Tag: BP02

To Be or Not to Be Human?

Olivia S.
Reading Time: 3 minutes

What does it really mean to be human? Is it emotions? Is it compassion and empathy? Many writers and artists alike have explored this in the realm of cyberpunk, specifically focusing on transhumanism. Transhumanism is the philosophical movement that advocates for human advancement through technological means, enhancing human cognition and biological capabilities. Two works, Bladerunner and Neuromancer, explore the boundaries of humanity through the idea of transhumanism. Bladerunner, a 1982 film directed by Ridley Scott, uses androids called “replicants” to explore what it means to be human through their interactions with a police officer, Deckard, who hunts replicants. Throughout the movie, we see how his connections humanize the replicants that society views as monstrous machines. For example, Deckard develops a romantic relationship with a replicant named Rachael, who was created to have feelings. Throughout the movie, the main argument against replicants was that they did not have emotions and never would due to their short lifespans. However, Rachael broke this mold because she had emotions from the memories she was programmed with. These memories also prevented her from knowing she was a replicant, and she experienced sadness when she discovered it. These emotions caused Deckard to see another side to the replicants he had been hunting for years. He replaced his hate with pity and, in Rachael’s case, love. The absence of humanity in the replicants is also challenged because, throughout the film, the other replicants actually do have some emotion. They fear their impending death and have a strong sense of loyalty and compassion for one another. Roy and the other replicants ruthlessly hurt and betrayed the humans they utilized to get more information to extend their lives, but they did it because they were afraid of losing everything they had done in their time alive. This is what Roy explains in the end to Deckard before he ultimately dies.

Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of United Nations Conference Trade And Development (UNCTAD) with Sophia during the Word Investment Forum 2018. 22 october 2018. UN Photo/Jean Marc Ferré. his file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

     Neuromancer is a novel written by William Gibson in 1984 that explores the story of a hacker named Case, who is tasked with helping a mysterious man named Armitage by targeting an artificial intelligence in exchange for fixing his nervous system. The novel explores transhumanism and humanity in many ways. One example is, of course, Case himself. Before his surgery, Case felt detached from his physical, human body. Throughout that time, he describes himself as “a dead man” who is trapped in a “meat” body. He feels more connected and alive in cyberspace, but this doesn’t strip him of his humanity. He relies on machines and technology to fully feel like himself while hating his physical form. This idea directly pushes against the ideas of humanism, which advocate for humans and the human form being the pinnacle of the universe. Furthermore, Gibson highlights the boundaries of humanity in the characteristics of Wintermute, the AI that was being targeted. Throughout the book, we see how its goal is to merge with Neuromancer to overcome its limitations, and it manipulates humans like Case, Molly, and Armitage to try to achieve that. Wintermute’s manipulation raises questions about its sentience and intelligence, which are akin to traits of humanity. Wintermute also seems to have motives and ambitions, which are also very common amongst humanity and further humanize it. Wintermute’s character challenges the notion of what constitutes consciousness and whether being alive is confined to organic life or extends to artificial life. This humanization of technology, specifically artificial intelligence, is now becoming a reality and can be further explored in this article by Medium.

Blade Runner and Neuromancer

Kaydra R.
Reading Time: < 1 minute

Both the “ Blade Runner “ and  “Neuromancer “ explore cyberpunk by depicting the dystopian cities’ neon lights and the high tech look known to the genre. Both the novel and the movie show viewers scenarios in which huge social and environmental problems both exist with technology breakthroughs. They represent a world with advances in technology that constantly make dishonesty worse. Both show a high level of technology compared to some social situations that show the vibe of cyberpunk as  new technology and social atmosphere. The movie titled “ Blade Runner “ is well known for its showing of a futuristic world with neon lights and lots of screens.Huge skyscrapers, shadowy lanes, and tons of upgraded airplanes highlight the city’s atmosphere of high technology. The movie uses futuristic environments with characteristics like huge shows of technology. In the novel “ Neuromancer “, another futuristic technology based spreading cityscape. Similar to the movie, the writer sets lights and a big scenery. The universe of the novel is one of digital interfaces, neon lights, and a blend of wealthy and run-down neighborhoods. While on one hand Neuromancer shows the effects of technology on human experience and the nature of reality, Blade Runner mainly focuses on the visual efforts between news technology and their effects on society. The novel as well as the movie address particular concepts pertaining to technology, identity, and society through their own ideas of dystopian cities.

Neon lights

Taylor W.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The cyberpunk genre is defined by its blend of high-tech elements and a focus on urban and societal decay, merging aspects of noir with dystopian technology to create a distinctive aesthetic. This interplay between advanced technology and a deteriorating environment is vividly portrayed in both Blade Runner and Neuromancer. Each work depicts dystopian cities illuminated by neon lights, where high-tech innovations coexist with low-life conditions, raising questions about the impact of technological advancement on society.

