Earl Andrew Binder
Earl Andrew Binder was an influential science-fiction author born on October 4, 1904, who, along with his brother Otto Oscar Binder, made significant contributions to the genre. Together, they wrote under the pseudonym "Eando," derived from the initials of their first names. Their writing career took off with the short story "Conquest of Life," published in 1937, followed by their first novel, "The Cancer Machine," in 1940. The Binder brothers are recognized for their pioneering portrayal of robots as sympathetic characters, contrasting the typical early 20th-century narrative where robots were often depicted as villains or tools for malevolent purposes. One of their most notable works, "I, Robot," is credited with inspiring Isaac Asimov’s famous story "Robbie," which introduced the foundational Three Laws of Robotics. Earl Binder passed away in 1965, leaving a legacy that has influenced modern science fiction and the portrayal of artificial intelligence in literature. Their works continue to be appreciated for their innovative perspective on technology and humanity.
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Earl Andrew Binder
Author
- Born: October 4, 1904
- Died: 1965
Biography
Science-fiction author Earl Andrew Binder was born on October 4, 1904. He and his brother, Otto Oscar Binder, wrote short stories and novels under the name “Eando,” a pseudonym derived from the first letters of their first names “E and O.” The brothers also wrote under several other pseudonyms, including John Coleridge and Frances Turek (which was the name of Otto’s wife). Earl Binder died in 1965. The first Eando Binder short story was “Conquest of Life,” which appeared in the August, 1937, edition of Thrilling Wonder Stories. Their first novel, The Cancer Machine, was published in 1940.
The Binder brothers are notable for being two of the first writers to tell stories about robots from a sympathetic point of view. Previously, robots in the science-fiction genre had been tools of the villains, or the villains themselves. This was typical of the early twentieth century “fear of science” storylines, in which man tries to play god and tampers with things that should not be tampered with. Most significantly, the Binder brothers wrote a short story called “I, Robot,” which inspired Isaac Asimov to write “Robbie,” the story that introduced the Three Laws of Robotics. A collection of short stories about the robot featured in “I, Robot,” was called Adam Link: Robot.