Deus Ex: Human Revolution - A Lens for Exploring Humanity and Morality

The questions that arise when discussing the subjects of sentience in technology often not only includes the continuum of moving from artificial intelligence toward sentience, but often the point at which we lose our humanity when augmenting our own bodies to become more resilient. While this postulation may be further into the future than the issues of whether or not AI may be considered sentient, it is worth exploring the point where we have augmented ourselves to the degree which we are no longer considered human. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a game that examines this grey area, and the consequences of augmenting technology into human bodies in an attempt to take control of our own evolution. The following journal takes a look at the premise of this game and how it relates to the question of what does it mean to be human. For those who wish to play the game and do not want any specific details about the story, this is your SPOILER ALERT. Enjoy.

            Philosophy, reason, and art, expressions like these have been cornerstones to human existence since before the inception of civilization itself. As we strive forward, we push the very boundary of what it means to be human. We are enthralled with our ability to make new things, and we continue our search for the limit of what we can discover through creation. Since the dawn of robotics and space exploration, humans have been intrigued by the seemingly impossible tasks computers can accomplish. Popular culture and science fiction have tangled with the ideas of computers that have the ability to make their own choices out of free will, and we have attempted to explore what it means to be human through artificial intelligence. A turning point in cybernetics and artificial intelligence is on the horizon. In the coming decades, humans will have the capability to create an intelligence that will rival or even exceed humankind in their ability to solve complex problems and experience the world in ways that were only thought possible by man. Like with the movie Blade Runner, we may even reach a point where artificial intelligence may be housed in biological bodies, but even if these creations look and sound like us, can something artificial ever be considered human?

            While machines are far from being able to replicate the human experience just yet, we envy their ability to be rebuilt. Self-preservation drives us to do everything in our power to prolong what life we have. If we are hungry we eat, if we are cold, we take shelter, but if our bodies break down past the point they can repair themselves, we die. We often turn to the machines we have created for inspiration, hoping to use the strength we have created them with to augment our own bodies, preserving and allowing us to live longer, healthier lives, but at what cost to us? If we modify our own bodies enough, and replace what has worn out with robotic implants, is there a point at which we may cross the boundary in the other direction, and cease to be human?

            Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a game that seeks to explore the consequences of this very concept. The game takes place in a future where robotic human augmentation is common, and while the player’s way of handling the game can ultimately change the outcome, the central story focuses on the morality of humanity’s ability to improve the body and mind through robotics. In this fictitious setting, replacement of human organs is still used to save lives, but it also does so much more. Adam Jensen, the game’s protagonist, is corporate investigator who is severely injured in an attack on the company he represents. Robotic augmentation is used to not only save his life but give Jensen a number of other abilities as well. A number of these abilities can be used with deadly force, designed by the very corporation that he works for, Sarif Industries. While Sarif is recognized as one of the leaders in human augmentation, a number of other corporations are vying for dominance in the field, which leads to the conduction of illegal human experiments and engaging in corporate espionage to gain whatever edge they can and push the boundaries of what humans are capable of, and even attempt to take the course of human evolution into their own hands.

            In the wake of some of these experiments coming to light, organizations step forward to speak on the evils of these augmentations, and while humans have always advanced biologically out of blind chance, deciding what traits people may be endowed with quickly becomes an issue of right and wrong. This is an issue that is even present today with genetic experimentation and cloning. The morality of augmentation and these experiments is called into question constantly throughout the game, as well as the actions of the player themselves.

            Several times throughout the game, the player is presented with a moral choice of their own, not only during cut scenes and dialog, but during actual gameplay. In order to progress, Adam must get past those who wish to stop him, but these people are not always his enemies. A number of different tactics can be used to disarm those who wish him harm, and an option that uses non-deadly force is available for almost every encounter. The ability to preserve human life is another theme that is explored heavily throughout the game, and through it, a boundary between humans and robots is proposed.

            Morality is the one gift that humans are given over synthetic life. While the beings that we create can inherit our logic, our thoughts, ideas, and even the ability to create, the preservation of life is one ideal that is hard wired into our own code, and a defining factor in what society sees in someone who is considered “one of us.” Human beings who can’t observe this collective code are considered monsters who should be locked away, or worse. But even if there was some way to code the preservation of life into an artificial intelligence, would society as a whole still observe it as human? Can anything synthetic, no matter how empathetic toward our plight be considered part of the human race?

            In a world where so many see moral issues in shades of black and white, they miss the beautiful shades of gray in between. In 2015, Hanson Robotics created a humanoid AI robot named Sophia, a unique creation who was given official citizenship in Saudi Arabia in 2017. Even with AI technologies in their infancy today, the continuum between what is artificial and what is human has already begun to blur. As humanity’s grasp of technology marches ever forward, a marriage between human beings, robotics and artificial intelligence is within our reach. Ultimately what becomes of this fusion between humans and robotics is a mystery, though many industry professionals have their doubts. Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX believes AI development presents a clear threat to humanity, and that there is only a five to ten percent chance that AI will not eventually lead to our downfall. What ultimately separates us from machines may not be the ability to think about the great problems that face our globe, both philosophical and physical, but what we do with the conclusions we make.

Reflection: 
          Deus Ex: Human Revolution presents the hazards and social issues that may arise if we attempt to take our evolution into our own hands, but makes no positive claim regarding if it is a moral or immoral choice. In the end, the game allows the player to make up their own mind regarding the future of the human race, and the viability of using technology to edit our own biology. While it is not viable to yet consider the consequences of artificial augmentation of human beings, Deus Ex: Human Revolution gives us a window into one version of our future, and allows us to draw our own conclusions on the choices we make and how they may affect future generations on a level that has never before been seen.