Although it was not an immediate success, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982) first found favour as a cult film before being recognised for being a classic of the science fiction genre, on par with Kubrick’s 2001 (1968). Part of its initial problems stemmed from changes that were made to the theatrical print, the addition of a narrator and the incongruous happy ending and partially from the fact that it dealt with its themes of identity in an adult way. Based on the book, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (1968) by Philip K. Dick, both the book and the film share common philosophical questions about the nature of what is real, how do we distinguish this from the fake and how do beings define themselves?

Philosophy and Blade Runner (2014. 182 pages plus references) is a new book by philosopher Timothy Shanahan, which takes the film as a jumping off point to discuss many aspects of philosophy. The book is broken down into ten chapters: Introduction, Being Human, Persons, Identity, Consciousness, Freedom, Being Good, God, Death and Time and Meaning. It is wholly appropriate to use the film and its source story in this way, both Dick and Scott were very much caught up with the idea of juxtaposing Deckard and Roy Batty in an attempt to illuminate the essence of what it is to be human and in Roy’s case, what it is to be a Replicant, a fake person. Even though Scott would go on to say that there were no deeper meaning in the film, the real fact that, like 2001 it generates so much discussion, means that at some level it has touched and intellectually stimulated its audience, whether Scott meant to do this or not

What could have become an esoteric book aimed at a limited audience is opened to a more general public by a number of factors. Firstly Shanahan presupposes that you have actually seen the film, otherwise very little of the examples given will make sense. Secondly, although many philosophers are quoted when examining a specific aspect or idea, these do not overwhelm the core text. Thirdly, Shanahan has a very clear writing style and steps through the arguments logically, which means you do not have to have read any of the philosophical thesis prior to delving into this book.

Shanahan’s book provides the arguments for and against disparate ideas in a very even handed way, including looking at the evidence of the contentious idea that Deckard was himself a Replicant, something which causes a deep divide in fan discussions. In many ways the book sets out not to convince you of any specific philosophical interpretation, the information is provided for you to make your own mind up, but to convince you that Blade Runner, was, if unintentionally, a philosophical film.

Ultimately, the book provides an easy entertaining access into a branch of intellectual pursuit that, in other circumstances, you may not wish to pursue. It’s always good to see books which both take the genre seriously and provide food for thought. I was provided with an advanced uncorrected proof of the book which contained no colour plates from the film and no information as to whether these would be included.

9

Charles Packer