Terminator and Philosophy: I'll Be Back, Therefore I Am (23 page)
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Authors: Richard Brown,William Irwin,Kevin S. Decker
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So which is it—machine or human? Much science fiction literature would favor the machines, since the theme of humans transcending their corporeal bodies by downloading their consciousnesses into computers or robotic bodies has been a staple of the genre (today, philosophers talk about this same theme in terms of “posthumanism” or “transhumanism”). I don’t have an answer for this question, but let’s keep it in the back of our minds as we proceed. In the end, how we answer this question will determine whether Judgment Day or the resistance is inevitable, and how much impact these events will truly have on history.
Do I look like the mother of the future?
—Sarah Connor,
The Terminator
The Terminator
According to Hegel,
Geist
can develop only through peoples and nations. Thus, while history is ultimately the “autobiography” of
Geist
, people are the “pens” and “typewriters” it uses. This is important for Hegel, because it ensures the forward-linear direction of history. The driving force of history,
Geist
, is always protected—it never regresses, and freedom never decreases. So if there’s a setback like a war or a disaster, it’s the tools that suffer the consequence—and suffer we do. In
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
, not only are future leaders of the resistance assassinated, but John Connor’s existence is one of hardship in which he is cut off from the regular course of life and normal interactions with his peers, and which, according to the T-101, will end when he is assassinated by a Terminator in the future. Hegel calls the provision for the forward development of
Geist
, even when historical progress seems stymied, “the cunning of reason.” As he says, “
It
is not the general idea [
Geist
] that is implicated in opposition and combat, and that is exposed to danger. It remains in the background, untouched and uninjured. This may be called the
cunning of reason
—that it sets the passions to work for itself, while that which develops its existence through such impulsion pays the penalty and suffers the loss.”
4
Geist
can develop only through peoples and nations. Thus, while history is ultimately the “autobiography” of
Geist
, people are the “pens” and “typewriters” it uses. This is important for Hegel, because it ensures the forward-linear direction of history. The driving force of history,
Geist
, is always protected—it never regresses, and freedom never decreases. So if there’s a setback like a war or a disaster, it’s the tools that suffer the consequence—and suffer we do. In
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
, not only are future leaders of the resistance assassinated, but John Connor’s existence is one of hardship in which he is cut off from the regular course of life and normal interactions with his peers, and which, according to the T-101, will end when he is assassinated by a Terminator in the future. Hegel calls the provision for the forward development of
Geist
, even when historical progress seems stymied, “the cunning of reason.” As he says, “
It
is not the general idea [
Geist
] that is implicated in opposition and combat, and that is exposed to danger. It remains in the background, untouched and uninjured. This may be called the
cunning of reason
—that it sets the passions to work for itself, while that which develops its existence through such impulsion pays the penalty and suffers the loss.”
4
Hegel’s idea of the cunning of reason focuses history on the role of
great individuals
. Historically significant events are accomplished by a few great WHIs, and the rest of us insignificant peons are, for better or worse, merely along for the ride.
great individuals
. Historically significant events are accomplished by a few great WHIs, and the rest of us insignificant peons are, for better or worse, merely along for the ride.
Who are the WHIs in the
Terminator
saga? Kyle Reese makes John’s historical status clear in the first movie when he explains to Sarah why the Terminator is after her: “There was one man who taught us to fight. . . . He turned it around. His name is Connor—John Connor. . . . Your unborn son . . .” This pronouncement is important, because it shows that John’s destiny is great—he’s not going to be just a soldier, but a true leader. But a strong case can be made that Sarah Connor is a World Historical Individual, too, even more so than her son. Her role as mother of a savior figure (aside from its religious connotations) is telling. Hegel claims that WHIs, like Sarah, are unaware of the grand historical plan they are enacting, but they still possess an insight into the needs of their age. They grasp “the very Truth for their age, for their world; the species next in order, so to speak, and which was already formed in the womb of time.”
5
Terminator
saga? Kyle Reese makes John’s historical status clear in the first movie when he explains to Sarah why the Terminator is after her: “There was one man who taught us to fight. . . . He turned it around. His name is Connor—John Connor. . . . Your unborn son . . .” This pronouncement is important, because it shows that John’s destiny is great—he’s not going to be just a soldier, but a true leader. But a strong case can be made that Sarah Connor is a World Historical Individual, too, even more so than her son. Her role as mother of a savior figure (aside from its religious connotations) is telling. Hegel claims that WHIs, like Sarah, are unaware of the grand historical plan they are enacting, but they still possess an insight into the needs of their age. They grasp “the very Truth for their age, for their world; the species next in order, so to speak, and which was already formed in the womb of time.”
