Three Laws of Robotics

A set of rules written by Russian-born American scientist and writer Isaac Asimov, which almost all positronic robots appearing in his fiction must obey. Although foreshadowed in a few earlier stories, the laws were first introduced in his 1942 short story 'Runaround'. The Laws state the following:

First Law

A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

Second Law

A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

Third Law

A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.