Lanning put his elbows on the table and earnestly leaned forward. ‘Let me put it bluntly, gentlemen. Robots cannot be used on Earth, except in certain special cases, because of prejudice against the on t e part of the public. U.S. Robots is a highly successful corpor t1on with our extraterrestrial and space-flight markets alone, to say nothmg of our computer subsidiaries. However, we are concerned with mor than profits alone. It is our firm belief that the use of robots on Earth itself would mean a better life for all eventually, even if a certain amount of economic dislocation resulted at first.
‘The labor unions are naturally against us, but surely we may expect cooperation from the large universities. The robot, Easy, will help you by relieving you of scholastic drudgery – by assuming, if you permit it, the role of galley slave for you. Other universities and research institutions will follow your lead, and if it works out, then perhaps other robots of other types may be placed and the public’s objections to them broken down by stages.’
Minott murmured, ‘Today Northeastern University, tomorrow the world.’
Angrily, Lanning whispered to Susan Calvin, ‘I wasn’t nearly that eloquent and they weren’t nearly that reluctant. At a thousand a year, they were jumping to get Easy. Professor Minott told me he’d never seen as beautiful a job as that graph he was holding and there was no mistake on the galley or anywhere else. Hart admitted it freely.’
The severe vertical lines on Dr Calvin’s face did not soften. ‘You should have demanded more money-than they could pay, Alfred, and let them beat you down.’
‘Maybe,’ he grumbled.
Prosecution was not quite done with Professor Hart. ‘After Dr Lanning left, did you vote on whether to accept Robot EZ-27?’
‘Yes, we did.’
‘With what result?’
‘In favor of acceptance, by majority vote.’
‘What would you say influenced the vote?’
Defense objected immediately.
Prosecution rephrased the question. ‘What influenced you, personally, in your individual vote? You did vote in favor, I think.’
‘I voted in favor, yes. I did so largely because I was impressed by Dr Lanning’s feeling that it was our duty as members of the world’s intellectual leadership to allow robotics to help Man in the solutions of his problems.’
‘In other words, Dr Lanning talked you into it.’
‘That’s his job. He did it very well.’
‘Your witness.’
Defense strode up to the witness chair and surveyed Professor Hart for a long moment. He said, ‘In reality, you were all pretty eager to have Robot EZ-27 in your employ, weren’t you?’
‘We thought that if it could do the work, it might be useful.’
‘’If it could do the work? I understand you examined the samples of Robot EZ-27’s original work with particular care on the day of the meeting which you have just described.’
‘Yes, I did. Since the machine’s work dealt primarily with the handling of the English language, and since that is my field of competence, it seemed logical that I be the one chosen to examine the work.’
‘Very good. Was there anything on display on the table at the time of the meeting which was less than satisfactory? I have all the material here as exhibits. Can you point to a single unsatisfactory item?’
‘Well—’
‘It’s a simple question. Was there one single solitary unsatisfactory item? You inspected it. Was there?’
The English professor frowned. ‘There wasn’t.’
‘I also have some samples of work done by Robot EZ-27 during the course of his 14-month employ at Northeastern. Would you examine these and tell me if there is anything wrong with them in even one particular?’
Hart snapped, ‘When he did make a mistake, it was a beauty.’
‘Answer my question,’ thundered Defense, ‘and only the question I am putting to you! Is there anything wrong with the material?’
Dean Hart looked cautiously at each item. ‘Well, nothing.’
‘Barring the matter concerning which we are here engaged, do you know of any mistakes on the part of EZ-27?’
‘Barring the matter for which this trial is being held, no.’
Defense cleared his throat as though to signal end of paragraph. He said, ‘Now about the vote concerning whether Robot EZ-27 was to be employed or not. You said there was a majority in favor. What was the actual vote?’
‘Thirteen to one, as I remember.’
‘Thirteen to one! More than just a majority, wouldn’t you say?’ ‘No, sir!’ All the pedant in Dean Hart was aroused. ‘In the English language, the word ‘majority’ means ‘more than half.’ Thirteen out of fourteen is a majority, nothing more.’
‘But an almost unanimous one.’
‘A majority all the same!’
Defense switched ground. ‘And who was the lone holdout?’
Dean Hart looked acutely uncomfortable. ‘Professor Simon Ninheimer.’
Defense pretended astonishment. ‘Professor Ninheimer? The head of the Department of Sociology?’ ‘Yes, sir.’
‘The plaintiff?’
