition, each story has introductory notes by Warrick, author of The Cybernetic Imagination in Science Fiction, explaining the significance of the story in the context of science fiction's evolution of ideas concerning artificial intelligence. This book is a companion piece to that book, providing the source material upon which Warrick's analysis is based.

Stories included

Title Author Originally published
Moxon’s Master Ambrose Bierce ss San Francisco Examiner Apr 16, 1899
The Lost Machine John Wyndham (as John Beynon Harris) nv Amazing Apr ’32
Rex Harl Vincent ss Astounding Jun ’34
Robbie [“Strange Playfellow”] Isaac Asimov ss Super Science Stories Sep ’40
Farewell to the Master Harry Bates nv Astounding Oct ’40
Robot’s Return Robert Moore Williams ss Astounding Sep ’38
Though Dreamers Die Lester del Rey nv Astounding Feb ’44
Fulfillment A. E. van Vogt nv New Tales of Space and Time, ed. Raymond J. Healy, Holt, 1951
Runaround [Mike Donovan (Robot)] Isaac Asimov nv Astounding Mar ’42
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream Harlan Ellison ss If Mar ’67
The Evitable Conflict [Susan Calvin (Robot)] Isaac Asimov nv Astounding Jun ’50
A Logic Named Joe Murray Leinster (as Will F. Jenkins) ss Astounding Mar ’46
Sam Hall Poul Anderson nv Astounding Aug ’53
I Made You Walter M. Miller, Jr. ss Astounding Mar ’54
Triggerman J. F. Bone ss Astounding Dec ’58
War with the Robots Harry Harrison nv Science Fiction Adventures (UK) #27 ’62
Evidence [Susan Calvin (Robot)] Isaac Asimov ss Astounding Sep ’46
2066: Election Day Michael Shaara ss Astounding Dec ’56
If There Were No Benny Cemoli Philip K. Dick nv Galaxy Dec ’63
The Monkey Wrench Gordon R. Dickson ss Astounding Aug ’51
Dial “F” for Frankenstein Arthur C. Clarke ss Playboy Jan ’65
The Macauley Circuit Robert Silverberg ss Fantastic Universe Aug ’56
Judas John Brunner ss Dangerous Visions, ed. Harlan Ellison, Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1967
Answer Fredric Brown vi Angels and Spaceships, Dutton, 1954
The Electric Ant Philip K. Dick ss F&SF Oct ’69
The Bicentennial Man Isaac Asimov nv Stellar #2, ed. Judy-Lynn del Rey, Ballantine, 1976
Long Shot Vernor Vinge ss Analog Aug ’72
Alien Stones Gene Wolfe nv Orbit 11, ed. Damon Knight, G.P. Putnam’s, 1972
Starcrossed George Zebrowski ss Eros in Orbit, ed. Joseph Elder, Trident, 1973

External links


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