5
More significant than Hegel’s colorful imagery is the actual roles that mother and son play as the saga unfolds. John, unborn in the first movie (and not even conceived until near the end), is powerless. It is Sarah who unconsciously enacts history’s plan when, driven by her passions, she becomes intimate with Reese. In
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
and the
Sarah Connor Chronicles
, she is one of the few who understand the needs of her time. She also understands what John needs to become if humanity is to be victorious against the machines. In fact, in
T2,
John thinks his mother is crazy until he runs into the Terminator sent to kill him. In contrast to his mother, John never seems to fully grasp the gravity of the world-historical situation. Even in
T3
, when he first meets the T-101, he freezes and lamely asks, “Are you here to kill me?” instead of running or looking for a means to defend himself against a robotic killer whose intentions are unknown. Hardly the sign of a budding leader! Had his mother been there, she would have shot first and asked questions later.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
and the
Sarah Connor Chronicles
, she is one of the few who understand the needs of her time. She also understands what John needs to become if humanity is to be victorious against the machines. In fact, in
T2,
John thinks his mother is crazy until he runs into the Terminator sent to kill him. In contrast to his mother, John never seems to fully grasp the gravity of the world-historical situation. Even in
T3
, when he first meets the T-101, he freezes and lamely asks, “Are you here to kill me?” instead of running or looking for a means to defend himself against a robotic killer whose intentions are unknown. Hardly the sign of a budding leader! Had his mother been there, she would have shot first and asked questions later.
The future’s not set. No fate but what we make ourselves.
—Sarah Connor,
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Judgment Day is inevitable.
—the T-101,
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Since both Sarah and John Connor fit Hegel’s description of the World Historical Individual, the question now becomes: Can they rewrite history? It’s important to remember that for Hegel, WHIs are mere tools who are unconsciously writing a script that
Geist
whispers in their ears at night while they sleep (not really, but it’s a good image). They may improvise here and there since, after all, they are not mere machines, but they are powerless to change the grand scheme of history in any meaningful way. That is to say, they can accelerate or delay history, but they cannot permanently change the direction of history.
Geist
whispers in their ears at night while they sleep (not really, but it’s a good image). They may improvise here and there since, after all, they are not mere machines, but they are powerless to change the grand scheme of history in any meaningful way. That is to say, they can accelerate or delay history, but they cannot permanently change the direction of history.
Fortunately, the Connors never read Hegel, and so they attempt to change history, not once, but twice. The first attempt occurs in
T2
when Sarah tries to assassinate Miles Dyson, a computer engineer who works for Cyberdyne Systems Corporation. Sarah knows that Dyson, if left alone, will reverse-engineer the central processing unit of the T-101 that originally tried to kill Sarah in the first film. Sarah is convinced that killing Dyson will stop Judgment Day since, after all, he is the person key to the existence of the technology that makes Skynet possible. Dyson can be considered a WHI as well because of this pivotal role that he unknowingly plays. Despite her attempt, however, Sarah cannot bring herself to kill Dyson in front of his family. Once he becomes aware of his role in history, Dyson chooses to sacrifice himself to destroy his research and prevent Judgment Day. En route to Dyson’s lab, Sarah is hopeful, even if a little lost: “The future, always so clear to me . . . was like a black highway at night. We were in uncharted territory now . . . making up history as we went along.” But she has deluded herself, as it is left to John to painfully learn later.
T2
when Sarah tries to assassinate Miles Dyson, a computer engineer who works for Cyberdyne Systems Corporation. Sarah knows that Dyson, if left alone, will reverse-engineer the central processing unit of the T-101 that originally tried to kill Sarah in the first film. Sarah is convinced that killing Dyson will stop Judgment Day since, after all, he is the person key to the existence of the technology that makes Skynet possible. Dyson can be considered a WHI as well because of this pivotal role that he unknowingly plays. Despite her attempt, however, Sarah cannot bring herself to kill Dyson in front of his family. Once he becomes aware of his role in history, Dyson chooses to sacrifice himself to destroy his research and prevent Judgment Day. En route to Dyson’s lab, Sarah is hopeful, even if a little lost: “The future, always so clear to me . . . was like a black highway at night. We were in uncharted territory now . . . making up history as we went along.” But she has deluded herself, as it is left to John to painfully learn later.
