Introduction
A theory is used to explain a particular phenomenon in the world. The theory explains the reasons for the existence of the world. A theory must be consistent and correct for it to be successful. Theories are of two types, scientific theory and theory in general. A scientific theory is applied when the object of the study under consideration is measurable. Studies of ethics, knowledge and truth require theories in general. The philosophical theory is a type of theory in general. It accounts for the general philosophy. The philosophical theory comprises of statements which are believed to be true by the people concerned. The statements may be empirical or not empirical. Therefore, philosophical theories are more of the theory in a more general than scientific. There are different schools of thought and philosophical movements under the philosophical theories.
Personal identity involves defining the distinct properties of a human being. The properties play a significant role in helping to make a distinct of one person from another person. The properties include both the internal and external perspectives. The concept of personal identity has led to the emergence of various philosophical theories. These theories include the body theory, memory theory and the soul theory. The body theory states that every individual has a living human body which identifies the specific person. It’s possible to touch the body and interact with it physically. Personal identity is based on the physical appearance of an individual and their respective behaviors.
The body theory, however, is unstable. The theory does not give a decisive explanation of the identity of a person when the living human body ceases to exist. Soul theory states that an individual is identical with an immaterial soul inside the body. The theory argues that people with the same soul have the same personal identity. However, it is difficult to know when two souls of two different people are the same. This acts as a limitation for the soul theory to be used in explaining the personal identity of individuals. The memory theory states that any experience of an individual which the person remembers belongs to the individual. It is illogical for someone to remember an experience that belongs to someone else. Criticisms such as mistaken memories have been leveled against the memory theory.
Films and movies may act as springboards for explaining different philosophical questions. The concept of Philosophy Through Film outlines the guidelines of watching a film with an aim of identifying the philosophical content of the film. The concept helps the students to familiarize themselves with the key topics in the film and master the techniques used in philosophical argumentation. The concept is useful as an excellent teaching resource. It is also used as a learning tool .
Artificial intelligence is the relationship between the machines or software and the human beings. The machines and software are regarded as the intelligent agents. The main role of the intelligent agents is to maximize their probability of success from the weaknesses identified in the environment. In her film, Artificial Intelligence (2001), Mary M. Litch developed the concept of human-cyborg relationship. She examines the role of robots in carrying out responsibilities. She argues that a person should not hold anything in return for the robot. According to Professor Hobby, the relationship between humans and machines is complicated. There is a potential for conflict between humans and machines.
The issue of whether robots could be persons was the main focus of Mary in her film, The Artificial Intelligence. According to Mary, a human being has several moral rights. An individual should not be harmed without a justification for the act. Robots cannot do some activities that are well performed by individuals such as interpretation of ambiguous data, object identification and movement within and outside the workplace. The relationship between the Artificial Intelligence and Philosophy gives rise to three main issues. It is important to understand the role of the mind. In addition, it is crucial to determine whether a computer can be a moral person. The third issue involves analyzing situations in which the robots surpass the human knowledge.
In the film, The Artificial Intelligence, the soul theory of mind is used in the definition of mind. The philosophical theories are relevant in the film. According to the film, it is difficult to perceive the soul of another person. The judgment of an individual is based on the individual’s mind and how the individual behaves. The skill theory of mind also helps to differentiate between human beings and robots. The theory argues that it is difficult to draw a conclusion regarding the mind of the robots. This is because they lack human bodies essential for understanding the language. Robots are skill based. They have minimum considerations for what is happening inside the machine.
Consciousness helps to distinguish between robots and human beings. A robot, as well as a human being, can be able to perceive the environmental conditions and take necessary actions based on the available data. In addition, they have a consciousness of what they are doing. Robots can be able to monitor all their movements. However, robots lack subjective feelings. These include emotions and external senses. It is still not clear the source of consciousness in humans. The film helps to illustrate the philosophical theories on personal identify. In this case, soul theory has been used to explain the major differences between the robots and human beings .
The movie, Blade Runner (1982), shows the impact of genetically modified organic robots in Los Angeles. The special robots, referred to as replicants, were visually indistinguishable from adult human beings. The replicants had been banned since they are extremely dangerous. Any attempt by replicants to return, they would be hunted down and retired by a group of special police operatives. However, a group of the replicants managed to hide in Los Angeles. The movie is a science fiction film which features genetic engineering and cloning themes of robots.
The philosophical questions, which can be deduced from the movie, are those which relate to the concept of human beings. The replicants are genetically modified human beings, and they are almost identical to the normal human beings. The life span of the replicants is short as compared to the, natural human, beings. The replicants are implanted with false memories. The aim is to make them believe they have a full human life. The biological aspect of the human beings helps to differentiate between the human beings and the replicants. The replicants have genetic differences, which makes them different from the, natural human, beings. The characters in the movie such as Roy and Pris show strong affection for each other just like the, natural human, beings. The movie, like philosophical theories, is essential in explaining the unique characteristics of a person. The characteristics help to define the personal identity of the individuals .
References
Litch, M. M. (2010). Philosophy Through Film. London: Routledge.
Mary, M. L. (2002). Philosophy through film. London: Routledge.
Schneider, S. (2010). Science Fiction and Philosophy: From Time Travel to Superintelligence. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
