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.

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