Author: Julian L Hawksworth
Date: 04-17-05 11:06
It is of course, not only in The Simulacra novel that these mechanisms are used instead of people. By implication, these humanoids could replace people in other walks of life, instead of simply being operated for specific purposes by their controllers. In reality of course, modern science is a long way from creating humanoids such as these. Even in Philip K Dick novels, there is normally a mechanism by which these humanoids can be controlled - thus reducing their risk of turning into a threat to people. On the otherhand, is it not the case that the use of Simulacra along with the "Claws" in Second Variety could have been used to bring about a sooner ending to the conflict? Indeed, in the films of "Impostor" and "Screamers", there is the implication that the humanoids and certain types of Claw can behave almost as they choose - rather than being loyal to a series of commands. Even so, most versions of the Claw lack any real ability to make their own decisions - especially the "Screamers" of course. In contrast, as anybody who has enjoyed the excellent Impostor movie will know, the protagonist is a Simulacra which manages to display almost the full range of human emotions - whilst still managing to behave as its makers intended. Half jokingly, would it not have been interesting if a Philip K Dick story had been written in which the Claws and Simulacra were forced into conflct with one another?
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