Terminator and Philosophy: I'll Be Back, Therefore I Am (17 page)
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Authors: Richard Brown,William Irwin,Kevin S. Decker
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The two metaphysical problems we discuss below concern time travel. Our goal, however, is not to figure out whether time travel to the past is really possible.
5
Instead, let’s assume that time travel to the past
is
possible and that the past and future can be changed. Do the rest of the elements of
The Terminator
make sense, given these assumptions?
6
5
Instead, let’s assume that time travel to the past
is
possible and that the past and future can be changed. Do the rest of the elements of
The Terminator
make sense, given these assumptions?
6
The first problem is about Kyle Reese, who must enter the time-displacement equipment in the future, sometime after the Terminator had already entered it. We call this the “Bad Timing Problem”: unless Reese entered
at exactly the same time as the T-101
, the rescue of Sarah Connor is either impossible or unnecessary. The second problem is also about Kyle Reese and how he, a man from the future, is the father of John Connor. We call this the “Who-Is-Your-Daddy? Problem,” and we will argue that it leads to one of these two conclusions: either John Connor had
two different
dads, or there is no way to explain how John came into existence in the first place.
at exactly the same time as the T-101
, the rescue of Sarah Connor is either impossible or unnecessary. The second problem is also about Kyle Reese and how he, a man from the future, is the father of John Connor. We call this the “Who-Is-Your-Daddy? Problem,” and we will argue that it leads to one of these two conclusions: either John Connor had
two different
dads, or there is no way to explain how John came into existence in the first place.
First, the Bad Timing Problem. During his interrogation by Dr. Silberman, a criminal psychologist, Kyle describes his entry into the time-displacement equipment: “The Terminator had already gone through. Connor sent me to intercept and they blew the whole place.” This might sound innocent enough, but as we will see, time travel screws up the way things normally work. In order to understand the problem, first consider a long race, like the New York City marathon. Suppose you planned to enter, but overslept and started the race an hour late. Theoretically, you could still win. Sure, the other runners are way ahead of you, but they haven’t yet reached the finish line, so if you run fast enough you can pass them.
Using this marathon analogy, let’s suppose that after entering the time machine, it takes the Terminator six hours to find and kill Sarah Connor. If so, you might think that Kyle Reese has only six hours to enter the time machine and rescue Sarah. After all, if Sarah is already dead, then it’s pointless to travel back in time. As reasonable as this might sound, this logic can’t be applied in the case of
The Terminator
. The reason is this: changes in the past
instantaneously
affect the future. Don’t believe us? Consider the following hypothetical situation, or
thought experiment
.
7
The Terminator
. The reason is this: changes in the past
instantaneously
affect the future. Don’t believe us? Consider the following hypothetical situation, or
thought experiment
.
7
Suppose you have a time machine right in front of you and you set it to transfer an object one hundred years back in time to a spot only five feet from where you are now standing. Now suppose you drop a new iron nail into the time machine. Wham! It should appear instantaneously five feet in front of you, rusted and aged one hundred years (assuming no one moved it within that time span). The point is you won’t have to wait one hundred years for the nail to appear. This is because your sending the nail into the past will make its previous existence part of your time frame
now
. The nail will, of course, have aged. But since the aging of the nail was in the past relative to you, that period of aging has already passed. The fact that it appears instantly is what we call
time compression
(see the figure below).
now
. The nail will, of course, have aged. But since the aging of the nail was in the past relative to you, that period of aging has already passed. The fact that it appears instantly is what we call
time compression
(see the figure below).
Because Reese tells us that he went into the time machine
after
the Terminator, the T-101 will have either succeeded or failed in its mission
before
Reese enters the time machine. How, you ask? Pretend for a second that Reese never went in the time machine, but the Terminator did. In such a case, either the T-101 successfully kills Sarah Connor or, by some miracle, the police stop him. Whichever event takes place it will instantly affect John Connor and Reese in 2029 because of time compression. In other words, just as the iron nail appeared instantly when we dropped it into the time machine, so will the effects of the Terminator’s actions appear instantly. It seemed to make sense that Reese had up to six hours to save Sarah, but now this means that time doesn’t matter. If Reese goes in even one second after the Terminator, Reese can’t change anything. Either the T-101 has already killed Sarah, and thus doomed the human race, or it has failed, making Reese’s trip unnecessary.
after
the Terminator, the T-101 will have either succeeded or failed in its mission
before
Reese enters the time machine. How, you ask? Pretend for a second that Reese never went in the time machine, but the Terminator did. In such a case, either the T-101 successfully kills Sarah Connor or, by some miracle, the police stop him. Whichever event takes place it will instantly affect John Connor and Reese in 2029 because of time compression. In other words, just as the iron nail appeared instantly when we dropped it into the time machine, so will the effects of the Terminator’s actions appear instantly. It seemed to make sense that Reese had up to six hours to save Sarah, but now this means that time doesn’t matter. If Reese goes in even one second after the Terminator, Reese can’t change anything. Either the T-101 has already killed Sarah, and thus doomed the human race, or it has failed, making Reese’s trip unnecessary.
