The image usually thought of by the word robot is that of a mechanical being, somewhat human in shape. Common in science fiction, robots are generally depicted as working in the service of people, but often escaping the control of the people and doing them harm. The word robot comes from the Czech...

What is A Robot WHAT IS A ROBOT The term robot comes from the Czechoslovakian wordfor "forced labor," invented by Karel Capek. Karel Capek used robots in his plays and had them look and behave like people. Today, the word "robot" is harder to define because of new designs and technology. The third...

OUTLINE According to H. Bruce Franklin, science fiction is "the only literature capable of exploring the macro-history of our species. . . in a cosmic context" (Science Fiction: The Early History, Internet) which suggests that man's place in the univers...