Description
Widely acclaimed upon its release as a future classic, Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 is visually stunning, philosophically profound, and a provocative extension of the story in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. Containing specially commissioned chapters by a roster of international contributors, this fascinating collection explores philosophical questions that abound in Blade Runner 2049, including:
- What distinguishes the authentically "human" person?
- How might natality condition one’s experience of being-in-the-world?
- How might shared memories feature in the constitution of personal identities?
- What happens when created beings transcend the limits intended in their design?
What (if anything) is it like to be a hologram?
Can artificial beings participate in genuinely romantic relationships?
- How might developing artificial economics impact our behaviour as prosumers?
- What are the implications of techno-human enhancement in an era of surveillance capitalism?
Including a foreword by Denis Villeneuve, Blade Runner 2049: A Philosophical Exploration is essential reading for anyone interested in philosophy, film studies, philosophy of mind, psychology, gender studies, and conceptual issues in cognitive science and artificial intelligence.
Table of Contents
Foreword Denis Villeneuve
Introduction Timothy Shanahan and Paul Smart
1. We’re All Just Looking Out for Something Real Timothy Shanahan
2. The Alphabet of Us: Miracles, Messianism, and the Baseline Test in Blade Runner 2049 Stephen Mulhall
3. The "Miracle" of Replicant Reproduction Fiona Woollard
4. Being-from-Birth: Natality and Narrative Brian Treanor
5. The Best Memories: Identity, Narrative, and Objects Richard Heersmink and Christopher Jude McCarroll
6. Breaking the Code: Strong Agency and Becoming a Person Robert W. Clowes
7. The Joi of Holograms Paul Smart
8. Androids Dream of Virtual Sheep Wanja Wiese and Thomas Metzinger
9. Her Eyes Were Green: Intimate Relationships in Blade Runner 2049 Timothy Shanahan
10. Artificial Economics Paul Smart
11. The Eyes of God Nigel Shadbolt and Paul Smart
12. What Am I to You? The Deck-a-Rep Debate and the Question of Fictional Truth Timothy Shanahan.
Index
