The soul

James Brown had soul.

its a question much like: "how long is a piece of string?" and yes James brown had soul thus proving that humans have soul :P ...I didn't see david dancing though maybe he does have soul too...

[img] http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LQeyHqnyMjc/TzwTgB-IicI/AAAAAAAAAv0/Wy9xb0FfG5M/s1600/zoolander+done.jpg [/img]

Semantic nonsense. Whether a robot has a soul, and whether a human has a soul are two completely unrelated things. They only seem related because the human created the robot. Take away that relationship and your statement makes even less sense. A robot might as well be a tupperware container, or a can opener, it is so completely unrelated to the human condition. I've been involved in the IT industry since before it was called IT, well over thirty years, and no matter how "real" a program may seem to be, now matter how realistic it's artificial intelligence may appear, it will never be self-aware. That is the definitive difference between computers (robots) and human beings.

... my logic is a fallacy... never listen to a kat on catnip...

@BurKaZoiD- I have posited elsewhere in this forum that a robot is significantly different than an android. In the thread "Say What?" I posted this: ""From what little else I have experienced in sci-fi, the term "Robot" is synonymous with an autonomous, programmed mechanical device. For example, a washing machine is a robot. It performs a limited task without interfacing beyond initiation (on-off) with its operator. A robot (washing machine) doesn't analyse, calculate or comprehend. It performs nothing else but it's designed-for task. It cannot adjust itself or intuit when something goes wrong. An android is capable of executing quite a number of human characteristics, but doesn't have emotions or other distractions to it's function."" For everyone else- Weyland said that David doesn't have a soul, but what was Weyland's definition? James Brown not withstanding, I agree that the definition of "soul" is quite subjective. My own personal definition of "A Soul" isn't spiritual or interchangeable with sentience. I find that the definition of Metaphysics comes closest; as it is a scientific endeavor, and not philosophical one. What lies beyond physics? David probably thinks (although as an android= calculates, measures possible results according to statistically sound & known data, etc...) about what other beings consider and analyse without communication with; or recording in some way for others- "talking" to one's self internally. He might perhaps frequently consider what "things" could be beyond hard and fast knowledge where other beings are concerned, as well as for himself. But he lacks the distraction of human emotions. As a scientifically motivated being, David (by my above rant) probably has a Human soul.

Spirituality is the only layman domain that trolls in the neuroscience and quantum physics domain and because of this neither quantum physics makes sense nor spirituality. Problem with spiritual BS is that it's like playing with kite - the higher you take it, you feel there is something missing and then you start rebuilding with imagination.

Would you like David 8 to have a soul? - than he has one Would he have a soul indeed? - doubtfuly Does he have a soul in the movie? - No he does not.

I remember when I was 12 there was one story about St.xaviers near my place. That st. when died was placed in a glass coffin and people said, that coffin cracked and his soul passed out. I asked them - Soul usually travels in between any surface and doesn't get obstructed as it has no physical limits. Look on the faces of people who listened to my point was priceless. :P

Do the replicants in "Bladerunner" have souls? I think that they do...

aircraftfixer: The Replicants in Blade runner are... true REPLICAS of human beings. Hence they have a soul.

@David 1- Two different films, I admit. However I am & was directly suggesting that David is in fact the same as a Bladerunner replicant. However; like Rachel in Bladrunner, his life is unlimited. But like Roy Baty, Weyland is seeking his creator (manufacturer?) to have his life extended. By one account, if David had a limit to his lifespan (like Roy and Weyland) he would have a soul. By the other, he (and perhaps Rachel too?) doesn't seem to require one...

aircraftfixer: That was the beauty of the Blade Runner story: androids seeking more life span and suffering with their limitations. Beautiful story there, and acting

[i]Would you like David 8 to have a soul? - than he has one Would he have a soul indeed? - doubtfuly Does he have a soul in the movie? - No he does not.[/i] Uh, how did you come up with that? And no, don't go by what Weyland said. He's a brilliant idiot who couldn't see what was right in front of his face. Edit: So, all because David is immortal, he doesn't have a soul? Huh? He can still "die" if he's injured enough. That's not true immortality, and even if he was like Jack Harkness from Torchwood (fixed point in time and space), that doesn't mean he can't have a soul. He's not a robot. He's an android.

