Blade Runner addresses issues arising from the differences between man and machine more than any other film. The root conflict in Blade Runner, as I see it is: What happens when machines created by man become superior to mankind?

  First, what does "superior" imply? Stronger? The Nexus-6 Replicants are physically stronger than humans, this is proven numerous times throughout the film. More intelligent? Roy Batty, an average Nexus-6 Replicant, beats Eldon Tyrell, a (human) genius, handily at chess. However both these aspects can be dismissed as relatively unimportant. There are hundreds of thousands of machines today that can physically outperform human beings in particular tasks. Ever since IBM's Deep Blue beat Gary Kasparov at chess in 1996, the mental task, too, has become academic. Obviously this fact does not make Deep Blue better than human. However, consider a machine that is morally superior to man; that, in my opinion, could qualify as a machine that is better than human, in fact, superior to mankind.

  In Blade Runner the differences between human and replicant have grown so thin that a fictional mechanical device, the Voight-Kampff test, is required to distinguish them. Imagine, a machine that tests for humanity. In the film, Eldon Tyrell informs us that the device measures such things as "capillary dilation of the so-called blush response, fluctuation of the pupil and involuntary dilation of the iris", in reaction to a series of psychological questions calculated to elicit emotional responses. The differences in the reactions between humans and Replicants provide the means by which they can be identified. The Nexus-6 Replicants, however, have been designed with a four year life span because it is feared that after this time they will begin to develop their own emotional responses, thus making them indistinguishable from human beings by any means .

  It might be important to point out that this Voight-Kampff device has its own important implications to the subtext. The Fascist police state of the 21st century as depicted in Blade Runner has developed a device able to measure one's human (Aryan) heritage, or lack thereof. An entire sub-race of people, the Replicants, have been genetically engineered exclusively for use as slaves. They are an underclass with no rights, and no choices, because, most simply put, they are considered to be a commercial product, a commodity, or, to use the terminology of slavery: chattel. As Deckard states in both the film and the novel: "Replicants are like any other machine, they're either a benefit or a hazard... If they're a benefit, it's not my problem." Replicants are treated as beings without souls, inanimate, emphasis on anima translated from Latin as "the soul". It was during the Nazi era that Jews and certain other races were considered soulless, and restricted to particular districts or ghettos. In Philip K. Dick's vision, a Replicant's very presence on Earth constitutes a crime punishable by death. Ironically, however, it is not the Replicants' supposed inferiority which causes them to be loathed and discriminated against, but the very opposite, their proven superiority that has made the (human) powers create them as a race of slaves.

  Philip K. Dick's use of names is also important: consider that Rachael is a Hebraic name. Another Replicant from the novel, Luba Luft, is revealing as well. The Luba are a tribe from the African Congo, and there is no question as to what the Nazi feelings towards the Africans were. Luft is a German word meaning air, a possibly Jewish surname. Also from the novel, is the Replicant named Irmgard, another Germanic, perhaps Jewish name. Pris, implies pristine, perhaps. In the novel Pris is physically identical to Rachael, but without her implanted memories, and therefore without sin (explained later). Then of course there is Roy Batty. Roy, from the French, "king", and of course 'batty', is slang for insane. King of the insane, perhaps. The Nazis exterminated the insane as eagerly as they did the Jews. Without a doubt there was some parallel between Nazi Germany and the police power structure presented in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. Philip K. Dick's novel, The Man In the High Castle, which depicts the consequences of a World War II in which Germany and Japan are the victors and now rule the United States. This novel was written 6 years prior to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick was well acquainted with both the Nazi mentality and the powers of a police state.

  Compare the reactions to the Voight-Kampff test by Leon (an average Replicant) and Rachael (arguably as near human as any Replicant has ever been). Leon, programmed to kill on command, has the emotional capacity of a child. Consider what gets him so upset: The proposed scenario of a tortoise (a turtle), being forced to suffer at his hand generates such a powerful emotional response that he reacts the only way his creators have programmed him to: violence. Much like a young child who throws a tantrum rather than face the reality of an unpleasant situation, Leon murders his tormentor, rather than confront the imagery that the scenario has evoked.

  Rachael, on the other hand, has had human memories artificially implanted. What this implies is that she has become "cushioned" against the impact of these emotionally charged scenarios.

Deckard: "A wasp crawls on your leg..."
Rachael: "I'd kill it."

