I present some of the philosophical themes that can be extracted from Ridley Scott's science-fiction masterpiece, Blade Runner. One of the central issues of the film is the question: What makes someone human as opposed to a machine or a replicant - a genetically engineered organism created by the fictional Tyrell Corporation? - And how and why should specially trained judges and persecutors named Blade Runners, dispose of the "machines" that present a malfunction? Scott's work emphasizes on the difficulties that we encounter when we want to appreciate the characteristics and qualities that make us who we are, what we are: human. Throughout the film the spectator can observe that Harrison Ford's character, Deckard (in relation to Rene Dekart - Renatus Cartesius), is a Blade Runner, but such is his nature that begins to doubt whether he is a replicant or not. The film suggests this matter in subtle ways and this particular dilema might go unnoticed during the first time the movie is seen, but in Philip K. Dick's book, "Do androids dream of electric sheep?", on which the film is based, the dilema is explicit. Here's one piece of evidence: Deckard knows about Rachael's childhood memories because they were implanted. But then, at one point Deckard has a dream of a unicorn and at the end of the movie the other detective (played by James Olmos), leaves an origami unicorn where Deckard can find it. This gift might suggest that the other detective knew about Deckard's dreams and memories (which he could only have done if Deckard were to be a replicant). Also, after Rachael learns she's a replicant she challenges Deckard with the dialogue: "You know that Voight-Kampff test of yours? Did you ever take that test yourself?"... Deckard never answers these questions. The director has said very clearly in interviews that he wanted the movie to raise the possibility that Deckard is a replicant. Deckard is the one portraited as a cold, passionless detective. In the main release version, Harrison Ford has a running monologue through the movie, and he says at one point "Sushi. That's what my ex-wife calls me - cold fish." This running monologue was removed from the director's cut. As the movie progresses and Deckard begins to understand that the replicants have their own human qualities, he calls into question his own job of "retiring" replicants. The fictional "Voight-Kampff" test that is used to determine if someone is a replicant and therefore be "retired", is a very complicated one and can only be administered by the blade runners.
The quality that is supposed to help Deckard distinguish humans from replicants is their ability to feel certain emotions, especially, empathy. But empathy is a trait that many of the human characters of the film never display (consider the police captain and the other detective, for example). Ironically, at the end of the film we can that is the character played by Rutger Haüer, named Ray (a Nexus 6 replicant), the one who displays this trait the most. As his own death approaches, Ray begins to appreciate life so much that he doesn't kill or even let Deckard die. This two last actions of free will recall the motto of the Tyrell corporation: "More human than human."
Another central theme in the film has to do with false memories, and our knowledge of who we are. The work gives the opportunity to raise the following questions: Which of my memories are real, and which of them might come from someone else's childhood? How could I tell the difference? Would it make a difference? Would it be important which of my memories were my own or some else's? Should I adopt the attitude that Cypher takes towards living in the science-fiction world of The Matrix and declare that "ignorance is bliss", for it doesn't matter if what I perceive as reality is really just an illusion? All of these ethical and existential themes can be useful when discussing issues involving personal identity, freedom and reality.
