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Mirror Image
"Mirror Image" is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov, originally published in the May 1972 issue Analog Science Fiction and Fact, and collected in The Best of Isaac Asimov (1973), The Complete Robot (1982), Robot Visions (1990), and The Complete Stories, Volume 2 (1992).
After having received numerous requests to continue the story of detective Elijah Baley and his robot partner R. Daneel Olivaw, featured in his earlier novels The Caves of Steel and The Naked Sun, Asimov wrote this short detective story.
After having received numerous requests to continue the story of detective Elijah Baley and his robot partner R. Daneel Olivaw, featured in his earlier novels The Caves of Steel and The Naked Sun, Asimov wrote this short detective story.
7 pages, ebook
First published May 1, 1972
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About the author
Isaac Asimov
4,480 books27.4k followersWorks of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles,
The Foundation Trilogy
(1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 17, 2021
This is a classic science fiction short story that highlights the Three Laws of Robotics as conceived by Isaac Asimov. While there is lots of debate and decisions yet to come, modern day roboticists are considering what “laws” should be built into robots and Asimov’s three laws are the most renown.
The three laws are:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
The fun part of this short story is that a mystery (not a murder mystery this time) must be solved through the use of analysis of the three laws by asking two robots the same questions. Both tell the same story about the superiority of its human master… but one of them is lying (obviously having been ordered to lie – an application of the second law). Can detective Elijah Baley figure out which one is lying through mere questioning, thus putting the first law into play and overriding the second law?
Well, of course he can! He’s the infallible Elijah Bailey!
Just a bit of fun here, but recommended to anyone who enjoys Asimov and his robots!
The three laws are:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.
The fun part of this short story is that a mystery (not a murder mystery this time) must be solved through the use of analysis of the three laws by asking two robots the same questions. Both tell the same story about the superiority of its human master… but one of them is lying (obviously having been ordered to lie – an application of the second law). Can detective Elijah Baley figure out which one is lying through mere questioning, thus putting the first law into play and overriding the second law?
Well, of course he can! He’s the infallible Elijah Bailey!
Just a bit of fun here, but recommended to anyone who enjoys Asimov and his robots!
May 25, 2018
Zanimljiva mala prica koja se nalazi u knjizi "Sabrani Roboti" ali se po hronoloskom redu cita nakon "Golog Sunca". Iz tog razloga je i posebno ocenjujem ovde na Goodreads-u. Sto se same price tice ona je nista drugo do jos jedna Asimovjeva visprena minijatura iz reda onih koje objasnjavaju kako roboti delaju i kako razmisljaju u specificinim situacijama i pod odredjenim okolnostima dok na njih deluju tri zakona robotike.
March 3, 2021
This is a very thoughtful and well-constructed short story by Asimov. Having read the three Plainclothesman Elijah Baley novels (as well as the centuries-later sequel), it is good to have this quick mystery to add another story to the canon.
I would thoroughly recommend this story to readers of both SF and detective fiction - like The Caves of Steel, it is a good gateway into either genre if you have previously only been interested in the other.
I would thoroughly recommend this story to readers of both SF and detective fiction - like The Caves of Steel, it is a good gateway into either genre if you have previously only been interested in the other.
October 24, 2017
I feel like Asimov phoned this one in a bit. Definitely a fan pleaser to bring back Elijah Baley and R Daneel in a short story for Analog Science Fiction and Fact. Also a good use of the three laws and a conundrum to solve. Had I read it in 1972, I'd have given it higher ratings.
March 23, 2019
This is a short story involving our favorite wacky detectives, Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw (it helps to have read “I, Robot” and “The Robot Novels”) This is a bit different from the previous novels as there is no murder mystery, but more of a logic poser. Seems that two scientists, one quite old (270 or so) and the other quite young (30’s), are aboard a spaceship bound for the Outer Worlds. One comes up with an innovative theory regarding a mathematical basis for “a possible method for analyzing neural pathways from changes in microwave absorption patterns of large cortical areas” and runs it by the other, but finds that the other claims to have come up with the identical theory, verbatim (i.e., the “mirror image” of the other). The captain of the ship wants to resolve the issue before getting to the destination, so Daneel, who is along for the trip, suggests a brief stop on Earth, so he can consult with Elijah about it. The reputations of the scientists are at stake, but neither is admitting any wrongdoing.
As we know from “The Naked Sun,” Elijah prefers to interview the parties directly, but using a somewhat different strategy he interviews the robots who are assigned to each scientist; both have corroborated the stories of their respective masters. Using the Laws of Robotics, Elijah pursues the motivation that the robots would have for lying for their masters. I won’t give it away, even the process, because it’s a fun one to behold. Needless to say, the issue gets resolved and Daneel and Elijah can chalk up another victory. Four stars. OK, on to “The Robots of Dawn,” now on my short list.
As we know from “The Naked Sun,” Elijah prefers to interview the parties directly, but using a somewhat different strategy he interviews the robots who are assigned to each scientist; both have corroborated the stories of their respective masters. Using the Laws of Robotics, Elijah pursues the motivation that the robots would have for lying for their masters. I won’t give it away, even the process, because it’s a fun one to behold. Needless to say, the issue gets resolved and Daneel and Elijah can chalk up another victory. Four stars. OK, on to “The Robots of Dawn,” now on my short list.
January 31, 2019
Asimov is brilliant in immersing the reader in a robot crisis. In this story it seems that the human is really much more complicated to dissect our behavior.
