Persuasive Essay On Blade Runner

Compare and contrast the effects of the creator’s choices in 'The Machine Stops’ and ‘Transcendence’ on the audience.

Ridley Scott’s 1982 ‘Blade Runner’ is a mysterious film set in futuristic LA in the year 2019. Technology is incredibly advanced and capable of creating robots called ‘replicants’, which are almost identical to humans. Replicants are stronger than humans, have limited emotions and a life span of only four years. It has been argued that the way Blade Runner portrays the female characters is sexist and outdated, especially as seen in 2017. The unfavourable treatment of the lead female roles is continuous throughout the film, especially since they are all replicants and therefor artificial. The characters Zhora and Pris are both highly sexualised throughout the film, their deaths are also the most brutal and Rachael is seen as a woman who uses her sexual allure to her advantages.

One of the most important functions of Terminator 2 and Blade Runner within their Science Fiction subgenre is their portrayal of ‘The Other’ or the nonhuman. In this particular case, we are talking about the Terminators and the Replicants and how they are presented in the films. The Terminators are classified as cyborgs in Terminator 2, whereas Replicants are androids which are based on Phillip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. The terms android and cyborg are completely relative to how the films present them and have a debated definition within the sci-fi community. However, the Terminators are machines that are made in the likeness of human beings. The T-101 has flesh and skin covering his machine body, whereas the T-1000

Hook: Would you ever convict an innocent boy who acted out of defense of himself and his friend of murdering person who constantly attacks him? The answer should be no.

“To persevere, I think, is important for everybody. Don’t give up, don’t give in. There’s always an answer to everything”-Louie Zamperini. This man, Louie Zamperini was a bombardier for the US in World War II. He and his crew were shot down and forced to survive at sea for forty six days. Unfortunately, he and his friend Phil were captured by the Japanese and put into prison camps. Louie needed to show resilience and resist the captors attempts to make him feel worthless. Laura Hillenbrand, the author of Unbroken, uses character to show the theme when tough situations arise one must be resilient in order to transform the bad into good or even better.

The first attempt and success to climb Mt. Everest occured in 1953. Since then, almost 4,000 people have been able to scale the mountain, but over 230 people have not been able to climb it successfully. There is a chance of accident or death when climbing this mountain or any dangerous activity. All people should should have the right to rescue services even if they knowingly put themselves at risk because there is always a chance of an accident happening, rangers are there to save people in danger, and there are rescue vehicles being produced to be used in case of an emergency.

In “Fahrenheit 451,” Ray Bradbury depicts a society in which artificial intelligence has taken over and left humans emotionless and incapable of functioning without their technology. Throughout the novel Guy Montag, one of the main characters, fights against a society that wants him to conform to the lifestyle controlled by technology. Bradbury illustrates how our society could become similar to that in “Fahrenheit 451” if we go forward with the innovation of artificial intelligence. Even though “Fahrenheit 451” was written in 1951, Bradbury’s concerns about the innovation of AI, shown in his novel, are still valid concerns among scientist and thinkers today. The development of AI, if not slowed down, can become a significant threat to humanity.

“Science fiction are quasi-scientific, visionary and imaginative that include fantastic places, new technology, extraordinary monsters and futuristic elements and technologies that explore issues. It often expresses the potential of technology to destroy humankind particularly when technology or alien life forms become malevolent, Sci-fi films often feature multiple genres as well as sub-genres” . Ex Machina being a sci-fi film, is specifically a part of the artificial intelligence (AI) subgenre. In this sub-genre it is assumed “that one, or many, artificial minds become fully sentient ... Artificial intelligence can perform tasks requiring intelligent behaviour... [they are] focused on providing solutions to real life problems.” The science fiction genre has conventions, some of which are relevant to Ex Machina, such as the setting, the narrative convention of overcoming an obstacle and the Frankenstein complex .

In chapter five of The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, the reader learns about the death of Allie, Holden’s younger brother. Holden and Allie were very close, and his death left a mark on Holden both mentally, and emotionally.

Susan Sontag, an author of the essay “Imagination Disaster,” explores the world of science fiction as she discusses the tropes in films from the mid-1900s. Throughout her essay, Sontag analyzes why these types of films were created, and basically ties her discussion with humanity. With the growing technological advances, science fiction films state specific things about how science threatens humanity. She also ties her discussion to how sci-fi films tend to serve an attempt at distributing a balance between humanity and the technological world. Sontag claims that science fiction films has suspense, shock, surprises, has an inexorable plot, and how they invite a dispassionate, aesthetic view of destruction and violence. She also states that sci-fi is touching and some of it is depressing. Basically, detects war that opposes no problems or moral qualifications. Finally, she makes a claim that science technology is a good unifier and how they create a utopian society where everyone thinks alike. Sontag states powerful claims that are indeed true. In fact, Guardians of The Galaxy vol. 2 is an excellent sci-fi film that supports Susans claims.

Blade Runner (1982) explores the dystopia where replicants of humans are manufactured to explore off world colonies. These replicants created are almost exactly like humans possessing the same physical appearance and intellect as any other human. Replicants like Rachael are implanted with memories taken from an actual biological mind and this results in her behaving almost exactly like a human despite these emotions and memories being man made. We then are left to wonder whether machines and computer programming can replace the human mind. Rachael is able to feel emotions and act upon them, but does this signify that she has a mind of her own? According to Searle, a machine must have a sense of understanding which in turn means they have intrinsic

Despite a 164 year contextual barrier, both Shelley’s Frankenstein and Scott’s Blade Runner foreshadow humanity’s downfall through employing predictions of the future to make social commentaries about their society in its context. Through concurrent study of both texts as reflections of their respective romantic and postmodern contexts, (universal ideas associated with humanities ambition for scientific knowledge and the erosion of morality stemming from humanity’s flawed nature and greed are espoused/we come to a heightened understanding of the significant dangers due to humanity’s greed and flawed nature through humanities ambition for scientific knowledge and the erosion of morality.)

Technology is taking us closer to the world of Big Brother. Current technology is more than capable of monitoring our every move, and our over exaggerated fear leads to increased monitoring. I believe that we all have a right to privacy.

There is a long-lived debate on whether it is better to live under a government of strict control or a government of very little control. This very issue is the platform for many big political players currently in the United States. Similar to governments and countries nowadays, citizens of the Brave New World have little choice in what government to be ruled under. The ideal place to live in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is in the World State. The World State is ideal because of blissful ignorance and sustainability. The alternative environment, the Savage Reservation, allows for the freedom of thought and choice; however, these freedoms had previously resulted in chaos and instability, in which the World State seeks to prevent.

When a person hears the name Steven Spielberg, they immediately think of the blockbuster movies, Jaws, Extra terrestrial Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones etc. However, Spielberg has directed other important films, many of which were selected to be saved by the national film registry like Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan, for their extreme accuracy in the portrayal of important moments and people in history. However, there is still a debate whether Spielberg should  be considered the best director of all time. The answer to this question is obvious , he definitely is  the best as he has directed blockbusters as well historical films where his use of the camera, his choice of actors, music and his attention to detail make him the best director