  Rachael does not even require a moment's hesitation to respond. She is inured to the incidental cruelties inherent to the human condition. To her those cruelties have become commonplace, even routine. She can calmly answer questions that would send other Replicants over the edge because she has become nearly as desensitized and jaded as the rest of the human population.

  The question is, who exactly are the Replicants and who are the humans. The Replicants are dangerous, even murderous, granted. But most have been developed for military service, programmed and trained to kill humans on command. Humans hunt down Replicants because it is theorized they will develop their own emotional responses, in others words, become human. Replicants, however, when confronted with the senseless death of a non-human creature, i.e. a tortoise, are revolted, and exhibit a schizoid-level panic reaction.

  Human beings in this society, by contrast, do not empathize with an animal such as a tortoise or a wasp. Their reaction to the death of a 'lower life form' is apathy, at most. In general, one could say that the death of such a creature has no emotional impact, that is, these killings are committed with no thought at all. It is interesting to note that several of the Voight-Kampff questions seem to be designed to evoke a reaction not based upon sympathy towards animal life, but rather on their evident rarity.

Deckard: "A friend gives you a calf skin wallet for your birthday..."
Rachael: "I'd turn them in to the authorities."

  This question, and its response imply that it is not empathy for the animal that is in question, rather that a calf, now so rare on Earth, could be used to make such a extravagant consumer item. Substitute "panda fur" for "calf skin" and it reveals a contemporary example of this futuristic scenario.

  In the Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick explains that the Replicants lack the empathic ability to care for animals, and in one scene torture and mutilate a spider. In the novel, humans have gone to great lengths to preserve the few living animals that survived the plagues created by man-made toxins, et cetera. In the film, the emphasis has shifted, and now though the idea of the rarity of animals is preserved, they are now longer the suburban status consumer items of the novel. In fact at the climax of the film, Roy Batty protectively cradles a pigeon. Most animals are simply gone, extremely rare and replaced by elaborate biomechanical simulations.

  The Tyrell Corporation has designed the Replicant to be more than human, they indeed, to use a biblical idea, exist without sin. According to christian religious beliefs, each person is born into this world with original sin. However Eldon Tyrell has removed original sin from the soul of the Replicant through bioengineering. He has perfected the design of man, beings made in god's image. However, like god, he has been unable or unwilling to resist the temptation to add a flaw to his perfect creation. Thus Tyrell engineers each Replicant to have a four year life span.

  Why is this? In Blade Runner, human society, consciously or unconsciously, feels threatened by these superior beings.

"The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long - and you have burned so very, very brightly, Roy...." Eldon Tyrell

  The mass produced Nexus-6 Replicants, with no implanted memories, are superior to humanity, and therefore engineered with a much shortened lifespan. Replicants are constantly returning to Earth, frequently enough to have an entire enforcement agency dedicated to their 'retirement'. Why do they return to Earth, their "Garden of Eden" as it were? Could it be an effort forsake their innocence and partake of the forbidden fruit that they were denied by design? Why is it that the Replicants' artificially shortened lifespan is kept secret from them? Is it because not even Replicants could be forced to work as slaves if they knew they only had four years to live their lives? Does keeping this secret forestall a civil uprising, a Replicant revolution?

  Roy Batty goes to Eldon Tyrell's apartment and jokes about meeting his maker. Roy demands more life from Eldon Tyrell -- then crushes the life out of him when Tyrell cannot accede to Roy's demands. Batty, superior even to the man who designed him, serves as judge, jury and executioner for Tyrell's crime - purposely hobbling the Replicant race in order to circumvent their superiority, to prevent the Replicants from becoming the masters of the human race.    

  In our society, to act like a 'robot' means to operate without emotionality and without original thought. However the Replicants are actually extremely emotional, and indeed creative to the point of poetic. In contrast, a 'human' gesture implies one based on compassion and empathy. The humans hunt down Replicants, killing them for trying to be human. Is it because the Replicants pose a physical threat or a spiritual one? Their spiritual threat seems to receive greater emphasis in the film.

