Bladerunner Essay, Research Paper

Being Human

The novel Blade Runner, by Philip Dick, is based on the adventures of a bounty hunter in the 21st century. Rick Deckard, the bounty hunter, is assigned to hunt and destroy androids, “robots created to work like slaves without protesting”(O’Meara 2). Unfortunately, these replicants evolve to look and act extremely similar to humans who create difficulties in distinguishing the difference between a human and a cyborg. “Technology can harm humanity, with the “human” technology’s spontaneous tendency to reach a more steady state” (O’Meara). The moral in the story Blade Runner is learning to acknowledge your existence in the world. How do we know we all exist and live? Philip Dick causes us to contemplate on this issue, how exactly do we know we are “alive” and not androids. There is no truth in this world. Life is a play and everyone plays a part. “What foundations do we construct our realities and truths? We are what we make of the world through what we see in our eyes” (Saini 1). In other words, we believe what we see because we see it. “Blade Runner also predicts the likely of our future” (Timberman 3). Blade Runner offers a futuristic look of how Earth will be infested with drugs, sex, and violence. After every assignment, will Rick Deckard have empathy on androids and lose his touch in “retiring” them.

In the novel, Rick Deckard differentiated an android with a human through an empathy test, also known as the Voight Kampff Test. The inspection analyzed the subject’s empathy level when asked a series of questions that are carried out by Rick Deckard. If the subject receives a high reading on his needles, then it proves that he/she is human. Luckily, for Rick Deckard the Voight Kampff Test is still effective for the time being. Because the test would be ineffective after “humans have the ability to create technology that is capable of learning and reasoning” (O’Meara). “Robots can learn to understand the uniqueness of life, then use this knowledge to learn more, and lastly believe that they have reached the state of equilibrium called “humanity” (O’Meara 3). ‘The rapid growth of technology has made it difficult to distinguish between what is reality and fabricated.” (Saini 1) Later on in the future, how would we know what is human and what is machine. How does Rick Deckard have the heart to kill androids that are so identical to humans? Rick Deckard begins losing his touch; he begins to feel empathy for his victims. But he later on realizes that these androids are dangerous, and if he doesn’t destroy them, they will destroy him. It’s very possible that Philip Dick’s futuristic world is evolving towards us in the near future. Advancement in technology will create “possibilities of robots acting as servants to humans.” (Lui 2) “This world of advance technology is coming fast, and the world has taken a turn of the worse.” (Saini 2).

“Blade runner predicts the likely of our future” (Timberman 3). Drugs, violence and technology already exist in our world today, so it just seems right to think that it would be more common in the year 2019. Blade Runner is a disturbing film, but it is also an emotionally accurate one. The movie created a world so tangible that the gloomy Los Angeles setting in the Blade Runner set is deeply upsetting to viewers. Blade Runner was definitely the future for 2019. “The possibility of robots acting as servants to humans and the sight of computers running and controlling the world are all possibilities” (Liu 2). Unfortunately, no matter what the future holds, whether it’s negative or positive, the future will always be there. Look to the future, “in part to escape from the fairly unpleasant present but more, like a traveler anticipating a destination that they know they will never reach. Count on it. It’s waiting. The future will always be there.” (Timberman 4). Blade Runner is the future and it is realistic.

“Philip Dick’s story the Blade Runner has challenged us to examine our perceptions of reality and the definitions of our morality” (Apat 1). Philip Dick has us question our fragile reality. Can we draw a line at where life starts, and who can determine where it ends? If this is the case can we start to kill all those that we assume are inhumane? From that point how do we know 100% who is human and who is not. In the book, the only difference between android and human is the ability to possess feelings. The humans in the novel feel empathy for their god Mercer. Mercer’s existence could only be encountered and understood by a human. Androids lacked the ability to channel with Mercer and understand or share his emotions of hard works and determination. This one factor distinguished the weakness of the androids, and gave humans the strength they needed in order to survive in such a corrupt world. Philip Dick wants us to acknowledge the power of religion. Religion can lead us to the right path, even when all the corruption and chaos in the world blinds us all. So, how did Rick Deckard manage to maintain sanity while “retiring” all the escaped androids? Rick Deckard used the power endowed by Mercer to carry out his duties and destroy the androids. Rick Deckard channeled in with Mercer without the use of the empathy box and Mercer gave him approval to finish his duties. Mercer’s words of encouragement gave Deckard the strength and the knowledge to continue and finish is assignment.

“Blade Runner is a disturbing book, but it is also an emotionally accurate one” (Timberman 1). Readers have a taste of d j vu, when realizing that the plots in Blade Runner are already occurring around them. Eventhough, Blade Runner predicts the likeliness of our future, but trying to escape from the realities of it is impossible. With the rapid expansion of cyberspace, and technology, there is a chance that very soon we will see servant robots. The parallelism that Blade Runner has with our near future is so extremely similar that it is frightening. Drugs and violence already exist today so no wonder it will be common in the year 2019. ‘Blade Runner is foreshadowing what the future has for us, for example, the abundance and reliance we will have on robots and computers.” (Saini 2) Blade Runner describes androids attempting to take over Earth, and destroying everything and anything that gets in their way. Rick Deckard must discover a way to stop them, and remain sane. He realizes that there is one weakness to computers and robots, their ability to have emotions and empathy. Religion is the path that all humans must follow to remain sane in the corrupt world of 2019, and we must realize how important religion really is. Even after Earth has been invaded by kipple and has nearly destroyed all great works: art and literature, but religion remained strong and defiant. Religion helped Rick Deckard distinguish between reality and fabrication. Overall, how do we know we all really exist? We know we exist because we have the love for our family, the love for our friends, and the love for our God. Androids don’t have those types of emotions and feelings towards anything or anyone.

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