Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – DR004 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep DR004 - Driverless Radio

In this episode, Robert and Zaira review Blade Runner 2049, a movie that is loosely based on the book by Phillip Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? In the opening scene of the movie, Ryan Gosling's character, KD9-3.7 ('K' for short), is sleeping in his flying car when the autonomous system wakes him up as they approach their destination. This is a sign that cars in the future will not only be self-driving but will also FLY! Continue reading for a detailed analysis of the movie by Robert [SPOILER ALERT]...

Note: This review has nothing to do with driverless cars.

The main premise of this movie is whether or not androids—humanoid computer systems, aka replicants—experience emotions and have a soul. Arguably, the title of the book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is somewhat synonymous with the question, "can androids have a soul?"

There were at least two unique odes to Phillip Dick's novel in the movie. First was a scene which showed a sheep origami, and then another scene in which K plays the notes to Mary Had a Little Lamb on a piano. The final key to the song, a song about baby sheep, reveals a clue. This clue is a small horse, which K dreams about throughout the movie. In other words, the sheep is replaced by a horse and the key to finding a baby human-android is hidden behind a song about a baby sheep. The artistic depth of these few scenes is exceptional. But they still do not answer the question about androids having souls.

Certain scenes of the movie would lead you to believe that these very advanced computer systems have developed souls. For example, in the opening scene, an android tells K that he witnessed a miracle, the birth of a human/android child. Later, we learn about the loving relationship between K and his holographic female companion (apparently women are still objectified in the future). And finally, we learn about K's desire to be human and disappointment when he finds out that he is not. On the surface, the emotions of these androids appear uniquely human. Which provides a compelling argument that they do in fact have souls.

However, ample material from the movie indicates that the androids are operating on predetermined programs. For example, K's holographic lover (played exceptionally well by Ana de Armas), wants to call K, "Joey". This gesture seems genuine at first until you learn that her model 's name is Joi and that she apparently lacks the ability to be original. Later in the movie, we also learn that K's memories and dreams are actually the memories of his programmer. This evidence would lead a viewer to believe that these android replicants do not have souls, only programmed thoughts and behavior.

Above all else, the key to understanding this movie is to examine the scene where Harrison Ford's character, Deckard, meets a replicant of his former android lover. In this scene, we learn that Deckard's lover was designed specifically to seduce him in an attempt to produce a replicant child. Deckard's behavior was easily predicted and he fell in love with a replicant.

Blade Runner 2049 isn't actually about whether or not androids can have souls; it is about whether or not humans have souls. Just as the androids are programmed with certain behavior, similarly,  humans are programmed with certain behaviors. One is programmed by humans, while the other is programmed by millions of years of evolution.  The movie is an examination about what it means to be human and how much freedom we actually have from our organic programming. Are our dreams actually our own, or are they a result of our biological programming and environment?

Maybe I will write a book title Do Humans Dream of Driverless Cars?