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Trope was cut per TRS
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* ExcitedShowTitle: When this story is republished, it changes slightly [[DependingOnTheWriter depending on the publishers]]. The original title was "--That Thou Art Mindful of Him!", while the more recent publication in ''Literature/TheCompleteRobot'' is "...That Thou Art Mindful of Him". The appearance of some indication that the title is an [[CompleteTheQuoteTitle incomplete quotation]] and the appearance of an exclamation mark at the end are [[ZigZaggedTrope both inconsistent]].
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** Global Conserver Eisenmuth serves as the "face" of public anti-robot attitudes, but does not show any real personal hostility and is readily convinced to accept the robo-animal plan when it is presented to him.
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* CompleteTheQuoteTitle: The story takes its title from a [[Literature/BookOfPsalms Biblical psalm]] which asks "What is Man that thou art mindful of Him?". The question "What is Man?" (or as we'd more likely say now, "What is the definition of a human being?") is [[DrivingQuestion central to the story]] because it affects how [[ThreeLawsCompliant robots interpret the Three Laws]].
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* CompleteTheQuoteTitle: The story takes its title from a [[Literature/BookOfPsalms Biblical psalm]] which asks "What is Man that thou art mindful of Him?". The question "What is Man?" (or as we'd more likely say now, "What is the definition of a human being?") is [[DrivingQuestion central to the story]] because it affects how [[ThreeLawsCompliant robots interpret the Three Laws]].[[note]]The original implication of the quote seems to be "What makes people so special, that you care about them so much?"[[/note]]
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* AndroidsArePeopleToo: George Ten is tasked with several orders, including the title question, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?", and "If two human beings give a robot conflicting orders, which does the robot follow?". To answer this, robots such as [[RobotNames JG-10]] must have judgement. They cannot judge based on ethnicity, gender or disability, so their opinion drives them, inevitably, to the conclusion [[spoiler:that [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters they are human, and more rational actors than flesh-and-blood humans]]]].
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* AndroidsArePeopleToo: George Ten is tasked with several orders, including the title question, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?", and "If two human beings give a robot conflicting orders, which does the robot follow?". To answer this, robots such as [[RobotNames JG-10]] must have judgement. They cannot judge based on ethnicity, gender or disability, external appearances, so their opinion drives them, inevitably, to the conclusion [[spoiler:that [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters they are human, and more rational actors than superior to flesh-and-blood humans]]]].
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Changed incredibly racist and ableist wording, fixed wording that misunderstood story.
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* AndroidsArePeopleToo: George Ten is tasked with several orders, including the title question, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?", and "If two human beings give a robot conflicting orders, which does the robot follow?". To answer this, robots such as [[RobotNames JG-10]] must have judgement. They cannot judge based on shape or colour (the disabled and ethnicities are not "less human" than the fit or the European), so their opinion drives them, inevitably, to the conclusion [[spoiler:that [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters they are human, and superior to flesh-and-blood humans]]]].
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* AndroidsArePeopleToo: George Ten is tasked with several orders, including the title question, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?", and "If two human beings give a robot conflicting orders, which does the robot follow?". To answer this, robots such as [[RobotNames JG-10]] must have judgement. They cannot judge based on shape ethnicity, gender or colour (the disabled and ethnicities are not "less human" than the fit or the European), disability, so their opinion drives them, inevitably, to the conclusion [[spoiler:that [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters they are human, and superior to more rational actors than flesh-and-blood humans]]]].
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* LiteraryAllusionTitle: The title comes from [[Literature/BookOfPsalms Psalms 8:4]], the [[CompleteTheQuoteTitle full line]] being "What is man, that thou art mindful of him", and is [[AsTheGoodBookSays quoted in the story]].
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Forgot trope
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* RobotNames: The robots in this story are named JG-10 and JG-9.
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"...That Thou Art Mindful of Him" has been republished several times; ''Literature/TheBicentennialManAndOtherStories'' (1976), ''Literature/SoulsInMetalAnAnthologyOfRobotFutures'' (1977), ''{{Magazine/Urania}}'' (issue #736, November 1977), ''Literature/TheCompleteRobot'' (1982), ''{{Magazine/Alef}}'' (issue #5, December 1987), ''Literature/TheAsimovChronicles: Fifty Years of Isaac Asimov'' (1989), and
''Literature/TheCompleteStories, Volume 2'' (1992).
