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"The bottom line in the Dune trilogy is: beware of heroes. Much better to rely on your own judgment, and your own mistakes."
- Frank Herbert

Robotic Law Tape Safety Valve  
  A specific impulse that warns robots contemplating breaking the laws set forth for their behavior.  

What did a robot do under circumstances like these? Who would - iif he were unbiased - blame him for committing a robbery? It wouldn't be hard to break into a store or an apartment...

He stopped. He shook violently as a flash of radiation shot up into his brain with a force that nearly tore off the top of his head. The safety valve of the robotic Law Tape had been triggered by his thoughts...

Fool! Another thought like that and he'd discharge his secondary-pile in self-punishment.

From Robot Unwanted, by Daniel Keyes.
Published by Other Worlds in 1952
Additional resources -

Here's another application:

He avoided any definite thought of suicide. That would result in another punishment shock.

Everyone, including I'm sure Mr. Keys, is aware of the Three Laws of Robotics as set forth by Isaac Asimov in his 1942 classic Runaround.

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Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from Robot Unwanted
  More Ideas and Technology by Daniel Keyes
  Tech news articles related to Robot Unwanted
  Tech news articles related to works by Daniel Keyes

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