You might raise the objection that two different scenarios could prove this conclusion wrong. First, what if Reese programmed the time-displacement equipment to go back to a time a few hours
earlier
than the T-101? This way he could get to Sarah before the Terminator arrives and thus prevent her murder. Second, we know from the sequels,
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
and
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
, that actually three Terminators and three Protectors were sent to different time periods. Thus, perhaps, the very existence of the sequels can save the first movie.
earlier
than the T-101? This way he could get to Sarah before the Terminator arrives and thus prevent her murder. Second, we know from the sequels,
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
and
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
, that actually three Terminators and three Protectors were sent to different time periods. Thus, perhaps, the very existence of the sequels can save the first movie.
Unfortunately, neither of these ideas can save
The Terminator
from failing its metaphysics test. First, we know (from his own testimony) that Reese entered the time machine after the Terminator. Given how easily the T-101 kicks the crap out of the thirty cops in the police station, it’s likely that the Terminator will succeed in killing Sarah Connor. If so, given time compression, Reese will not even be able to enter the time machine! Why? Because if the Terminator is successful, then John Connor will never be born, the machines will win the war, and humanity will be extinct; this means that Reese is dead and he can’t ever enter the time machine, even to go back in time earlier than the T-101.
The Terminator
from failing its metaphysics test. First, we know (from his own testimony) that Reese entered the time machine after the Terminator. Given how easily the T-101 kicks the crap out of the thirty cops in the police station, it’s likely that the Terminator will succeed in killing Sarah Connor. If so, given time compression, Reese will not even be able to enter the time machine! Why? Because if the Terminator is successful, then John Connor will never be born, the machines will win the war, and humanity will be extinct; this means that Reese is dead and he can’t ever enter the time machine, even to go back in time earlier than the T-101.
Second, what about the sequels? Even if the police managed to stop the Terminator from the original film, Skynet has other chances to exterminate humanity by killing John Connor as a teenage boy (in
T2
) and as a young man (in
T3
). However, in each of the sequels the Protectors enter the time-displacement equipment
after
the Terminators. Given time compression, and the fact that the Terminators of
T2
and
T3
are much more advanced than the original Terminator, it’s a safe bet that they’ll kill their targets, dooming humanity. With no humans left alive, no one will exist to reprogram the T-101s to protect John, and so no Protectors will enter the time machine.
T2
) and as a young man (in
T3
). However, in each of the sequels the Protectors enter the time-displacement equipment
after
the Terminators. Given time compression, and the fact that the Terminators of
T2
and
T3
are much more advanced than the original Terminator, it’s a safe bet that they’ll kill their targets, dooming humanity. With no humans left alive, no one will exist to reprogram the T-101s to protect John, and so no Protectors will enter the time machine.
If the Bad Timing Problem is real, then the storyline of
The Terminator
is very hard to believe. If we had to categorize the Bad Timing Problem, it would fall under what we call a No-F’n-Way flaw.
8
If you can believe that ordinary civilians and police officers could have stopped the Terminator in time to save Sarah Connor, then good for you. We, however, doubt it. And even if all three Terminators from all of the movies failed, the trips made by the three Protectors would still be unnecessary to rescue Sarah. This is a fatal flaw because it takes away the cool one-on-one battles between the Terminators and the Protectors that are the highlight of the films.
The Terminator
is very hard to believe. If we had to categorize the Bad Timing Problem, it would fall under what we call a No-F’n-Way flaw.
8
If you can believe that ordinary civilians and police officers could have stopped the Terminator in time to save Sarah Connor, then good for you. We, however, doubt it. And even if all three Terminators from all of the movies failed, the trips made by the three Protectors would still be unnecessary to rescue Sarah. This is a fatal flaw because it takes away the cool one-on-one battles between the Terminators and the Protectors that are the highlight of the films.
