
The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast PREMIUM-Episode 175: Blade Runner (Part Two)
Nov 6, 2017
Dive into a deep discussion on the philosophical implications of Blade Runner and its themes. Explore the controversial debate on slave labor and its societal effects. Listen to an engaging comparison of bounty hunting to the myth of Sisyphus and its connection to meaning in life. Marvel at the insights on ritual through a pet squirrel. Finally, they tackle the complexities of sexual empathy versus sentimentality, questioning our biases in attraction. It's a thought-provoking journey through a sci-fi lens!
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Empathy As The Human Marker
- The hosts link empathy to humanity, arguing it differentiates humans from replicants in Blade Runner.
- They suggest empathy functions as a moral and existential marker, not merely an emotional trait.
Provocative Joke About Slave Labor
- One host jokes about missing slave labor as a resource, framing servants as reassuring in troubled times.
- This provocative example illustrates how the film raises uncomfortable social and ethical ideas about labor.
Deckard's Squirrel-Rat Routine
- A host affectionately describes Deckard's pet squirrel-rat ritual of feeding and cleaning, highlighting small details of domestic life.
- This specific image shows how mundane attachments ground characters amid the film's larger philosophical issues.



