The film Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott, explores the way technology redefines what it means to be human. The film, among other subjects, is about the struggle between humans and replicants, or machines which resemble humans so closely that humans cannot tell if they are human or machine. At a deeper level, the film examines what it means to be human, and, especially, what it means to be human in a world which advanced technology controls so much of human life. The argument here will be that, as pictured in the replicant/human puzzle in Blade Runner, technology can definitely affect the way human beings see themselves and one another. After all, if one cannot tell if another human being is really human or a chine, or cannot tell if he himself is really human or a machine, then technology has indeed completely redefined what it means to be human. At the same time, it is simply unlikely that technology will ever be able to create imitation humans so realistic-appearing they fool real humans, or that a robot will ever be constructed in such a way that it believes it is human. The greater danger in modern society has more to do with the freedom human beings give up willingly, not only to machines but to ideas, material desires, leaders, etc.
The essence of the message about the worth or meaning of the human beings in the film is found in the ability to empathize, to be able to sense or feel what another human being is feeling, especially in terms of suffering. There are other qualities which mark the human being, including love, sadness, etc., but empathy is especially important because it shows that the being is able to care about something beyond itself. One can love and be sad with complete selfishness.
The film explores the question (without giving anything approaching a clear answer) of what happens when the line between the advanced robot and the human being blur to such a degree that some humans and some humans do ...