Publishing Data
Originally published in Universe 1, 1971
Collected
in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol. IV
Winner of a Nebula for Best Short Story
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| A priest, a rabbi, and four laypeople await the election of the first robot pope. |
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| Background |
- ascuiga means "dryness" or "towel" in Italian
- carciofo means "artichoke" in Italian
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| Navigation Guide |
| What does the narrator mean when, upon hearing of the robot's selection, he says: "I think it is the most truly contemporary moment I have ever experienced"? |
| Three of the group favor the election of the robot; the other three disapprove. In the light of the papal election, explain the ramifications of the title of the story. |
| The narrator speculates that he favors the robot as either a "matter of esthetics," a "function of 'moral cowardice,'" or as a result of his own sensitivity to the needs of others. What does this passage imply about the relationship between robots and humans in the time period of this story? |
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