October 31, 2016
Short story set in between The Naked Sun (Robot, #2) and The Robots of Dawn (Robot, #3)
Elijah is asked by Daneel to investigate a dispute between two reputable Spacers on board a spaceship near Earth.
This story again makes full use of the three laws of robotics and it's impact on robots behaviour.
Nice short story to read and it's events are actually referred to in the third book; The Robots of Dawn
Elijah is asked by Daneel to investigate a dispute between two reputable Spacers on board a spaceship near Earth.
This story again makes full use of the three laws of robotics and it's impact on robots behaviour.
Nice short story to read and it's events are actually referred to in the third book; The Robots of Dawn
December 6, 2021
Collected in The Best of Isaac Asimov, The Complete Robot, Robot Visions and The Complete Stories, Volume 2, this short story was written by Asimov after many requests for more Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw. After publication, many fan letters stated "Thanks, but we meant a novel."
In this entertaining mystery, Baley is called by Daneel to resolve a dispute between two Spacer scientists who have submitted identical papers about a revolutionary mathematical technique. Each claims to have invented the technique, then spoke to the other to confirm it, only to have the other plagiarize the idea. Neither will admit guilt in this mirror image situation.
As both Spacers decline to be personally interviewed, Baley questions their robots via telepresence and their stories also end up being mirror images. Baley ends up using the Laws of Robotics to create a situation where one of the robots "shorts out", but he says his long experience and gut instinct had already logically identified the wrong-doer much earlier. A wonderful who dun it, I am with the rest of Asimov's fans, I'd have loved another novel.
In this entertaining mystery, Baley is called by Daneel to resolve a dispute between two Spacer scientists who have submitted identical papers about a revolutionary mathematical technique. Each claims to have invented the technique, then spoke to the other to confirm it, only to have the other plagiarize the idea. Neither will admit guilt in this mirror image situation.
As both Spacers decline to be personally interviewed, Baley questions their robots via telepresence and their stories also end up being mirror images. Baley ends up using the Laws of Robotics to create a situation where one of the robots "shorts out", but he says his long experience and gut instinct had already logically identified the wrong-doer much earlier. A wonderful who dun it, I am with the rest of Asimov's fans, I'd have loved another novel.
November 3, 2024
This is in the collections,
The Complete Robot
and
Robot Visions
.
Daneel is passing near Earth when the spaceship he is on has a legal issue with two passengers, so he stops in at Elijah's office to get some help resolving the situation.
Admittedly, you already know which mathematician is lying long before the big reveal, but you read it anyway just coz you want to see how Elijah comes to the same conclusion.
All in all, a nice little novella to bridge the gap between The Naked Sun and The Robots of Dawn .
Daneel is passing near Earth when the spaceship he is on has a legal issue with two passengers, so he stops in at Elijah's office to get some help resolving the situation.
Admittedly, you already know which mathematician is lying long before the big reveal, but you read it anyway just coz you want to see how Elijah comes to the same conclusion.
All in all, a nice little novella to bridge the gap between The Naked Sun and The Robots of Dawn .
January 18, 2025
I love how Asimov lays out the problem at hand clearly and like an algebra problem. Although he explains things slowly at time, it’s clear and allows the reader to consider how they would solve the problem. Mirror Image is Asimov pushing this idea close to its limits, with both sides of the equation holding the same variables and highly similar coefficients. The slightest asymmetries offer a legitimate, reasonable solution. What’s more is that the most intelligible reasoning comes from a place of humanity, inaccessible to robots and pure examination of evidence.
July 22, 2023
Short and sweet and very Asimov. The entire thing is basically a conversation between two characters trying to puzzle out a logic puzzle. It’s fairly satisfying and made me miss William Dufris’ voice.
December 17, 2023
Elijah Bailey and R Daneel Olivaw are back together again in this short story. R Daneel is on a ship within range of Earth when a dispute erupts between two mathematicians. R Daneel thinks of his old partner Bailey as the man who could solve this dilemma. This can be found in 'Robot Visions'.
February 25, 2020
A pretty cool short story to fill the gap and add some extra lore to the following books(Robots of Dawn/Robots and Empire).
June 18, 2020
In "The Robots of Dawn" chapter 4 is mentioned a small case solved by Elijah Baley e R. Daneel, the small story is set between "The Naked Sun" and "The Robots of Dawn" and is called Mirror Image.
January 25, 2021
5, Short story, not great, just adds to the story as a whole
July 2, 2023
Elijah and Daneel are reunited to solve another robot mystery.
January 10, 2024
Reflejo simetrico
Eres un maldito dios asimov
Eres un maldito dios asimov
March 15, 2025
Read it for school 🥱
February 2, 2024
Simple, sweet, short story. Fun read
January 2, 2024
Я б сказала "вони самі себе перемудрили" якби тут не було такого смачного та цікавого пояснення-підґрунтя. У цьому оповіданні йдуть психологічні ігри розуму із залученням роботів зі ШІ. Стиль розповіді типовий для оповідань Айзека Азімова
November 14, 2023
This is a mini-sequel to The Naked Sun. If you are reading the Robot Series in order, this would technically be book 2.5. Elijah Bailey, the main character, is tasked with determining which mathematician is dishonest about their role in developing a groundbreaking mathematical breakthrough and accusing the other of theft. The problem? The only witnesses to the exchange are the mathematicians' robot assistants, each backing up their master.
December 22, 2022
не знал раньше, что Азимов родился в России :) рассказ рекомендую.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews