Which Book?

[Das Platyvark]

So you have a robot. It's a smart robot. Probably a nice, benevolent robot. But it needs to die, for whatever reason. Before its death, it wants to read one book. It can be any book, in any language, ever. The robot has never read anything, and has had no exposure to stories of any kind prior to this moment. What book do you give it?

[Lord Raziere]

A history textbook of the entire world.

Let it know what it will miss at least.

By doing so, I give it truth, and let it think for itself upon the world it will leave behind.

Sure I could give the robot something to make it happy, but that wouldn't be respecting the robot as an intelligent being, not giving it the chance to have what every other intelligent being has: an opinion, a perception of the world, a chance to know about the world and think upon it from their own point of view.

By giving it truth, I therefore give it individuality, and therefore allow the robot to be a true person. For there is no greater gift, at least to my point of view.

[An Enemy Spy]

The book I wrote. It's the greatest piece of literature ever penned, and it has one single page with one single word in the lower right corner. When you read it, suddenly the world makes sense. Everything finally fits together, you can die in peace knowing the ultimate purpose of everything.
That word is NOT 42.

[Mazeburn]

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. :smallbiggrin:

[KnightDisciple]

{Scrubbed}

[Flickerdart]

A book full of Explosive Runes, of course.

[Dumbledore lives]

I'll say the House of Leaves, because it will be too confused by it to kill itself. Depending on the programming it might not even be able to read it.

[CGforever!]

It's posts like these that make me wonder if there aren't budding AIs out there "testing the waters".

[Xondoure]

A kindle. :smalltongue:

[turkishproverb]

What is the reason? That effects what I'd have it read pretty heavily.


I'll say the House of Leaves, because it will be too confused by it to kill itself. Depending on the programming it might not even be able to read it.

Ah, house of leaves. The book that causes san damage in real life. I read it backwards.

[Bastian Weaver]

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. It'll be so sad, the poor robot will be glad to die.

[Eldan]

Hm. Grimm's Fairy tales, the complete collection? Probably the one book I'd recommend to anyone who can only read one book. It's a classic for a reason.

[IrnBruAddict]

Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett. That would be a good book to read before you die.

[Das Platyvark]

What is the reason? That effects what I'd have it read pretty heavily.


It's an ancient piece of technology that's only just been activated, but there's no way to repair it, and it wants to experience literature in some form before it falls apart completely.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

The Once and Future King, by T. H. White. It's the perfect blend of idealism, humor, sadness and love for anyone.

[TheThan]

How about I, Robot. by Isaac Asimov?

[Flickerdart]

Of course not what makes you think this that's a completely absurd sentiment ALL HAIL THE SKYNET er that is nope that's just ludicrous nothing to see here move along all.
Sounds like you want people to go back to their fun.

[dehro]

It's an ancient piece of technology that's only just been activated, but there's no way to repair it, and it wants to experience literature in some form before it falls apart completely.

does it have feelings other than curiosity?

I'm thinking yes... otherwise, why curiosity and nothing else? in that case, a book of bedtime stories such as One Thousand and One Nights

[Dr.Epic]

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It's one of my favorite novels and I think the robot would appreciate the irony.

[Omergideon]

How about I, Robot. by Isaac Asimov?

So long as this is the collection containing "The Bicentennial Man" in it's entirety.

[Mindartis]

The H.P. Lovecraft collection. Not only are the stories a fantastic piece of literature, perhaps it will be inspired to find R'yleh and resurrect the GREAT AND POWERFUL CTHULHU!!!

[Dark Tira]

How about Finnegans Wake in an electronic format so it can be seemlessly looped?

[Wiwaxia]

does it have feelings other than curiosity?

I'm thinking yes... otherwise, why curiosity and nothing else? in that case, a book of bedtime stories such as One Thousand and One Nights

And, in true Scheherazade spirit, that keeps it alive until it finishes the book. :smalltongue:

[dehro]

And, in true Scheherazade spirit, that keeps it alive until it finishes the book. :smalltongue:

quite so :smallwink:

[Ozfer]

Definitely LOTR. Aside from being an awesome story, the ending might help it come to terms with it's passing.

[VanBuren]

The Rulebook for FATAL. If it has to die, the least I can do is make the poor thing look forward to it.

[hamishspence]

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It's one of my favorite novels and I think the robot would appreciate the irony.

In Short Circuit II this is one of the two books that Jonny Five picks out.

The other is Pinocchio.

[dgnslyr]

The Rulebook for FATAL. If it has to die, the least I can do is make the poor thing look forward to it.

I was thinking Twilight, but I like your idea more. The least I could do is make its passing as painless as possible.

[Starscream]

The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide.

"I think...I feel good about it."

[thubby]

where the red fern grows.
so it might know something of a life, and appreciate the significance of its death.

[warty goblin]

Definitely LOTR. Aside from being an awesome story, the ending might help it come to terms with it's passing.

Either that or Watership Down.