Define what exactly the soul is for me. Then try and decide if an android can have one, unless of course the android already decided it had a 'soul' I reckon if something is intelligent enough to decide for itself weather or not it has a soul, awesome. Personal choice in the end.

There are words that strain our abilities to define the undefinable with our clumsy languages... soul, life, ... they all contain both a personal meaning and that which humanity in general attempts to define. What I have read here are the very personal definitions and that will do for me. I define the soul as the all encompassing span of experiences, intellect, and consciousness of a being.

This conclusion is ridiculous.

"...Weyland said that David doesn't have a soul.." I wonder if David is a reflecttion of Weyland,,both being souless,, Jr. Walker and The All Stars have soul...

Malafay: [b]your quote on me:[/b] Would you like David 8 to have a soul? - than he has one Would he have a soul indeed? - doubtfuly Does he have a soul in the movie? - No he does not. [b]me quoting you:[/b] Uh, how did you come up with that? And no, don't go by what Weyland said. He's a brilliant idiot who couldn't see what was right in front of his face. Edit: So, all because David is immortal, he doesn't have a soul? Huh? He can still "die" if he's injured enough. That's not true immortality, and even if he was like Jack Harkness from Torchwood (fixed point in time and space), that doesn't mean he can't have a soul. He's not a robot. He's an android. [b]My answer:[/b] the logic inherent to my answers is quite simple: 1 - because there is no way to say if the character has a soul or not, it's up to the viewer to decide for him/her self 2 - But, wishing for the character to have a soul soesn't really make him have a soul. 3 - David 8's characteris defined as souless by his own creator [and he is the one to know... he created it] Likewise how can you say that David 8 is immortal? where did you get [i]that[/i] Idea? Plus an android is not a living thing. An android is an Immitation of Life, not Life it self. He is indeed an Animated thing; but having his own Aenima [soul], now that is a diferent matter. You can make a coin spin, but just because it is moving doens't mean it has a soul. Same thing with David 8.

In theory it is possible for a mechanical construct such as David's brain to achieve a level of complexity that it transcends its "programming" and achieves some form of self-awareness. Certainly the way David is protrayed he demonstrates some form of self-awareness, i.e., he chooses to modify his appearance and behavior according to a model that HE selected. Replicants, being biological entities and in some senses progeny of humans, have self-awareness. We are after all, just biological machines, and our thoughts and arguably our souls are electrical fields.

David 8 has just as much of a soul as I have or Weyland did have. This is one of the core points of the film. If you want a soul, then you better be prepared to give one to David. David WANTS as soul, and so do a lot of other *people, including Shaw. [u]That[/u]'s the point. [i]Cogito ergo sum. Credo animam ergo eam habeo.[/i]

[i]He is indeed an Animated thing; but having his own Aenima [soul], now that is a diferent matter. You can make a coin spin, but just because it is moving doens't mean it has a soul. Same thing with David 8.[/i] A coin doesn't have self-awareness. David 8 does. That in itself is a paradox. He is a construct, yet, given the ability to mimic emotions and read them. When does the mimicry become the real thing? Copy something long enough, and you start to understand it and even DO it on your own. And if you give a "creation" self awareness (I mean, it's obvious he knows what he is. Not like a bird or dog or tree. They simply are. They don't reflect on their state of existence) it's going to grow and develop its own personality. It's going to question WHY. David 8 asked Charlie the reason humans made him. This question is pivotal in the movie. As Sukkai said, many in the film all but shoved it in David's face he doesn't have a soul - don't you think that concept is repeated and emphasized for a reason? His behavior displayed otherwise. This is the point, the oxymoron of his existence. Assumption: machine = no soul. Weyland may have made David, but creation will often evolve in unexpected ways. Hence, it was extremely arrogant and ignorant of Weyland to assume David has no soul all because he "made him". That's like me assuming my painting will never inspire someone because I didn't "mean" for it to inspire. That's not what I intended. Weyland many have intended for David to be some mechanical doll, but that's not what happened.

What point would it make if androids/robots had a soul or were self aware. If they became thousands of times smarter than the human brain in problem solving there was one wrong glitch in the system they would wipe out human civilization and rule this universe forever no matter where people went after they died.