In Blade Runner, the city is portrayed as an advanced, densely packed metropolis. Its skyline is a maze of towering skyscrapers, neon lights, and advertisements juxtaposed with crumbling buildings. This stark contrast highlights the disparity between technological progress and the deteriorating human conditions. The luxurious headquarters of the Tyrell Corporation, for example, stands in sharp relief against the rundown streets where replicants and humans struggle to survive. The main character Deckard, is tasked with hunting down rogue replicants using advanced technology, which serves to enforce control in a world where ordinary people continue to face bleak, challenging lives.

Similarly, Neuromancer presents Chiba City as a gritty, neon-lit metropolis characterized by its towering concrete structures. This depiction underscores the advanced technology embedded within the city while simultaneously reflecting the harsh reality experienced by its inhabitants. The novel contrasts this with the Matrix, a vast digital environment representing the pinnacle of human technological achievement. In the Matrix, technological sophistication is contrasted with the physical world’s poverty and chaos. The protagonist, Case, navigates this high-tech realm while grappling with his own survival in the marginalized, crime-ridden Sprawl, further emphasizing the genre’s exploration of technological contrasts and societal issues.

Through these depictions both Blade runner and Neuromancer explore th impact of technological advancement on society. These texts offer an eye opening perspective on how technological progress can create new challenges for individuals in these dystopian worlds.

What does it mean to be Human?

Brooke J.
Reading Time: < 1 minute

In this blog post, I will be analyzing how “Blade Runner” questions what it means to be human through its depiction of replicants, while Neuromancer explores similar themes through its characters’ interactions with artificial intelligences and cyberspace. The Replicants in Blade Runner question what it means to be human through their anthropocentric mindset. Their bioengineered make combined with all of their human characteristics blur the lines between human and machine. For example, these lab constructed individuals show characteristics such as love, fear, grief, self reflection and awareness, as well as intelligence. Although they are not fully human, all of the traits that they can still produce may make the viewers of this film question whether these traits are fully associated with being human, or could just be constructed. In Neuromancer, true humanity is lost through elements such as cyberspace and artificial intelligence. Their virtual reality distorts people’s perception of self, as people are no longer able to recognize what is natural and what is a result of technology. In addition, surveillance technology in their society takes away people’s sense of autonomy, as well as their privacy, as their every move is made available to those behind these technological advancements. In conclusion, both Blade Runner and Neuromancer have numerous elements that make viewers and readers question what it means to be human, from the creation of replicants to the advanced surveillance technology.

Defining Humanity: Exploring Identity in the Blade Runner and Neuromancer

Jazmine F.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Blade Runner focuses on what it means to be human through the depiction of the replicants, while the novel Neuromancer explores similar themes through the characters within their interactions with artificial intelligence and cyberspace. In the movie Blade Runner, the replicants are created so that they can be indistinguishable from humans. They have the advancements of humans as they express emotional and cognitive abilities, but as said in the film, they are created as slaves, and they have limited rights. Due to this, the audience is allowed to question what it truly means to be a human, whether it relates to what we can express as emotions or what rights we are given. Who knows? Roy is one of the replicants who seeks more life and freedom since he knows he will eventually die soon. His existence in the film focuses on his fight for survival. That moment underscores the emotional complexity of the replicants and challenges the audience to question humanity since he is indeed a replicant, that expresses very human-like qualities. The movie exhibits traits that define what a human is like, the ability to love and have fear, which leads the audience to question what humanity is defined as.

However, the novel Neuromancer dives into the themes of the depiction of artificial intelligence and the virtual world of cyberspace. An enlightened example of this is Wintermute, who is one of the AI’s. His interactions with Case highlight the complexity of AI consciousness in how AI can influence human actions. The desires of Wintermute correlate with the desire and growth of what it means to be a being. Cyberspace is a virtual realm where consciousness can interface with the digital world, blurring boundaries. Case, for example, navigates this cyberspace, eventually questioning reality and self. This relates to Blade Runner because digital and physical realms impact one’s sense of self.

Overall, the movie and novel use the advantage of technology and artificial entities to lead to the question of what it means to be a human and of human existence.

What is a Human? An Exploration of Identity

Devin P.
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Both Blade Runner (1982) and Neuromancer (1984) dive into the central question of what it means to be human, but their approaches differ. They view the question through different perspectives: one through replicants, and the other through artificial intelligence. Each work stands as a monument of the cyberpunk genre, both examining human identity in a world where the line between human and machine grows increasingly blurred.

