A major premise of the book is that robots will have to limit their behaviors to prevent harm to humans. To that end, the author posits the Three Laws of Robotics under which all robotic devices must behave. These laws create a form of ethics for machines, a system that derives from human mores yet holds older ethical systems up to the light of a higher standard.

All robots are designed, and their positronic minds are imbued, with unyielding respect for the Three Laws of Robotics. These Laws are meant to channel robot behavior along pathways that are safe to humans, never wasteful, and always useful.

The First Law states that “a robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm” (37). Robots are very strong and extremely intelligent, and their activity might easily cause damage; thus, the most important rule they must follow is to act in such a way that no one is injured or killed.

The Second Law says that “a robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law” (37).