un verdadero robot fue imposible antes de la invención de la computadora en los años cuarenta, y no fue práctico (en el sentido de ser lo suficientem… - Isaac Asimov

There is an old fable," said Hardin, "as old perhaps as humanity, for the oldest records containing it are merely copies of other records still older, that might interest you. It runs as follows: "A horse having a wolf as a powerful and dangerous enemy lived in constant fear of his life. Being driven to desperation, it occurred to him to seek a strong ally. Whereupon he approached a man, and offered an alliance, pointing out that the wolf was likewise an enemy of the man. The man accepted the partnership at once and offered to kill the wolf immediately, if his new partner would only co-operate by placing his greater speed at the man's disposal. The horse was willing, and allowed the man to place bridle and saddle upon him. The man mounted, hunted down the wolf, and killed him. "The horse, joyful and relieved, thanked the man, and said: 'Now that our enemy is dead, remove your bridle and saddle and restore my freedom.' "Whereupon the man laughed loudly and replied, 'Never!' and applied the spurs with a will.

There isn’t an instinct around that can’t give way to a good, persistent education. Not in human beings, where instincts are weak anyway. In fact, if you go about it right, education gets easier with each generation.

decimoctavo libro de la Ilíada de Homero, se indica que Hefesto, el dios griego, tiene como ayudante a «un par de sirvientas… hechas de oro exactamente como muchachas vivientes; tienen juicio en sus cabezas, pueden hablar y utilizan sus músculos, pueden girarse y moverse de izquierda a derecha así como hacer su trabajo…». Sin duda alguna, se trata de robots.