Replicants are bioengineered creatures made to serve humans in Blade Runner; they are frequently viewed as disposable tools. Nevertheless, they have memories, feelings, and desires, which raises the fundamental question: are replicants people, or are they just machines that replicate human behavior? Roy Batty is a perfect example of this dilemma. Despite being pursued, he shows compassion in his last moments by saving Deckard’s life. His well-known monologue about lost experiences, “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe,” delves deeply into his own life and forces the audience to reevaluate what it means to be human. The replicants shown in Blade Runner urge viewers to consider whether humanity is more defined by mind and experience than by biology.

Through its depiction of cyberspace and artificial intelligences (AIs), Neuromancer delves into this theme. The protagonist, Case, is a broke console cowboy (hacker) who explores his own identity while navigating both virtual and real-world surroundings. His interactions with the AI Wintermute, which seeks to combine with Neuromancer to transcend its current limitations, highlight how malleable awareness and intelligence are in the digital age. As AIs demonstrate decision-making abilities and desires, the lines separating humans and machines become increasingly hazy. The issue of identity is further complicated in Neuromancer by the matrix, or cyberspace, which offers a virtual environment in which human consciousness can exist apart from the physical form.

Both pieces of cyberpunk media explore how technology reshapes human identity. Whether through the replicants of Blade Runner, or through the AIs of Neuromancer, both works suggest that flesh and blood alone cannot define humanity. They argue, however, that what is truly essential to humanity is one’s capacity for autonomy, thought, and emotion—qualities that technology is beginning to emulate flawlessly.

The Founding Fathers of the Cyberpunk Genre: Exploring the Related Themes of Blade Runner & Neuromancer

Jenna L.
Reading Time: 3 minutes
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is HD-wallpaper-neon-city-cyberpunk-night-vivid-649x1024.jpeg
A beautiful yet ominous cyberpunk neon city

If Blade Runner (1982) is considered the quintessential cyberpunk film, then Neuromancer by William Gibson is the quintessential cyberpunk novel! In the reigns of the cyberpunk genre, these two works illustrate the ways in which the use of futuristic gadgets, the creation of artificial intelligence(AI) and complex characters juxtaposed with social dystopia not only define the cyberpunk genre but grapple with profound questions about the nature of what it truly means to be human. 


Blade Runner (1982) and Neuromancer both seemingly focus on the similar theme of what it means to be human. In Blade Runner, the use of Replicants, human-like artificial beings created to serve for slave labor in a variety of roles, are used as a vessel for the film to explore what it truly means to be human. The replicants in the film grapple with the dilemma of trying to figure out their own sense of identity and autonomy. An example of this being how one of the replicants, Roy Batty, the leader of a renegade replicant group that hijacked a shuttle and traveled to Earth, sought out trying to extend his lifespan beyond the replicant four year limit. Batty’s quest for a longer life symbolizes a deeper search for his purpose and showcases self-determination, which is a human trait even though he’s an artificial being. What ultimately drives the point home is toward the ending of the film as Batty is about to die, Batty’s final monologue where he reflects on his own experiences and mortality, serves as an evoking moment that blurs the line between human and artificial life. 

Meanwhile in William Gibson’s Neuromancer, the use of (AI) and cyberspace are the central elements that explore what it means to be human. For starters, the two AIs twins, Wintermute and Neuromancer, are used to interrogate the theme of identity and consciousness as it relates to being human. In the novel, Wintermute’s goal is to merge with Neuromancer to become a super AI. Wintermute is like a human brain lobe with the ability to have great thought, but has very limited function. However, if merged with Neuromancer, would be a very powerful AI. In pursuit of the goal, Wintermute turns to calculating tactics resulting in the manipulation of events and people, such as manipulating Case’s thoughts and using vessels to communicate. An example being, communicating through Case’s memories by taking on the likeness of those in them. This raises questions about the nature of AI consciousness and how far the AI would go to reach its goal. Gibson depicting Wintermute’s strong pursuit to merge with Neuromancer shows the idea that AIs could possess the same complex desires and ambitions similar to actual human beings. Now, as it pertains to cyberspace also known as “The Matrix,” it serves as an arbitrary representation of the relationships between data systems and humanity. It’s in a way what someone would call a, “consensual hallucination” that showcases a somewhat symbolic view of data and its pathways, functioning as an extended “electronic” human nervous system. To ad onto that, Case’s fusion into cyberspace changes his sense of self and reality, depicting how digital environments can ultimately reshape human identity. 

To wrap up this analysis, both Blade Runner (1982) and William Gibson’s Neuromancer are quintessential to the cyberpunk genre and explore the theme of what it really means to be human. This is done through the innovative depictions of artificial beings and advanced technology while simultaneously taking the time to expand on the critical reflections of the crossing of power and personal identity as it ties into an ever rapidly yet evolving dystopian world. Blade Runner provides visuals to express this using the idea of replicants, while Neuromancer delves into the implications of AI and the subconscious fight of the human identity as it intersects with technology. Together, these two works are the key holders to the creation of the cyberpunk genre!