The Determinacy of Existence Essay Example for Free

The Determinacy of Existence Essay In Steven Spielberg’s Artificial Intelligence: AI, the same question seems to have haunted its main character, David. As a part of the genre of science fiction, the film itself has a highly fictional character however given the developments within the fields of science and technology in the past few years along with the current threats that global warming poses to our environment and to the human race itself, it is not difficult to fathom that such an event will exist in the future. Artificial Intelligence is set within a period wherein the ocean levels have risen to the extent that it has drowned some of the cities in the world. Despite of this, the human race continues to persevere to the extent that it has been able to create human like robots. Human like here refers to the possession of the appearance, form, and function of a human being. In the film, David stands as a substitute to Henry and Monica Swinton’s son Martin who was considered terminally ill. Martin, however was healed and was sent back to live with his family. As soon as Martin started to live with his family, he resented David and the robot child was forced to be evicted from his home. In this process, David learns the tale of Pinocchio and associates the tale with his quest to find his real mother as well as his quest to turn into a â€Å"real† boy. Although, the film itself might be seen to question the relationship of human beings to technology wherein technological developments may be considered as their offsprings, as I see it the film also question life and existence itself. It might be too farfetched to contrast myself to the character David for the obvious reason that I have empirical evidence that I am not an android however as I see it, it is possible to strike a comparison between David’s quest for his mother [and hence for life itself since the mother stands as the source of life] as well as my quest for meaning. In the journal entry that I chose above, I was placed in a position where I questioned my existence and my identity itself. I have given this some thought in the following days that I have been haunted with these questions. The way I see it, all human beings are partially determined by their past [e. g. the manner in which they were socialized as well as the genetic traits that they have acquired from their family] however at the same time their existence and identity is also determined by their actions in the present. In a way, one might state that each individual is haunted by the ever occurring present since each action and each decision affects ourselves while at the same time placing a permanent mark in who we are. David, in the film Artificial Intelligence, was partially determined by his background [his existence as an artificial intelligence] however despite of this he chose to cling to the tale of Pinocchio and made it his own thereby enabling him to receive the love of human mother at the end of the film. As I see it, if we are to see David’s mother as a symbol for Eve [and hence life itself] and if we are to see ourselves as a David, each continually pursuing his dreams and aspirations, it is possible for us to receive the love of life. As I see it, it is by taking hold of one’s decisions and in a sense of one’s life that one is freed from the initial determinacy of existence. In this sense, although initially one might state that we were initially determined by our nature and the way that we were nurtured it is also possible for us to be freed from this by taking hold of one’s life and being accountable from one’s actions. The way I see it, this was the reason why David was granted the human life in the film Artificial Intelligence.