Jag tror att den tidigaste historien var "Liar!" av Isaac Asimov, circa 1941. I berättelsen skapades en tankläsrobot och dess unika förmåga gav upphov till oförutsedda och olyckliga konsekvenser. Susan Calvin körde roboten galen i slutet av historien genom att tvinga roboten att konfrontera en oundviklig First Law-paradox.
“You can’t tell them,” droned the psychologist slowly, “because that would hurt and you mustn’t hurt. But if you don’t tell them, you hurt, so you must tell them. And if you do, you will hurt and you mustn’t, so you can’t tell them; but if you don’t, you hurt, so you must; but if you do, you hurt, so you mustn’t; but if you don’t, you hurt, so you must; but if you do, you—”
Herbie was up against the wall, and here he dropped to his knees. “Stop!” he shrieked.