Humans have battled with the boundary of what being a human truly is since technology became a part of everyday life. While some believe that humanity is surface level based on consciousness, others beg to differ due to how intersecting technology has become with human life. People are beginning to lose touch with how technology has begun to reshape human consciousness.
In the film Blade Runner, the Replicants are perfect evidence for the blurred line between what is considered human and artificial intelligence. They have every quality that a normal human would have, but they are treated as if they are easily disposable. Every deep emotion that is associated with being human is seen in the replicants. For example, Roy Batty, a replicant, gives a heartfelt monologue at the end of the film that gives rise to the question of hisĀ āhumannessā.Ā He says, āIāve seen things you people wouldnāt believe…All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.ā. Memories and important moments are cherished to humans to have a sense of identity. Every memory that a human has is valued and can shape the identity and personality of a person. He developed a fear of death and oblivion like any human does. Despite being artificially created as a replicant, his emotional depth challenges the audience to distinguish between what being a human is.Ā
The human and digital realm is blurred as the book, Neuromancer, shifts the focus to the themes of artificial intelligence and cyberspace. The main character, Case, enters the cyberspace and leaves his physical body behind. The role of the body in defining humanity is brought to question through the book. Witnessing technology in a world where human identity can be disembodied and exist within a digital realm raises profound questions about the nature of consciousness. For example, as Case continues to navigate through cyberspace, his identity becomes disconnected from his physical self. This theme of disembodiment shows humanity potentially creating a reality where existence can be possible while the body is irrelevant.Ā Machine-driven environments create that divide for where humanity lies.
The film and the book give a scary and soon to be possible reality where consciousness can exist without a physical embodiment of self. Through the depictions of the replicants and artificial intelligence, these bodies of work show that being human is not simply defined biologically or physically, but rather by self-awareness, memory, and identity.
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