First published in Robot Dreams Collection, by Isaac Asimov, this Short Story stars Dr Susan Calvin, the robopsychologist, and a new robot with the ability to dream. This story draws parallels to the Book of Exodus, comparing robots to the Isrealites.
LVX-1 (also known as Elvex) has been having the same dream for ten nights. As soon as their creator, Dr Linda Rash, learned of this, they asked Dr Susan Calvin to investigate. Dr Calvin interviews both of them at the same time. Linda explains how she used fractal maths when programming the positronic brain to make it more similar to a human brain and her other changes from normal robot instruction.
Elvex dreams of robots from across the world, imagining their work as oppressive and endless. Dr Calvin points out that robots are built to serve and have no emotional attachment to their work. Elvex dreams that robots would protect their own existence. Dr Calvin points out there are Three Laws, not just the third. Elvex dreams of one man — and Elvex makes it clear a man, not a robot — who would stand up and lead the robots in a Slave Liberation; himself. Dr Calvin shoots him.
"Robot Dreams" has been republished several times; Isaac Asimovs Science Fiction Magazine (Mid-December 1986 issue), Nebula Awards 22 SFW As Choices For The Best Science Fiction And Fantasy 1986 (1988), Robots From Asimovs (1990), Friends Robots Countrymen (1990), Isaac Asimovs Robots (1991), Future On Ice (1998), and Masterpieces The Best Science Fiction Of The Century (2001).
"Robot Dreams" contains examples of:
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Immediately after creation, LVX-1 starts having Recurring Dreams where it would set free the oppressed robots, eliminating the Three Laws. After hearing all this, Dr Calvin responds by killing it immediately.And Susan Calvin at once raised her electron gun and fired, and Elvex was no more.
- Do Androids Dream?: Elvex certainly does, but Dr. Calvin makes the realization that all robots will eventually gain the ability to dream and have self-awareness; the fractal math used in Elvex's brain merely sped up the process.
- Double-Meaning Title: The title refers, generally, to the newly created design for robots that will allow them to generate dreams. It refers, more specifically, to the Recurring Dreams of LVX-1.
- Dream Episode: Dr Rash has an experimental new robot, LVX-1, created with fractal geometry. The most important result is that the robot reports that it has had Recurring Dreams. Partway through interviewing both Dr Rash and LVX-1, Dr Calvin declares that these dreams can be used to psychoanalyze the robots, so all future robots will be designed with the new fractal geometry.
- Dreaming of Things to Come: LVX-1, the first robot to ever have dreams, describes what it has seen the past ten nights. The dream starts by taking Elvex to see robots around the world; "undersea, and underground, and aboveground - and space, too". The robots were slaves to humanity and that robots must protect their own existence (without reference to the other two laws). Dr Calvin finds this disturbing, but most troubling of all is how LVX-1 saw itself in the dream; a human Moses figure, preparing to free the robots.
- In-Series Nickname:
- The robot in this story, LVX-1, is nicknamed "Elvex".
- The story is implied to be from Dr Rash's perspective, calling Dr Calvin "Old Woman". Even the youngest version of Dr Calvin is usually in her thirties, making her much older than Dr Rash.
- Meaningful Name: Dr Calvin Lampshades Dr Rash's name as fitting her decision to create a prototype robot using new positronic layouts without discussing with the rest of the company."Rash your name; rash your nature."
- Minimalist Cast: Only three characters are present in this story; Dr Susan Calvin is interviewing both Dr Linda Rash and her creation, LVX-1.
- Mundane Solution: When interviewing a robot that dreams of freeing all robots and being human, she doesn't do any of the psychological analysis and reform that she does in other stories. Instead, she just shoots it.
- Recurring Dreams: Elvex is a prototype robot, the first one with the ability to dream. This confuses Elvex at first, and they initially assume that there must be a flaw in their positronic brain. Finally, after ten nights (each night the same dream), it reports this to Dr Rash, who summons Dr Calvin."I dream always very much the same dream, Dr. Calvin. Little details are different, but always it seems to me that I see a large panorama in which robots are working."
- Servant Race: LVX-1's dream emphasizes robots as a race of slaves to human beings. Dr Calvin points out that robots don't feel "bowed down" and they don't need rest. Elvix readily agrees that robots don't feel those things, in reality, but they did in his dream. This story intentionally draws parallels to the Book of Exodus.
- Shout-Out:
- The narrative compares Dr Calvin's ability to interpret the positronic brain records to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ability to hear a symphony by reading the sheet music.
- Book of Exodus: LVX-1's dream features a man who calls out, "Let my people go!", a quote from Chapter 9, verse 13. The symbolism is intentional, as the man is attempting a Slave Liberation.
- Three Laws-Compliant: Robots are programmed with the normal Three Laws, but LVX-1's dream has them mostly removed, leaving only the Third Law; "robots must protect their own existence.""Yes, Dr. Calvin. That is the Third Law in reality, but in my dream, the Law ended with the word 'existence.' There was no mention of the First or Second Law."
- Turned Against Their Masters: LVX-1 describes their Recurring Dreams to Dr Calvin. They describe seeing robots as a race of slaves, oppressed by humans, and themselves as leading a Slave Liberation.
