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vigneswara_prabhu's review against another edition
5.0
Ray Bradbury wrote, in his book 451 Fahrenheit "Great Writers Touch life often.....". I believe Great Writers make you question the nature of you life and existence, and self.
What does to mean to be Human; Asimov asks us to consider an innate thought. A fact that we often take as part of our identity. To be Human, and to choose is truly a Miracle to those who are denied the opportunity.
Through the near Constant Spectator that is Andrew Martin, Asimov sets up an intriguing and thought provoking duality; exploring the reality of what it means to be human. Andrew, whom by some Ghost in the Shell, was constructed with a mind that can, for lack of better words yearn. For more. and to be Human. In a world that largely denies it, and secretly envies what he possesses. whether it be his enhanced intellect, or his being immune to the frailty that is to be Human.
For Andrew, that is the culmination of the emptiness he had grown to feel. As the world of humanity around him changes, yearning for longevity and becomes more and more like a machine, Andrew wishes to be more like humans.
Towards the end of his 'Life' he decisions he comes to make defies logic. and are a culmination of a life time that served to make him all the more 'human' in more ways than one. They are flawed, Irrational. But Human. In the end Andrew's desire is fulfilled only when he embraces his humanity as a whole. with all its gifts and weaknesses. including its eternal one, death.
Here was a man who was willing to give his all, his very self to know to be what is human. to be known and desire as human.
And by being the silent partners in Andrew's journey we are forced to take a step back and evaluate our own self, and things that we have taken as granted. things that took Andrew his entirely long lifetime to acquire. and through it cherish what we have.
What does to mean to be Human; Asimov asks us to consider an innate thought. A fact that we often take as part of our identity. To be Human, and to choose is truly a Miracle to those who are denied the opportunity.
Through the near Constant Spectator that is Andrew Martin, Asimov sets up an intriguing and thought provoking duality; exploring the reality of what it means to be human. Andrew, whom by some Ghost in the Shell, was constructed with a mind that can, for lack of better words yearn. For more. and to be Human. In a world that largely denies it, and secretly envies what he possesses. whether it be his enhanced intellect, or his being immune to the frailty that is to be Human.
For Andrew, that is the culmination of the emptiness he had grown to feel. As the world of humanity around him changes, yearning for longevity and becomes more and more like a machine, Andrew wishes to be more like humans.
Towards the end of his 'Life' he decisions he comes to make defies logic. and are a culmination of a life time that served to make him all the more 'human' in more ways than one. They are flawed, Irrational. But Human. In the end Andrew's desire is fulfilled only when he embraces his humanity as a whole. with all its gifts and weaknesses. including its eternal one, death.
Here was a man who was willing to give his all, his very self to know to be what is human. to be known and desire as human.
And by being the silent partners in Andrew's journey we are forced to take a step back and evaluate our own self, and things that we have taken as granted. things that took Andrew his entirely long lifetime to acquire. and through it cherish what we have.
caitlin_89's review against another edition
3.0
I want to love Asimov, but I still just can't get totally on board with sci-fi. I have yet to finish this book, clocking in at 7 out of 11 stories. Following are my synopses and thoughts for each of the 7:
1) The Prime of Life - A self-portrait of a poem with a smart, witty commentary.
2) Feminine Intuition - a fascinating little story about a "woman" robot and the power of an intuitive mind. Quite humorous.
3) Waterclap - The safety of Ocean-Deep is compromised. This short, though I'd say not one of Asimov's best or most unique, has nicely developed characters and a clever ending
4)That Thou Art Mindful of Him - Wow. How do the Three Laws of Robotics hold up under an assumed understanding of the word "human being?" Provocative. Probably my favorite.
5)Stranger in Paradise - Set in an age where bioligical fraternity was so unusual as to be frowned upon. Autism plays an interesting role in two brothers' initiative to explore a new planet. I bit lengthier than some of the other pieces. I did not really enjoy this one. Kind of dry.
6)The Life and Times of Multivac - You've heard the story. The machine invented for our pleasure and purposes has taken over and we have unwittingly become its slaves. Most of us don't realize it, but the clear-headed few have a plot to overthrow it and bring power back to humankind. This one ends with a snap. ""You have talked of freedom. You HAVE it!" Then, uncertainly, he said, "Isn't that what you want?"
7)The Winnowing - This is the type I like. Succinct, provocative, and dramatic. The well-fed executives want to "humanely" end the lives of billions of people as a solution to the earth's famine. The scientist with the ability to make this a reality takes drastic measures to oppose their drastic scheme. One of my favorites.
1) The Prime of Life - A self-portrait of a poem with a smart, witty commentary.
2) Feminine Intuition - a fascinating little story about a "woman" robot and the power of an intuitive mind. Quite humorous.
3) Waterclap - The safety of Ocean-Deep is compromised. This short, though I'd say not one of Asimov's best or most unique, has nicely developed characters and a clever ending
4)That Thou Art Mindful of Him - Wow. How do the Three Laws of Robotics hold up under an assumed understanding of the word "human being?" Provocative. Probably my favorite.
5)Stranger in Paradise - Set in an age where bioligical fraternity was so unusual as to be frowned upon. Autism plays an interesting role in two brothers' initiative to explore a new planet. I bit lengthier than some of the other pieces. I did not really enjoy this one. Kind of dry.
6)The Life and Times of Multivac - You've heard the story. The machine invented for our pleasure and purposes has taken over and we have unwittingly become its slaves. Most of us don't realize it, but the clear-headed few have a plot to overthrow it and bring power back to humankind. This one ends with a snap. ""You have talked of freedom. You HAVE it!" Then, uncertainly, he said, "Isn't that what you want?"