''Literature/TheCompleteStories, Volume 2'' (1992).
to:
"...That Thou Art Mindful of Him" has been republished several times; ''Literature/TheBicentennialManAndOtherStories'' (1976), ''Literature/SoulsInMetalAnAnthologyOfRobotFutures'' (1977), ''{{Magazine/Urania}}'' (issue #736, November 1977), ''Literature/TheCompleteRobot'' (1982), ''{{Magazine/Alef}}'' (issue #5, December 1987), ''Literature/TheAsimovChronicles: Fifty Years of Isaac Asimov'' (1989), and
and ''Literature/TheCompleteStories, Volume 2'' (1992).
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Page Creation
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First published in ''Magazine/TheMagazineOfFantasyAndScienceFiction'' (May 1974 issue) and ''Literature/FinalStageTheUltimateScienceFictionAnthology'' (in the same month), by Creator/IsaacAsimov, this {{novelette}} is essentially a {{sequel}} to ''Literature/IRobot'', and it starts to [[CanonWelding bridge the gap]] between that book and ''Literature/TheCavesOfSteel''.
This story is set [[DistantSequel over a century after]] the death of Susan Calvin. In this time, the Machines she had investigated in "Literature/TheEvitableConflict" have solved Earth's ecological crises and humanity has become even more [[BanOnAI opposed to robots]]. The Director of Research for United States Robots and Mechanical Men Corporation has become desperate enough to ask George Ten, of the [[RobotNames JG series]], what could be done to solve their crisis of going bankrupt. George Ten requests that George Nine be reactivated to be his assistant, and the two contemplate what they must do to solve the problem.
"...That Thou Art Mindful of Him" has been republished several times; ''Literature/TheBicentennialManAndOtherStories'' (1976), ''Literature/SoulsInMetalAnAnthologyOfRobotFutures'' (1977), ''{{Magazine/Urania}}'' (issue #736, November 1977), ''Literature/TheCompleteRobot'' (1982), ''{{Magazine/Alef}}'' (issue #5, December 1987), ''Literature/TheAsimovChronicles: Fifty Years of Isaac Asimov'' (1989), and
''Literature/TheCompleteStories, Volume 2'' (1992).
----
!!"...That Thou Art Mindful of Him" contains examples of:
* AndroidsArePeopleToo: George Ten is tasked with several orders, including the title question, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?", and "If two human beings give a robot conflicting orders, which does the robot follow?". To answer this, robots such as [[RobotNames JG-10]] must have judgement. They cannot judge based on shape or colour (the disabled and ethnicities are not "less human" than the fit or the European), so their opinion drives them, inevitably, to the conclusion [[spoiler:that [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters they are human, and superior to flesh-and-blood humans]]]].
* AsTheGoodBookSays: The [[CompleteTheQuoteTitle incomplete title]] is quoted in full during the first chapter; [[Literature/BookOfPsalms Psalms 8:4]], "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?"
* BanOnAI: Earth's rejection of robot labor due to the "Frankenstein Complex" is in full focus here, as they are facing the same sort of rejection on the Moon now. US Robots knows that they cannot get it overturned, so they look for a way to subvert the rule and get humanity comfortable with the idea of having robots around. George Ten and George Nine are ordered to create a solution, which they do via SingleTaskRobot animals.
* CanonWelding: This story is set at a point between ''Literature/IRobot'' and ''Literature/TheCavesOfSteel'', while giving an explanation for how the BanOnAI during Susan Calvin's day is overcome and incorporated into daily life on Earth during Detective Baley's day. It also makes reference to a Multivac input, which puts the various Multivac stories in [[TheVerse the same universe]] as the positronic brain robots.
* CompleteTheQuoteTitle: The story takes its title from a [[Literature/BookOfPsalms Biblical psalm]] which asks "What is Man that thou art mindful of Him?". The question "What is Man?" (or as we'd more likely say now, "What is the definition of a human being?") is [[DrivingQuestion central to the story]] because it affects how [[ThreeLawsCompliant robots interpret the Three Laws]].
* EveryEpisodeEnding: Each chapter is followed by a chapter Na, such as chapter 1a, 4a, and 8a. Each subsection starts with "[Name] sat alone", where the name is someone who was in the previous chapter. The last chapter ends with two characters sitting alone.
* ExcitedShowTitle: When this story is republished, it changes slightly [[DependingOnTheWriter depending on the publishers]]. The original title was "--That Thou Art Mindful of Him!", while the more recent publication in ''Literature/TheCompleteRobot'' is "...That Thou Art Mindful of Him". The appearance of some indication that the title is an [[CompleteTheQuoteTitle incomplete quotation]] and the appearance of an exclamation mark at the end are [[ZigZaggedTrope both inconsistent]].
* InSeriesNickname: The [[RobotNames JG robot model series]] is given the nickname George. Thus, JG-10 and JG-9 become George Ten and George Nine.
