Battlestar Existentia

[VideCorSpoon]

I have to say that at first I was a bit skeptical of the series because science fiction is either exceptionally good or exceptionally bad so I did not care to notice it when it first aired some years ago. But I had the opportunity to watch the “razor” movie, and I have to say that it was exceptionally good.

The philosophical implications in the series are numerous! Transhumanistic perspectives, personhood, relative religious imperatives, and the sheer existential dilemma of it all.

It’s like Berkeley’s dialogue between Hylas and Philonous… but with robots! Something for everyone I would think.

What philosophical aspects stand out the most in your opinion?

I thought the multiple facets of existentialism were the most fascinating aspect of the series because it seems to encapsulate the abstract nature of humanistic meaning. I thought much on this aspect because it rings a similar chord with Victor Frankl’s “Man’s search for meaning” where he discusses his experiences as a concentration camp survivor stripped down to bare existence as a member of a religious group faced with extinction. How do you come to grips with not only death but possible extinction of your race? It’s interesting because my friend says that if she were part of any occurrence like that, she would commit suicide rather than endure the pain of witnessing and succumbing to extinction. But I don’t think I would. Would you?

[Holiday20310401]

Are you talking about battlestar galactica? Cause that show is awesome. The moral implications are very abstract and enlightening. The idea of providing the cylons with a consciousness is interesting. And how a cylon's mind is immortal and unique compared to what a robot's would normally be. The mind has a conscience and a profound understanding of humanity's morality. I've always questioned why the cylons would come to the conclusion that humanity was needed to be destroyed. God's will seems to be a part of their equation which immediately places the cylons as insane. The cylons say that Caprica is not a part of God's will but since when should the will of God be the only one to exist. God's will is transcendent and the implication of transcendence is what divides true conscience from a fake one. The cylons lack that understanding and are therefore inferior to the humans, regardless of their logical advantages.

[VideCorSpoon]

Holiday, you have some really good observations on Galactica! It’s one of the more abstract series I’ve ever seen on television. Unfortunately, I think a lot of people in particular shy away from the series purely because it has the “science fiction” genre attached to it and the stigma of something “uncool” as compared to “high school musical” which is apparently very much cool… but not so much as “So you think you can dance” cool. The day that cool incorporated spinning on your head for thirty seconds and being applauded for it was a dark day indeed. LOL! The general viewer’s loss I suppose. But the series has so many merits. It’s like someone took complex philosophical principles and issues and put them in a Petri dish to see what happens but with an abstract twist. It is very well done.

I agree, it is an interesting yet necessary twist about the cylons possessing consciousness. It seems to be a central theme, which is grappling with personhood and to whom it is attached (or deserving of it.) It was fascinating to see how racial and existential bias could be translated in such a dynamic way…

But it’s interesting that even though the individual models have their own consciousness, and in effect their own personalities (albeit in an odd way), they still grapple with their own constitution for being. The absence of that cold, precise logic which one would usually attribute to artificial intelligence is noticeably lacking. This seems to make them more human in a way. But that’s kinda the question then, isn’t it? A human is a machine in many if not all senses of the word. They both have flesh and blood (most of them anyway) and the processes that preserve them. So is it enough that a human is a human purely out of design and function? Apparently not. I think that’s why Cylon’s emphasize God… because it it’s an ultimate form of legitimacy for their existence beyond the flesh and blood they were able to recreate. You can pick up that Cylons don’t actually believe in God at points, but realize that it is a needed component to be a legitimate being by means of recognition. They are trying to get rid of humans, so it’s not to prove to human beings that they a persons, but to themselves. The destruction of Humanity only emphasizes the point that Cylons seek some warped form of legitimacy, or really moral high ground. There is more to say on that though.

[Holiday20310401]

I was never really 'cool', .

I like how in BSG there is the political aspect too, like the presidency, and martial law.

My favourite part so far from what I've seen (I'm renting them, still on season 2, so don't tell me anything like who the 12 agents all are) is when the Pegasus and Galactica send the vipers at each other and are at the verge of destroying each other. Then when Starbuck jumps in and scans as an unidentified object on the radar she could potentially be a cylon (though I think she is). The vipers go from potentially killing eachother to allying as one to take on 1 puny cylon ship.

It was interesting that Gaius never had the chip in his head. I was certain he would, but I have just one question. Is Gaius insane? Simply yes or no answer, no elaboration plz, that would just be pure evil.

[VideCorSpoon]

Oh, he's not insane... I'd tell you more, but that would be cruel.

Also...

1.Go to Mininova : The ultimate BitTorrent source!

2.Type in “Battlestar Galactica” Search results for battlestar galactica - Mininova

3.Click “seeds” for highest torrent distribution

4.Download the torrent markers for;
a.Original miniseries - Battlestar Galactica Miniseries : TV Shows > Battlestar Galactica - Mininova
b.Seasons 1-3 and Razor - Battlestar Galactica [Seasons 1-3] + Razor : TV Shows > Battlestar Galactica - Mininova
c.Season 4 episodes 1-10 (at the top of the highest seed list)

(of course, you can download each episode individually if you don't feel like waiting a few days for everything to download)

5.Go to Torrent - The Lightweight and Efficient BitTorrent Client

6.Click “Get utorrent” (it’s free)

7.Activate torrent markers

8.Allow several days for download

9.Enjoy.

[Holiday20310401]

Allow for days to download

Also, you know how when a cylon dies the conscience will download on to another body, making the agent's mind immortal in a sense. Imagine the wireless feed you'd need for that.
I guess the cylons learned how to harness the power of quantum entanglement or something like that.

I'm at the part when the chief is suspected by the priest of being a cylon. I suppose he is. It came as a real shock though. What I can't wait to find out is how the cylons got the sleeper agents in the first place.

It is interesting how the cylons decided to make human versions of themselves, if perhaps there was some other reason besides the stealth aspect. Maybe they want to be human. And when Starbuck was at the 'farm' the cylons wanted to create life between them and the humans. Do they think that there would be a super race or something that should exist holding the potential of a cylon and a human.

For now I'm just going to watch more BSG!!!

[Solace]

I've found that an interesting quirk about the series, a slight against religious dogma perhaps, is that it's the Cylons that believe in a creator God. It's sort of like the writers are saying that someone would have to be a machine to believe in God, or perhaps they're simply insinuating that to follow after such dogma with a Cylon-like conviction, (especially like the 6's and the 2's) would be to willfully turn ourselves into machines. But there's tonnes of underlying philosophical messages in BSG; this is just one. Anyway, it's my favorite tv show by far.

[jgweed]

In fleet maneuvers, the battleship Existentia was always put at the head, and its sister ship Essentia had to fall in line behind it, or as Sartre wrote, Existentia preceeds Essentia.

[Aphoric]

which wouldst thou prescribe someone start with? the original miniseries, or the seasons 1-3 + razor?

[VideCorSpoon]

You definitely have to start with the miniseries. It forms the basis of the rest of the series. You can watch starting at season one if you want, but I think you will not be clued into what is happening. I thought the miniseries was very well done.

I think I said this before, but I first got into the series by watching the razor episode over the internet... and I was hooked. totally independent from the series, but it comes in later in the series.