First Law is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov, first published in 1956 in Fantastic Universe Science Fiction magazine and later collected in The Rest of the Robots and The Complete Robot. It is part of the Robot Series, with a plot involving positronic robots, however contains numerous inconsistencies that arguably place it outside the Foundation universe. The title of the story is a reference to the first of the Three Laws of Robotics. Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Dr. Isaac Asimov enthroned with symbols of his lifes work (Rowena Morrill) Dr. Isaac Asimov (c. ... 1956 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Rest of the Robots (1964) is a collection of eight short stories and two full-length novels by Isaac Asimov. ... The Complete Robot is a collection of science fiction short stories by Isaac Asimov written between 1940 and 1976, which were previously collected in books I, Robot, The Rest of the Robots, and other anthologies. ... Isaac Asimovs Robot Series is a series of books by Isaac Asimov, both collections of short stories and novels. ... A positronic brain is a fictional technological device, originally conceived by science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. ... A humanoid robot playing the trumpet In practical usage, a robot is a mechanical device which performs automated physical tasks, either according to direct human supervision, a pre-defined program, or a set of general guidelines using artificial intelligence techniques. ... Hari Seldons holographic image, pictured on a paperback edition of Foundation, appears at various times in the First Foundations history, to guide it through the social and economic crises that befall it. ... This cover of I, Robot illustrates the story Runaround, the first to list all Three Laws of Robotics. ...

The story is very short, only 3 pages in length, and takes the form of Mike Donovan's recount of an incident that occurred on Titan, one of Saturn's moons. He tells of a malfunctioning robot named Emma that escaped from the base and was later encountered by Donovan while he was lost during a storm. While Donovan's life was in danger, Emma chose to protect its offspring, a small robot that it had built, instead of assisting him. This was a direct violation of the First Law of Robotics, which states that "a robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm". Apparently, maternal instincts in the robot took precedence over its programming, an example of the commonly encountered literary theme of paternalism in Asimov's work. Greg Powell and Mike Donovan are fictional characters from Isaac Asimovs Robot short stories. ... Titan (tye-tun, Greek Τιτάνας) is the largest moon of Saturn and the second largest moon in the solar system[1], after Jupiters moon Ganymede. ... Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 140 kPa Hydrogen >93% Helium >5% Methane 0. ... Moons of solar system scaled to Earths Moon The common noun moon (not capitalized) is used to mean any natural satellite of the other planets. ... Traditional cultural paternalism: Father Junipero Serra in a modern portrayal at Mission San Juan Capistrano, California Paternalism often refers to the hierarchic pattern of the family applied as a paradigm to state policy; it also can refer to paternalistic attitudes and actions by individuals and non-state institutions. ...

While such direct disobedience of the First Law is not described in any other robot story by Asimov, the most glaring inconsistency of the story is Donovan's mention of aliens. When he first encounters the robot's offspring in the storm, he assumes it was a "storm pup", described as "the only living thing that could stand a Titanian storm, and the most vicious living thing anywhere". This places the story outside the Foundation canon, which does not allow for aliens within the Milky Way. What makes such incosistencies notable is the fact that Mike Donovan is a character that appears in numerous other short stories in the Foundation Series. Asimov acknowledges this, noting that "I was being funny at the expense of my robots", and points out that the story is told by Donovan, who may not be a reliable narrator. Aliens are foreigners to their surroundings. ... A NASA artists conception of what the Milky Way would look like if seen off-axis. ...