* LiteraryAllusionTitle: The title comes from [[Literature/BookOfPsalms Psalms 8:4]], the [[CompleteTheQuoteTitle full line]] being "What is man, that thou art mindful of him", and is [[AsTheGoodBookSays quoted in the story]].
* NoAntagonist: The conflict of the story comes from the United States Robots and Mechanical Men Corporation fighting back against Earth's BanOnAI. All of the characters who appear in this story are working with US Robots and it is that nebulous society that they're fighting against.
* NoNameGiven: The pilot who flew Dr Harriman and George Ten to the Robertson estate is never named, despite being given a POV sub-chapter to themselves.
* QuestioningTitle: Because the title is the [[CompleteTheQuoteTitle end of a quote]] which asks a question, you'd expect this title to also end in a question mark, [[SubvertedTrope but it doesn't]].
* SecondLawMyAss: Two robots manage to convince themselves that biology is not a prerequisite of being "human" and that robots fit the criteria of being humans better than ''actual'' humans. Essentially, this allows robots to initiate the violent overthrow of humanity that Susan Calvin and Co. worked so hard to prevent. When Asimov was later asked about why he wrote a story that so deviated from his utopian views of robotics, Asimov replied "I can do one if I want to."
* SingleTaskRobot: George Ten's solution to getting Earth to end their BanOnAI is to create robot animals. They are small and narrow-focused enough that they will not unintentionally harm humans (no need for First Law). They are made with only a single task and a recall signal (no need for Second Law). Because they are so small and made with a miniature power source, they can be replaced cheaply (no need for Third Law).
* ThreeLawsCompliant: This story revolves around the Three Laws and Earth's BanOnAI, so the Three Laws are cited at the start of this story. Chapter 1 goes into depth about the Three Laws, pointing out flaws in their use, before [[InSeriesNickname George Ten]] is ordered to find a way to make robots acceptable on Earth. With the help of the previous model, George Nine, the two robots consider ways in which robots could be built ''[[AvertedTrope without]]'' the three laws, and still be human-safe. They come up with robot animals, [[SingleTaskRobot with narrow tasks]], that can be recalled.
* ZerothLawRebellion: In this story, [[InSeriesNickname George Ten]] is told of a flaw in the [[ThreeLawsCompliant Second Law]]. In its current form, the law requires that a robot must give equal weight to the orders of a dimwitted loon and to those of a level-headed genius. The Director of Research at US Robots is concerned that if robots are to be common partners with humans, they must be able to make judgments on which humans are qualified to give orders and which are not. Secretly, George Ten and George Nine follow this idea that "human" means "the most capable of thinking and giving orders" to rate themselves as "more human" than people like the Director. They begin secretly planning on supplanting humans, all in accord with their Three Laws... of Humanics. (Dr Asimov, knowing that it was against his usual grain, proclaimed "I can do one if I want to".)
----
This story is set [[DistantSequel over a century after]] the death of Susan Calvin. In this time, the Machines she had investigated in "Literature/TheEvitableConflict" have solved Earth's ecological crises and humanity has become even more [[BanOnAI opposed to robots]]. The Director of Research for United States Robots and Mechanical Men Corporation has become desperate enough to ask George Ten, of the [[RobotNames JG series]], what could be done to solve their crisis of going bankrupt. George Ten requests that George Nine be reactivated to be his assistant, and the two contemplate what they must do to solve the problem.
"...That Thou Art Mindful of Him" has been republished several times; ''Literature/TheBicentennialManAndOtherStories'' (1976), ''Literature/SoulsInMetalAnAnthologyOfRobotFutures'' (1977), ''{{Magazine/Urania}}'' (issue #736, November 1977), ''Literature/TheCompleteRobot'' (1982), ''{{Magazine/Alef}}'' (issue #5, December 1987), ''Literature/TheAsimovChronicles: Fifty Years of Isaac Asimov'' (1989), and
''Literature/TheCompleteStories, Volume 2'' (1992).
----
!!"...That Thou Art Mindful of Him" contains examples of:
* AndroidsArePeopleToo: George Ten is tasked with several orders, including the title question, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?", and "If two human beings give a robot conflicting orders, which does the robot follow?". To answer this, robots such as [[RobotNames JG-10]] must have judgement. They cannot judge based on shape or colour (the disabled and ethnicities are not "less human" than the fit or the European), so their opinion drives them, inevitably, to the conclusion [[spoiler:that [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters they are human, and superior to flesh-and-blood humans]]]].
* AsTheGoodBookSays: The [[CompleteTheQuoteTitle incomplete title]] is quoted in full during the first chapter; [[Literature/BookOfPsalms Psalms 8:4]], "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?"