At the start of
T3,
John insists that he and his mother stopped Judgment Day. Unfortunately for John, the machines seem to be Hegelians, hence the T-101’s response: “You only postponed it. Judgment Day is inevitable.” We can be sympathetic with his ire at such a statement, since on the surface of things, he and his mother had changed the direction of history through the events of
T2
. John refuses to abandon the idea that history can be changed, and so he cannot concede defeat. This has to wait until the end of
T3
when he laments: “It couldn’t be stopped. Our destiny was never to stop Judgment Day, it was merely to survive it, together.” Until then, John continues to look for ways to thwart history. When he learns from Kate Brewster, his future wife, of her father’s role in the military, John believes he has found the true cause of Judgment Day. Kate’s father is “the key. He always was,” John insists, before trying to change history a second time. Of course, he fails in this attempt, too.
T3,
John insists that he and his mother stopped Judgment Day. Unfortunately for John, the machines seem to be Hegelians, hence the T-101’s response: “You only postponed it. Judgment Day is inevitable.” We can be sympathetic with his ire at such a statement, since on the surface of things, he and his mother had changed the direction of history through the events of
T2
. John refuses to abandon the idea that history can be changed, and so he cannot concede defeat. This has to wait until the end of
T3
when he laments: “It couldn’t be stopped. Our destiny was never to stop Judgment Day, it was merely to survive it, together.” Until then, John continues to look for ways to thwart history. When he learns from Kate Brewster, his future wife, of her father’s role in the military, John believes he has found the true cause of Judgment Day. Kate’s father is “the key. He always was,” John insists, before trying to change history a second time. Of course, he fails in this attempt, too.
There are different reasons why each attempt failed, but for Hegel, the cunning of reason is present in each. In the case of Dyson, Hegel might suggest that John has placed too much emphasis on Dyson as a person and underestimated or ignored the historical forces at work. How important is any one person to history? Despite Hegel’s insistence on the great individuals who advance history, he acknowledges that they are all expendable. Once history has been written, they become unnecessary and
Geist
has no problem with their termination. But what would happen if a WHI died before having served
Geist
’s purpose? In fact, very little. The unfolding of history would be delayed until the cunning of reason found another individual. As a result, history may look different, but the shape of the future wouldn’t be significantly changed. This is why Dyson’s death was inconsequential. Someone else merely assumed his role and continued his research; and while every actor may play a given role differently, the script continues to be acted largely as written, interpretation and improvisation aside.
Geist
has no problem with their termination. But what would happen if a WHI died before having served
Geist
’s purpose? In fact, very little. The unfolding of history would be delayed until the cunning of reason found another individual. As a result, history may look different, but the shape of the future wouldn’t be significantly changed. This is why Dyson’s death was inconsequential. Someone else merely assumed his role and continued his research; and while every actor may play a given role differently, the script continues to be acted largely as written, interpretation and improvisation aside.
The same can be said about Kate’s father. If he’d died prematurely or changed his mind regarding the decision to turn control over to Skynet, there would be other politicians and military leaders who would still be interested in the efficiency and military supremacy promised by Skynet. And even if he could convince everyone that Skynet should never assume control, he would eventually retire, clearing the way for others who disagreed with him to begin again shifting control to Skynet. The problem with eliminating either Dyson or General Brewster from events is that they are not merely isolated individuals, according to Hegel, but are persons subject to historical forces that are the net result of the actions and decisions of many individuals.
So the attempts at stopping Judgment Day are futile. What about stopping the resistance? A similar set of arguments can be made regarding John Connor’s importance in history. A quick look at his role and his skills reveals that he is, in fact, replaceable.
6
What exactly is his role? At the end of
T3,
he’s buried beneath Crystal Peak after the T-101 detonates its energy cell, so the only role he can fulfill anytime soon is to unite humanity. But he hears confused and questioning voices trying to understand what is going on as the enemy missiles impact. This suggests that some form of communication structure remains intact and that people are surviving. His safe position allows him to know what is happening and why it is happening, and he further has the means to communicate this to the other survivors of Judgment Day. But what would happen if he slipped in the bunker, hit his head, and died before ever responding to those voices? Nothing, in terms of the grand scheme of history. Kate, for example, also knows what is happening and why, and thus she is just as capable of disseminating this knowledge and uniting the remnants of humanity.
