Blade Runner 2049: A Philosophical Exploration

Document Type

Book

Publication Date

2019

Abstract

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.

Original Publication Citation

Shanahan, T., & Smart, P. (Eds.). (2019). Blade Runner 2049: A Philosophical Exploration (1st edition, Vol. 1). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429460036

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