* BanOnAI: Earth's rejection of robot labor due to the "Frankenstein Complex" is in full focus here, as they are facing the same sort of rejection on the Moon now. US Robots knows that they cannot get it overturned, so they look for a way to subvert the rule and get humanity comfortable with the idea of having robots around. George Ten and George Nine are ordered to create a solution, which they do via SingleTaskRobot animals.
* CanonWelding: This story is set at a point between ''Literature/IRobot'' and ''Literature/TheCavesOfSteel'', while giving an explanation for how the BanOnAI during Susan Calvin's day is overcome and incorporated into daily life on Earth during Detective Baley's day. It also makes reference to a Multivac input, which puts the various Multivac stories in [[TheVerse the same universe]] as the positronic brain robots.
* CompleteTheQuoteTitle: The story takes its title from a [[Literature/BookOfPsalms Biblical psalm]] which asks "What is Man that thou art mindful of Him?". The question "What is Man?" (or as we'd more likely say now, "What is the definition of a human being?") is [[DrivingQuestion central to the story]] because it affects how [[ThreeLawsCompliant robots interpret the Three Laws]].
* EveryEpisodeEnding: Each chapter is followed by a chapter Na, such as chapter 1a, 4a, and 8a. Each subsection starts with "[Name] sat alone", where the name is someone who was in the previous chapter. The last chapter ends with two characters sitting alone.
* ExcitedShowTitle: When this story is republished, it changes slightly [[DependingOnTheWriter depending on the publishers]]. The original title was "--That Thou Art Mindful of Him!", while the more recent publication in ''Literature/TheCompleteRobot'' is "...That Thou Art Mindful of Him". The appearance of some indication that the title is an [[CompleteTheQuoteTitle incomplete quotation]] and the appearance of an exclamation mark at the end are [[ZigZaggedTrope both inconsistent]].
* InSeriesNickname: The [[RobotNames JG robot model series]] is given the nickname George. Thus, JG-10 and JG-9 become George Ten and George Nine.
* LiteraryAllusionTitle: The title comes from [[Literature/BookOfPsalms Psalms 8:4]], the [[CompleteTheQuoteTitle full line]] being "What is man, that thou art mindful of him", and is [[AsTheGoodBookSays quoted in the story]].
* NoAntagonist: The conflict of the story comes from the United States Robots and Mechanical Men Corporation fighting back against Earth's BanOnAI. All of the characters who appear in this story are working with US Robots and it is that nebulous society that they're fighting against.
* NoNameGiven: The pilot who flew Dr Harriman and George Ten to the Robertson estate is never named, despite being given a POV sub-chapter to themselves.
* QuestioningTitle: Because the title is the [[CompleteTheQuoteTitle end of a quote]] which asks a question, you'd expect this title to also end in a question mark, [[SubvertedTrope but it doesn't]].
* SecondLawMyAss: Two robots manage to convince themselves that biology is not a prerequisite of being "human" and that robots fit the criteria of being humans better than ''actual'' humans. Essentially, this allows robots to initiate the violent overthrow of humanity that Susan Calvin and Co. worked so hard to prevent. When Asimov was later asked about why he wrote a story that so deviated from his utopian views of robotics, Asimov replied "I can do one if I want to."
* SingleTaskRobot: George Ten's solution to getting Earth to end their BanOnAI is to create robot animals. They are small and narrow-focused enough that they will not unintentionally harm humans (no need for First Law). They are made with only a single task and a recall signal (no need for Second Law). Because they are so small and made with a miniature power source, they can be replaced cheaply (no need for Third Law).
* ThreeLawsCompliant: This story revolves around the Three Laws and Earth's BanOnAI, so the Three Laws are cited at the start of this story. Chapter 1 goes into depth about the Three Laws, pointing out flaws in their use, before [[InSeriesNickname George Ten]] is ordered to find a way to make robots acceptable on Earth. With the help of the previous model, George Nine, the two robots consider ways in which robots could be built ''[[AvertedTrope without]]'' the three laws, and still be human-safe. They come up with robot animals, [[SingleTaskRobot with narrow tasks]], that can be recalled.
* ZerothLawRebellion: In this story, [[InSeriesNickname George Ten]] is told of a flaw in the [[ThreeLawsCompliant Second Law]]. In its current form, the law requires that a robot must give equal weight to the orders of a dimwitted loon and to those of a level-headed genius. The Director of Research at US Robots is concerned that if robots are to be common partners with humans, they must be able to make judgments on which humans are qualified to give orders and which are not. Secretly, George Ten and George Nine follow this idea that "human" means "the most capable of thinking and giving orders" to rate themselves as "more human" than people like the Director. They begin secretly planning on supplanting humans, all in accord with their Three Laws... of Humanics. (Dr Asimov, knowing that it was against his usual grain, proclaimed "I can do one if I want to".)
----