6
What exactly is his role? At the end of
T3,
he’s buried beneath Crystal Peak after the T-101 detonates its energy cell, so the only role he can fulfill anytime soon is to unite humanity. But he hears confused and questioning voices trying to understand what is going on as the enemy missiles impact. This suggests that some form of communication structure remains intact and that people are surviving. His safe position allows him to know what is happening and why it is happening, and he further has the means to communicate this to the other survivors of Judgment Day. But what would happen if he slipped in the bunker, hit his head, and died before ever responding to those voices? Nothing, in terms of the grand scheme of history. Kate, for example, also knows what is happening and why, and thus she is just as capable of disseminating this knowledge and uniting the remnants of humanity.
Not only could Kate fulfill John’s role of uniting humanity, but she might actually be a better leader than John. Despite the training his mother has given him, he does not demonstrate great leadership potential, and Kate shows him up repeatedly. She is the one to shoot down the flying attack drone as they flee her father’s research facility; she flies the plane to Crystal Peak; and it is she who will ultimately send the reprogrammed Terminator back to save John after he is assassinated by a T-101.
But what if Ka te were also eliminated from the equation before responding to those voices? Surely there would be survivors from the U.S. military who would be better trained, better equipped, and have superior leadership skills than either of them. At the point when the machines roll out of the automated factories and target humans, these military survivors would figure out that their enemies were the machines, even if they were unable to understand where the machines had come from.
“God, a person could go crazy thinking about this . . . ,” Sarah Connor muses at the end of
The Terminator
. Perhaps she read some Hegel after all. History, for Hegel, is inevitable. It can be delayed, postponed, and suffer setbacks, but the goal of history will persist. And in one way or another, its end will occur. This can come as great solace to those who see the end of history as favorable to their values or their way of life. So John and Sarah Connor shouldn’t bother trying to change history, for they can’t. And in the end, preventing Judgment Day really doesn’t matter, because according to Kyle Reese, the resistance was on the verge of winning the war when all the time traveling started. Judgment Day, in a wider view, was just a setback in the history of human progress. Likewise, the machines shouldn’t try to stop the resistance from being born, since they can’t. And the machines should know better, given their Hegelian insistence that Judgment Day is inevitable. If one significant historical event is inevitable, then all are. Which species fulfills history—humans or machines—is a question that can be answered only in the future. Indeed, Hegel believed that philosophy could help us understand the past only in hindsight, but it cannot predict the future. Clean surgical strikes directed at the past are incapable of changing history. The cunning of reason tells us that only full-scale, bloody battles in the moving present will determine which direction history takes, and whether humans or machines will be the pens with which
Geist
chooses to write its future.
The Terminator
. Perhaps she read some Hegel after all. History, for Hegel, is inevitable. It can be delayed, postponed, and suffer setbacks, but the goal of history will persist. And in one way or another, its end will occur. This can come as great solace to those who see the end of history as favorable to their values or their way of life. So John and Sarah Connor shouldn’t bother trying to change history, for they can’t. And in the end, preventing Judgment Day really doesn’t matter, because according to Kyle Reese, the resistance was on the verge of winning the war when all the time traveling started. Judgment Day, in a wider view, was just a setback in the history of human progress. Likewise, the machines shouldn’t try to stop the resistance from being born, since they can’t. And the machines should know better, given their Hegelian insistence that Judgment Day is inevitable. If one significant historical event is inevitable, then all are. Which species fulfills history—humans or machines—is a question that can be answered only in the future. Indeed, Hegel believed that philosophy could help us understand the past only in hindsight, but it cannot predict the future. Clean surgical strikes directed at the past are incapable of changing history. The cunning of reason tells us that only full-scale, bloody battles in the moving present will determine which direction history takes, and whether humans or machines will be the pens with which
Geist
chooses to write its future.
1
You might try, for example, Kristie Lynn Miller’s chapter in this volume, “Changing the Future: Fate and the Terminator.”
You might try, for example, Kristie Lynn Miller’s chapter in this volume, “Changing the Future: Fate and the Terminator.”
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