7)The Winnowing - This is the type I like. Succinct, provocative, and dramatic. The well-fed executives want to "humanely" end the lives of billions of people as a solution to the earth's famine. The scientist with the ability to make this a reality takes drastic measures to oppose their drastic scheme. One of my favorites.
agus_gm's review against another edition
5.0
¡Que maravilla de novela corta! No creo que sea necesario profundizar en ella, todo el mundo debe saber más o menos de que va la cosa, y si no, nunca es tarde. No le pongo ni un solo "pero". Excelente.
annalauriss's review against another edition
5.0
Es el primer libro de Asimov que leo, aunque estaba en mi tbr desde hace años. Me ha gustado mucho, es muy emotivo. El desarrollo de los personajes, especialmente de Andrew es excelente.
Aun para la época en la que nos encontramos, me hace pensar en el dilema de los robots, en las reservas que como humanos tenemos y, sobretodo, en el hecho de que la consciencia de nuestra muerte (como un pensamiento racional y no como un hecho biológico) es lo que nos hace realmente humanos, incluso cuando la mayoría de personas no quieren morir, y es lo que nos impulsa a hacer cosas y a vivir.
Aun para la época en la que nos encontramos, me hace pensar en el dilema de los robots, en las reservas que como humanos tenemos y, sobretodo, en el hecho de que la consciencia de nuestra muerte (como un pensamiento racional y no como un hecho biológico) es lo que nos hace realmente humanos, incluso cuando la mayoría de personas no quieren morir, y es lo que nos impulsa a hacer cosas y a vivir.
ariisantoos_'s review against another edition
2.0
✨2.5/5✨
Tipico libro chungo obligatorio de ingles, meh. Puntos extras por que me recordó a cuando era pequeña y miraba la peli con mi padre, peliculon.
Tipico libro chungo obligatorio de ingles, meh. Puntos extras por que me recordó a cuando era pequeña y miraba la peli con mi padre, peliculon.
noshyira's review
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
calalo's review against another edition
5.0
Asimov es un pilar de la ciencia ficción, propone posibilidades que la humanidad tendrá que enfrentar y sin embargo como buen filosofo, hace de "El hombre bicentenario" una novela corta que parte del cuestionamiento más antiguo: la existencia del ser.
Las maquinas, producto del diseño, son un contraste a la selección natural del hombre, su acciones son limitadas por parametros y su funcionamiento es exclusivo de la imitación. ¿Pero qué rumbo tomaría una inteligencia artificial con una consciencia que derive en capacidad de aprendizaje?
La primera novela de ciencia ficción ya planteaba una pregunta similar a través de un ser sensitivo hecho de pedazos de cadáveres por el doctor Frankenstein. Pedazos de metal y positrones son ahora los que enfrentan el descubrimiento de su entorno pero a diferencia de la criatura aborrecida, Andrew recibe afecto de sus dueños quienes lo acompañan en la busqueda de aceptación social.
Conceptos como libertad, propiedad y apariencia son obstaculos para encontrar igualdad, a medida que las obtiene el robot enfrenta los limites de su lógica, tiene nociones pero es difícil comprender porque no puede ser reconocido como humano.
La integorrante da indicios de tener un enfoque equivocado, biológicamente Andrew no es un hombre. Ni podrá serlo ni debería buscar serlo. La respuesta que busca es que hace al hombre un "ser".
La existencia está en un plano distinto al material, su nivel de consciencia es el ser pero esta bloqueada por la muralla de la inmortalidad. Esta le cierra el paso, la presión del espacio y tiempo ante la carne desarrolla el nivel del hombre como entidad. Andrew está cerca de conseguirlo, y en un exquisito final toma los riesgos. ¿Será entonces que el termino humanidad para el concepto de consciencia se volverá limitado? Tal vez siempre lo fue y toca a cada uno descubrirlo.
Las maquinas, producto del diseño, son un contraste a la selección natural del hombre, su acciones son limitadas por parametros y su funcionamiento es exclusivo de la imitación. ¿Pero qué rumbo tomaría una inteligencia artificial con una consciencia que derive en capacidad de aprendizaje?
La primera novela de ciencia ficción ya planteaba una pregunta similar a través de un ser sensitivo hecho de pedazos de cadáveres por el doctor Frankenstein. Pedazos de metal y positrones son ahora los que enfrentan el descubrimiento de su entorno pero a diferencia de la criatura aborrecida, Andrew recibe afecto de sus dueños quienes lo acompañan en la busqueda de aceptación social.
Conceptos como libertad, propiedad y apariencia son obstaculos para encontrar igualdad, a medida que las obtiene el robot enfrenta los limites de su lógica, tiene nociones pero es difícil comprender porque no puede ser reconocido como humano.
La integorrante da indicios de tener un enfoque equivocado, biológicamente Andrew no es un hombre. Ni podrá serlo ni debería buscar serlo. La respuesta que busca es que hace al hombre un "ser".
La existencia está en un plano distinto al material, su nivel de consciencia es el ser pero esta bloqueada por la muralla de la inmortalidad. Esta le cierra el paso, la presión del espacio y tiempo ante la carne desarrolla el nivel del hombre como entidad. Andrew está cerca de conseguirlo, y en un exquisito final toma los riesgos. ¿Será entonces que el termino humanidad para el concepto de consciencia se volverá limitado? Tal vez siempre lo fue y toca a cada uno descubrirlo.
protovulcan's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.5
crying over andrew. bicentennial man was probably my favorite short story by asimov yet