  It is interesting to note that the name Rachael translates from Hebrew as 'ewe'. Was this intentional on Philip K. Dick's part? Judging from his near Dickensian obsession with character names, it seems that it was. Could it be that is Rachael the 'electric sheep' that androids dream of? Both the film and the book imply that androids desire more than anything to have a past (and a future). Rachael, having both, is in many senses the ultimate achievement, the state of perfection to which all other androids aspire. And she doesn't even know she's an android. She is an artificial human in all senses of the term: she has a human length lifespan, and has even had original sin (childhood memories) artificially implanted.

  There is no doubt that the Rick Deckard of the novel is a human being. However, the film in many ways implies that Deckard is actually a Replicant himself. Naturally the debate over this rages on in many circles, however, here are some pro-Replicant clues to consider:

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• In the film, it is stated that the Replicants are prone to collecting photographs, in some sort of effort to collect memories. Deckard too has a collection of photographs, in fact, very evidently antique photographs, of people he could not possibly remember.

• Inspector Bryant calls Deckard out of retirement, saying that the Nexus-6 replicants are too dangerous, and that Deckard is the only one who can handle them.

  Bryant: I need ya, Deck. This is a bad one, the worst yet. I need the old blade runner, I need your magic. I need the best.

• The Infamous "Unicorn Sequence":
  

    Some versions of the film have a segment of a daydream or memory that Deckard is having while at his piano, a unicorn galloping through an idyllic forest. As a Replicant, Rachael's childhood memories are explained as artificial implants. Deckard is able to interrupt her while she is reminiscing about a childhood memory of a spider, and complete it. At the end of the film, an origami unicorn is sitting in the corridor of Deckard's apartment, revealing that Detective Gaff (who makes several other origami creations during the film), has visited, and knows of Deckard's dream/memory. Therefore the implication is that Deckard's memories are implanted as well.

  
  

• The novel, in typical Philip K. Dick fashion, has the bounty hunters questioning reality, and unsure whether or not they themselves are perhaps androids, going as far as to administer the Voight-Kampff test to one another.

• Rachael tearfully asks Deckard if he has ever taken the Voight-Kampff test himself. Deckard does not respond.

• Another dialogue exchange, which when read with the idea that the Police Agency knows Deckard is a Replicant is perhaps revealing:

  Gaff: "You've done a man's job, sir! I guess you are through?"
  Deckard: "Finished."

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  Are these alone enough to prove that the Rick Deckard in the film is himself a Replicant? As with any subjective interpretation, it is really up to the individual to decide. Director Ridley Scott left the idea sufficiently vague-- enough clues to persuade, but perhaps not enough to convince. But who are the 'androids' in the film? The Replicants seem to have more humanity than the human beings who have given them their death sentences. Perhaps the Replicants were designed too well, and in the end their human instinct for free will means they can only turn against their human slave masters.

   The climax of the film, (which it is important to note, does not appear in the novel) shows Roy Batty piercing his hand with an old fashioned square nail, in an apparent attempt to fight the effects dying (his four years are up). The christ parallel is obvious. Deckard chases him onto to the top of the Bradbury building, and Batty leaps to the neighboring roof. Deckard follows, but doesn't quite make it, and is left dangling on a jutting beam.

  Batty realizing his own death is imminent, saves Deckard's life and pulls him to safety, using his pierced hand. He then sits in the Buddha-like lotus position on the roof, the rain cleansing him of his sins, with parallels to baptismal imagery. He has, after all, already "confessed" to Eldon Tyrell:

Roy Batty: I've done... questionable things.
Eldon Tyrell: Also extraordinary things. Revel in your time.
Roy Batty: Nothing the god of biomechanics wouldn't let you into heaven for.

  Clasping a white pigeon in his un-pierced hand, he makes the following statement to Deckard:

"I've seen things... you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost... in time, like tears in rain... Time to die."

  As he says "Time to die", the pigeon is released, and his soul, absolved of sin, is lifted to the heavens. Deckard is left standing on the roof alone.

  Deckard returns to his apartment only to find Rachael hiding there. She too has been slated for 'retirement'. After his experience with Batty, Deckard can no longer be a blade runner. He can no longer hunt down Replicants. He has developed empathy for them:

"All they'd wanted were the same answers the rest of us wanted: Where have I come from? Where am I going? How long have I got?"

  Deckard is no longer a human 'robot', mechanically killing without thought or consequence. He has become a Replicant, and therefore more human than human.

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Definition of Original Sin: The tendency to evil inherent in human beings as a result of Adam's first act of disobedience. (American Heritage Dictionary)

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