MovieChat Forums > Blade Runner (1982) Discussion > What the hell is a "replicant"?

What the hell is a "replicant"?

posted 7 years ago by MaximRecoil (4045)
4 replies | jump to latest

If you can't tell them from humans with medical/biological tests, such as on their DNA, then they are in fact human. Our DNA is what defines us as human in the first place, so if "replicant" DNA tests as human DNA then it is human DNA, and replicants are human by definition; not natural-born apparently, but human nonetheless. But if that's the case, what's with the talk about robots in the opening onscreen text?

Also, the idea that you could positively identify one simply by asking questions is absurd. There is no iron-clad set of parameters that human emotions/responses fall into, meaning there is no possible result to a question-based test that could conclusively establish that the test subject isn't human. It's the same idea as a polygraph test, which has about as much scientific credibility as a cold reading from Miss Cleo.

[–] BourbonKing (5612) 7 years ago

In the opening titles it is called "robot revolution" which to me always meant a step beyond artificial components. The Tyrell Corporation was able to advance/replicate human DNA artificially through an industrial method outside of conception involving a sperm and an egg and a real or virtual placenta. The movie doesn't showcase the process, but I always pictured it like a the way scientists today make replicated organs utilizing lab mice where a finger digit or an ear lobe can be grown on the back of a lab rat. Because Tyrell was using original DNA from either existing or deceased human beings it was possible for him to replicate the same person over and over again and the failsafe method of insuring their acquiescence was their 4 year life span.

What I always felt was a major loophole was the supposed fact that they needed the Voigt-Kampf machine to detect sudden dilation of the iris. Why would they need that if Tyrell had the original template/files? A simple ID machine could weed them out in no time.

[–] HAL 9010 (903) 7 years ago

Regarding your loophole: I think essentially the story is telling us that Replicants are as human as we all are and that the system it the inhuman party here. Their physics are so biologically perfect so we cannot see any difference... only some iris fluctuation argument can flush out replicants as they after all have less experience in life and so can be identified by their responses. I wonder how well a human child wold do? They are humans biologically and in the end we learn morally as well. The society in place is the one that is none human... and your loophole point is showing this to us.

Of course a DNA analyse should be able to tell precisely if the individual was born in Tyrell.... but for the sake or argument we can say that the Voigt-Kampf is quicker.... but for the sake of the story, I think it serves to show us the absurdity of not considering them human.

[–] HAL 9010 (903) 7 years ago

I think this is THE point with the tale. Machines are created for manual labor and these machines are eventually developed into being the replicates we meet... however, from the arrogant point of the humans they are machines still. And this is their misunderstanding, as they by then are actually human and should be treated as such.... So the tale here is substantiating humans misunderstanding of what humanity essentially is... The absurdity about the questions as a mean to identify replicantes is this. Roy's last speech is, I believe, this. Decards doubt of his own classification is this... all in all, I believe, the movies agrees with you.

[–] LetThemEatCake (2717) 7 years ago

That's not entirely true.