The very short and highly contrived story I remember is this: Some guy is on patrol in space with an alien companion, or sort of a pet, which I recall is described as resembling a dog, maybe an Afghan. It is highly trainable, but has no initiative whatsoever. For some reason, he has to leave it in charge of his ship to respond to some sort of hostile probing, sort of a Turing Test. He get's it to pass the test by instructing him to respond to the probes based on a finite state algorithm implemented by moving colored markers among containers, or something like that, so that his responses are conditioned by experience.
A very simple story, but interesting as these things go, and I always remembered it. My recollection is that I even came back across it maybe in the 1980's or so, but now I can't scare it up, even after extensive browsing in the library and the bookstore.
Anybody remember anything like this?
“hostile probing” so it’s a sex sci-fi kinda thingy?
Sounds E.E.”Doc” Smith-ish.
Science fiction ping ... do you know? :)
I’ve been trying to find a story about a guy who orders exotic pets from all over the universe. He orders these creatures that resemble humans in many ways but are much smaller. There are four tribes, and you put them in a kind of terrarium. You have to be careful not to let them out, because they grow to fit whatever space they are in. They will eventually fight with one another.
Of course they escape.
Anyone know the author or title?
That story sounds like “Without a Thought” by Fred Saberhagen, in the collection “Berserker”. I’m not completely certain of this, as it’s been a long time since I’ve read it and I do not currently own a copy.
HartleyMBaldwin is correct that the story is one of the Berserker stories by Fred Saberhagen. I don’t remember the title for certain, but “Without a Thought” sounds right. Oddly, I also read the story many years ago, and wanted to read it again, but couldn’t find it. When I came across/rediscovered it later, I was surprised to learn it was a Saberhagen story, because he had become a favorite author of mine in the intervening time.
I went for an oil change yesterday at the wally mart - usually buy a book to read during the change - not a single sci-fi book on the shelves..
Almost sounds like a Fred Saberhagen Berserker story.
Do I get a cookie? :-)
Sounds like an old Berzerker series story by Fred Saberhagen. I can’t remember the exact title though.
Was the critter’s name Murgatroid?