FIlosophy: Is ROBOCOP human or machine?

[KOOLCOO]

So in this game they treat it like some "morality" mechanic.
You uphold the letter of the law you are more machine like, you adher more to the spirit of the law or you show compasion you are more human like.

I personally think that Robo is part human and part machine.
He seems to have "soul" and he can make his own decisions and have "personality", yet he can still be "programed" and "hacked"...

I am not and expert in philosophy also I don't know all the robocop lore ( I have only seen the first movie and the cartoons as a kid, and this game of course ).

So I am interested on other people view on the ""humanity"" question...

[DOOM THE PRIME EVIL]

Alex Murphy is a man to me in the game and movies you can see there is a lot of humanity in him

[Nöitalommi]

RoboCop is a cyborg, as mentioned in the Movie.

[{SVK}Puškin]

Yes, cyborg, part man, part machine.

[Kingkat54]

"more machine, than man." However, his humanity comes through.

[Desperado]

The robotics are just a red herring for a story of personal human tragedy, trauma, and rehabilitation. Consider the story of railroad worker Phineas Gage, who, in the 1840s, famously had a long iron spike driven through his head by a steam explosion. He lost perhaps 15% of his total brain tissue in the accident, but recovered, despite a brief interval where his personality changed as a result of the trauma, but that too passed.
Murphy was always there. He was hidden for a time, perhaps willfully hiding from his trauma, but he came back.

[Lardo]

He's absolutely human, if you define humanity by having consciousness, for which one only needs a brain, which he has. By this definition, he's a person that has emotions, memories (albeit, suppressed), desires, aspirations and a moral code. Mechanical body is irrelevant. This is constantly demonstrated in the movies and the game, as he's dealing with robots and humans. The point that his humanity and character is what makes him superior to any robot (and most humans) is practically thrown at you at every corner.

[Joe51180]

The interesting thing is that OCP scientists specifically said that they were going to wipe his memory as he laid there watching them. Let’s say that they didn’t wipe his memory, that means that they would’ve actually resurrected Alex Murphy via technological advancements, they just chose not to. He could’ve been completely emotionally human had they not altered his brain for control.

[Joe51180]

Originally posted by LunarSail:

Originally posted by Joe51180:

The interesting thing is that OCP scientists specifically said that they were going to wipe his memory as he laid there watching them. Let’s say that they didn’t wipe his memory, that means that they would’ve actually resurrected Alex Murphy via technological advancements, they just chose not to. He could’ve been completely emotionally human had they not altered his brain for control.

BUT with the damage done to the brain, and the AI augmentation, he's a new being. Still a person, and still part Alex. But also something different. He was shot in the head, so thus the entire brain does not survive. They even say they only used parts of it. He's not alex. He WAS alex. Now he's a new person.

They never mention his brain or the damage done to it, at least not in the movies. But they specifically mention “blanking” his memory and Murphy “signing the release forms when he joined the force”. I think they could’ve brought him back, they just didn’t care to. But yes, he is something different because that’s what OCP intended to create.

Here is the scene in reference:

https://youtu.be/2z8tQqZG8gI?feature=shared

[Joe51180]

Originally posted by LunarSail:

Originally posted by Joe51180:

They never mention his brain or the damage done to it, at least not in the first movie. But they specifically mention “blanking” his memory and a release form. I think they could’ve brought him back, they just didn’t care to. But yes, he is something different because that’s what OCP intended to create.

Here is the scene in reference:

https://youtu.be/2z8tQqZG8gI?feature=shared

Murphy is shot in the head. The whole first half hour of the movie is about that very thing. Even as robocop he had the scar from that in his forehead. And yes, they do talk about how PARTS of his brain were used. They don't go into a lot of detail, but they do say that "parts" of his brain where used.

Where do they mention it?

[Joe51180]

“Parts of his brain”? No they don’t…

[Joe51180]

You are wrong.

[Joe51180]

You are 100% wrong a contrarian. I showed proof, you showed nothing. If fact, the only mention of a brain was in part 2, when the villain kid Hobb says “they say it’s got a brain, I wanna see it” And this is relevant to the topic.

[Joe51180]

Originally posted by LunarSail:

Originally posted by Joe51180:

“Parts of his brain”? No they don’t…

Maybe you are thinking about the stupid remake.

That remake is garbage and not worth mentioning. I’m 43, 80s RoboCop is my RoboCop.

[Joe51180]

Originally posted by LunarSail:

Originally posted by Joe51180:

You are 100% wrong a contrarian. I showed proof, you showed nothing. If fact, the only mention of a brain was in part 2, when the villain kid Hobb says “they say it’s got a brain, I wanna see it” And thus is relevant to the topic.

Go watch robocop one. He gets shot in the head. If you watch the special edition you get the cut scenes talking about how they used parts of the brain

Then go watch the theatrical release of robocop three where they talk more about that. You say I didn't show proof, I gave you my references. Check them out and admit defeat.

I’m not questioning what exactly happened to him, we can all see that he got shot in the head. I’m pointing out what the scientists specifically say in the movies. There are NO such scenes for the first movie. And the scientist in the micro barrier scene in the third movie is specifically saying that “he IS Alex Murphy” because of how much of him was used. You said up top that because of this he WAS Alex, but your reference is saying that he IS Alex. You are contradicting your own reference, and this isn’t a competition, I’m done waisting my time with you.

[Joe51180]

Originally posted by Lardo:

He's absolutely human, if you define humanity by having consciousness, for which one only needs a brain, which he has. By this definition, he's a person that has emotions, memories (albeit, suppressed), desires, aspirations and a moral code. Mechanical body is irrelevant. This is constantly demonstrated in the movies and the game, as he's dealing with robots and humans. The point that his humanity and character is what makes him superior to any robot (and most humans) is practically thrown at you at every corner.

Very well said, especially when you mention him being suppressed. If OCP didn’t suppress his neurological state, he could’ve potentially been 100% Alex Murphy only in full body prosthesis. Some simply say he’s a cyborg, well so is the terminator…I consider Robo to be in a sort of altered/controlled state, the terminator is programmed and has no human emotion.