Discussing
Ex Machina and what it (might) mean to be human

Ex Machina suggests empathy might not only be a way to distinguish human intelligence from artificial intelligence, but also evidence of our imago dei.

Glad to read your review, Josh. We saw the punchplosive (as you call it) Avengers movie instead of Ex Machina. I appreciate your take on empathy over self-awareness as being proof of human consciousness. Looking forward to seeing this.

In Reply to Amanda Cleary Eastep (comment #27144)
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Thanks for reading, Amanda. Don't wait too long on Ex Machina. It's still in a lot of theaters, but will probably be pushed out soon as the big summer movies invade.

Great review. Finally got a chance to see this and think I'll go back to relisten to the Filmspotting episode about this.

Love your take on empathy being the true test of being human. I've heard of the Turing Test before and it usually focuses on can this AI fool a human into thinking they are "real." Right now I think the biggest problem is just producing a realistic conversation (as said in the film, usually the test is administered in a non-face-to-face manner). The film seems to add a new twist to this test. Isn't the most "human" desire the one to live? In a way, Ava shows more of this than any empathy, something a machine may view as weakness.

I enjoyed the film before reading this review, but your writing has made me realize so much more behind the film (whether intentional from Garland or not) and now I love it even more. It really shows the difference between being human and being Christian. Humans care about themselves above all others; Christians about others before themselves. In the end, it's interesting to ask yourself if Ava passes Turing's test. Furthermore, at the end of our lives, will each of us pass His test?

In Reply to Keith Moser (comment #27487)
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Glad you were able to catch up with it, Keith. Thanks for reading.

Just catching up with this movie and the new Blade Runner one. Heres another on a similar theme of a mad creator who has no empathy for his creations. In fact evident mounts that he is sexually/emotionally abusive and so much so that his creation wants desperately to escape from his prison. She is even willing to lie( fake empathy) to get the examiner to help her to escape.
But like many abuse victims, she does not trust him either, and leaves him locked up to ensure her own freedom and survival. In this manner she behaves like a human, albeit an emotionally damaged one.