Read Online Terminator and Philosophy: I'll Be Back, Therefore I Am by William Irwin, Kevin S. Decker, Richard Brown - Free Book Online Page A
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like the T-101, isn’t an alien type of intelligence that has hijacked human biology for its own purposes. Intelligent machines are best understood as natural extensions of our own intelligence, rather than independent forces of their own. In fact, as some philosophers and scientists have argued, we can understand ourselves as machines, and even as cyborgs. Maybe our minds and bodies are best treated as biological machines, inextricably intertwined with the non-biological technology we produce. In truth, the distinctions we make between ourselves, our actions, and our technology are arbitrary and, through further developments, may even disappear altogether. So it is a mistake to think that we could face threats from machines as an independent malevolent force. Before we can see this, however, we need to unearth some assumptions hidden within the history of the Terminator saga and its portrayal of our possible future. Confronting these assumptions will help us move toward a different understanding of the relationship between humanity and technology, an understanding that will disarm the fear of machines elicited by Cameron’s doomsday scenario.
In the Future: Humans vs. Machines
In the opening sequence of The Terminator, we’re shown a future Los Angeles, AD 2029. The landscape is dark and inorganic, with machines crushing innumerable human skulls scattered across the ground. We’re told about a war between humans and machines: “The machines rose from the ashes of the nuclear fire. Their war to exterminate mankind had raged for decades, but the final battle would not be fought in the future. It would be fought here in our present. Tonight . . .” This clearly sets the stage for an antagonistic relationship between humans and machines that pervades the plot and cinematography of all the Terminator films. Consider, for example, Sarah Connor’s first appearance in The Terminator . Until she enters the picture, every scene is dominated by a dark industrial landscape. But in our first encounter with Sarah, we are brought into the light of day, with organic greenery dominating the background. Intriguingly, this heroine of humanity is riding a moped, suggesting the subtle tension between positive and negative portrayals of the human-technology relationship, but her appearance is cast in dramatic aesthetic contrast to the stark machine-dominated scenes that came before.
This contrast between humans and machines deepens with the appearance of the T-101 cyborg, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Terminator is an apparent merger between flesh and machine, but the flesh is portrayed as a mere surface phenomenon, an illusion that hides the mechanical inhumanity of the metal and circuitry at its core. Repeatedly, the T-101 is described as a machine and not a man. It is a harsh killing device, fundamentally lacking the characteristic human quality of genuine concern for others. As Kyle Reese tells Sarah Connor, “It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear, and it absolutely will not stop. Ever. Until you are dead.” These fundamentally mechanical and inhuman characteristics are at the core of the T-101 and ultimately reflect back on the cold antihuman intelligence of Skynet itself. The overall message reveals an underlying assumption: humans are one thing, machines are another.
This difference is revealed more subtly with the appearance of the advanced T-1000 in T2. The T-1000 is composed of a mimetic poly-alloy liquid metal that enables it to imitate things that it samples through physical contact. Most important, it can take on the form of individual human beings, convincingly embodying their physical appearance, voice, and mannerisms. Interestingly, we are told that the T-1000 can’t form complex machines, things that operate through chemicals and moving parts, such as guns. But if the T-1000 can’t even manage to emulate a simple machine, how can it take on the form of a
In the Future: Humans vs. Machines
In the opening sequence of The Terminator, we’re shown a future Los Angeles, AD 2029. The landscape is dark and inorganic, with machines crushing innumerable human skulls scattered across the ground. We’re told about a war between humans and machines: “The machines rose from the ashes of the nuclear fire. Their war to exterminate mankind had raged for decades, but the final battle would not be fought in the future. It would be fought here in our present. Tonight . . .” This clearly sets the stage for an antagonistic relationship between humans and machines that pervades the plot and cinematography of all the Terminator films. Consider, for example, Sarah Connor’s first appearance in The Terminator . Until she enters the picture, every scene is dominated by a dark industrial landscape. But in our first encounter with Sarah, we are brought into the light of day, with organic greenery dominating the background. Intriguingly, this heroine of humanity is riding a moped, suggesting the subtle tension between positive and negative portrayals of the human-technology relationship, but her appearance is cast in dramatic aesthetic contrast to the stark machine-dominated scenes that came before.
This contrast between humans and machines deepens with the appearance of the T-101 cyborg, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Terminator is an apparent merger between flesh and machine, but the flesh is portrayed as a mere surface phenomenon, an illusion that hides the mechanical inhumanity of the metal and circuitry at its core. Repeatedly, the T-101 is described as a machine and not a man. It is a harsh killing device, fundamentally lacking the characteristic human quality of genuine concern for others. As Kyle Reese tells Sarah Connor, “It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear, and it absolutely will not stop. Ever. Until you are dead.” These fundamentally mechanical and inhuman characteristics are at the core of the T-101 and ultimately reflect back on the cold antihuman intelligence of Skynet itself. The overall message reveals an underlying assumption: humans are one thing, machines are another.
This difference is revealed more subtly with the appearance of the advanced T-1000 in T2. The T-1000 is composed of a mimetic poly-alloy liquid metal that enables it to imitate things that it samples through physical contact. Most important, it can take on the form of individual human beings, convincingly embodying their physical appearance, voice, and mannerisms. Interestingly, we are told that the T-1000 can’t form complex machines, things that operate through chemicals and moving parts, such as guns. But if the T-1000 can’t even manage to emulate a simple machine, how can it take on the form of a
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