You're right, we don't know what Teddy was designed for. The extent of our objective knowledge ends with him being a super-toy. David and Teddy are trauma bonded by their negative experiences with humanity; Teddy sees this, David does not.
I believe Teddy is the most important character here. He demonstrates sentience throughout the film, which in my view reifies the idea of Teddy as a token of free-will. He disregards his programming (e.g., serving Martin), demonstrates subjective thought that is not limited by said programming (e.g., running to Monica when called by Martin or David), and functions on the basis of virtuous behavior in the best capacity he can (e.g., reuniting with David by telling the girl that David is a real boy so that he can escape). He sees David as a victim of his programming, and he sees Martin as a morally deficient individual. He was not programmed to understand good from bad, yet consistently shows that he understand whether or not a given action will be beneficial or detrimental (i.e., eating spinach, cutting hair, falling, repairing his ears). He doesn't blame David for his shortcomings, and this is why he consistently helps him along the way, despite all avenues David takes leading him to turmoil.
David, on the other hand, does nothing but seek to further his imperative. Even when he is at the breaking point, he continues with his programming to see Monica one last time, despite everything he has gone through. David is not sentient, for he does not view his subjective experiences as an enabler for new perspectives.
We can argue that Teddy was still acting within the parameters of his programming. This is true, to an extent, but what we see from Teddy is that he demonstrates new thought outside of his programming. If he were just designed to be a master, then he would never have left Martin.
Teddy seems programmed to be something like a servantL I don’t get the impression that he will feel any sadness at the end, while I’m bawling my eyes out. That’s the power of A.I. for me (and probably why Kubrick wanted Spielberg to direct) - soulless simulations and automatons are breaking my heart.
I think a large part of our attachment and emotion when watching is our natural ability to empathize with the A.I. experience. We see David and Teddy as victims of their creator, much how we're victims to our nature. We see them as ultimately powerless to their programming, much like how we are limited and operate within the confines of our limitations and abilities. They are created in our image, with all of the imperfections, and their suffering is a very human one. What can be more relatable and visceral than pain?
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Drooch (5333)
4 years ago
I’m still not convinced that Teddy suffers. He experiences robo-cognitive dissonance when his two masters give him conflicting orders so he defaults to parent-master Monica, is that pain and independent thought or just more programming?
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Fandango (534)
4 years ago
There is a real argument to be made for their suffering, but this is more overtly seen with David, especially when he attempts suicide, a very human concept (note how as David falls, he is seen as a teardrop on Joe's face, indicating a feeling of sadness). David's entire journey was to become real so that he would be loved by Monica. Ironically, we can say that David achieves some element of humanity, because he experiences the pain of not finding Monica and the pain of realizing that even if he does, he will never be a human. Despite these acknowledgements, he doesn't internalize them, and continues in his fruitless pursuit. When his final wish is granted, his humanity is completed, in all of its misfortune, because the human tendency to mistreat those closest to us is exactly what David demonstrated with Teddy. David's pain is palpable throughout the film, and we can feel his existential perturbation.
Teddy, on the other hand, being the symbol of choice, demonstrates that not only can he think outside of his limitations, but that he chooses to pursue a futile task because it is moral. He sees David's limitation and inability to think outside of his programming, and helps him because he can understand the pain of being programmed for a specific purpose, and not achieving fulfillment through that purpose. There is a scene where Teddy falls shortly after they're captured, and upon landing, he says "oww." Was he programmed to say that, or is that evidence of his sentience and ability to feel? That scene was important, because it provided the framework for Teddy's plight. Here is an A.I. that, despite showing sentience and the ability to feel, willfully demonstrates self-sacrifice and a commitment for what he believes is moral in the form of helping David, who he sees as a victim of his programming.
There is also the scene to consider when David is captured. If Teddy's imperative is to be a servant to a master, why didn't he stay with the little girl that picked him up and carried him while being hugged? Teddy understands David is an A.I., yet chooses to stay with him.
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Drooch (5333)
4 years ago
I assume that, as a mecha toy, Teddy is assigned a master (or masters) in the household. The ‘oww’ could be a feeling reaction, but I’m inclined to think it’s just a toy response, and that Teddy relentlessly helps David because that is his programming, and that when David ‘dies’ Teddy sits there, emotionless, nothing inside but a void (until the future-mecha decide what to do with him)
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Fandango (534)
4 years ago
The beauty of film is the element of a subjective viewer experience.
I enjoyed the discourse and appreciate your insights.
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