Someone might argue that even if the Protectors’ presence is unnecessary to save Sarah, they still can perform a useful task by making sure that Skynet will never exist. However, given the sequels, especially
T3
, we can see how well that worked! In addition, if we assume, for the sake of argument, that artificial intelligence is possible, then it will be discovered eventually. This means that Skynet coming online will be inevitable. So the best that the agents of the resistance can do is merely delay the inevitable.
9
T3
, we can see how well that worked! In addition, if we assume, for the sake of argument, that artificial intelligence is possible, then it will be discovered eventually. This means that Skynet coming online will be inevitable. So the best that the agents of the resistance can do is merely delay the inevitable.
9
If the Bad Timing flaw doesn’t bother you, don’t worry. There is another metaphysical flaw in
The Terminator
that’s even worse: the problem of John Connor’s father.
The Terminator
that’s even worse: the problem of John Connor’s father.
Kyle Reese tells us that he grew up after the nuclear war began on Judgment Day. Years later he meets John Connor, who gives him a picture of Sarah. This is no accident, because we learn near the end of
The Terminator
that Sarah has left a taped message for John. In that message she says: “Should I tell you about your father? Boy, that’s a tough one. Will it affect your decision to send him here knowing that he is your father? If you don’t send Kyle, you could never be.” One of the most intriguing aspects of the film is the fact that Kyle Reese is John Connor’s father. (And you thought Luke Skywalker had a paternity problem!) While this certainly makes for a fresh and creative storyline, it also seems absurd. If Kyle was born in the future, how did Sarah get pregnant the first time in order to give birth to John Connor, who later met and sent Kyle back to be his daddy? Now you know why we call this the Who-Is-Your-Daddy? Problem.
The Terminator
that Sarah has left a taped message for John. In that message she says: “Should I tell you about your father? Boy, that’s a tough one. Will it affect your decision to send him here knowing that he is your father? If you don’t send Kyle, you could never be.” One of the most intriguing aspects of the film is the fact that Kyle Reese is John Connor’s father. (And you thought Luke Skywalker had a paternity problem!) While this certainly makes for a fresh and creative storyline, it also seems absurd. If Kyle was born in the future, how did Sarah get pregnant the first time in order to give birth to John Connor, who later met and sent Kyle back to be his daddy? Now you know why we call this the Who-Is-Your-Daddy? Problem.
This problem presents what philosophers call a vicious circle. Any argument (or storyline) that contains a vicious circle is flawed, because it cannot be resolved. For example, suppose you locked your keys in your car. You need to open the door to get your keys, but you need your keys to open the door. You are stuck in a circle, but not a vicious one. In this case, there is hope, because you could break a window or call a mechanic to force open the door.
Things aren’t so hopeful for John Connor, however. In his case we truly have a vicious circle: in order to exist, John needs to send Kyle back, but John already needs to exist in order to send Kyle back (see the figure below).
Vicious Circle: In order to exist, John needs to send Kyle back in time, but John already needs to exist in order to send Kyle back in time.
Unfortunately, there’s no way out of this circle without destroying the storyline. On the one hand, if we accept that Reese is the father, then there’s no way to explain how John Connor came into existence in the first place. But if John Connor does not exist, then
The Terminator
makes no sense at all. On the other hand, we could say that John had two different fathers. This would require two timelines (see the figure below). In the first timeline, Reese is not John’s father (perhaps it was Stan Morsky, that Porsche-drivin’ guy who stood up Sarah?). But when John sends Reese back in time to impregnate Sarah, this creates a second timeline in which Reese is the father of John (we also added a third timeline below for reasons that will soon become clear).
The Terminator
makes no sense at all. On the other hand, we could say that John had two different fathers. This would require two timelines (see the figure below). In the first timeline, Reese is not John’s father (perhaps it was Stan Morsky, that Porsche-drivin’ guy who stood up Sarah?). But when John sends Reese back in time to impregnate Sarah, this creates a second timeline in which Reese is the father of John (we also added a third timeline below for reasons that will soon become clear).
Different Dads/Different Timelines
Relying on different timelines allows us to break out of the vicious circle shown earlier. However, it leads to at least three other problems. First, it seems to contradict the storyline of the film, which has only Reese as the father. But perhaps
The Terminator
takes place on the third timeline. From the perspective of the third timeline, Reese is the previous father (in timeline two). Second, it seems that new timelines will be added infinitely as Reese keeps returning to the past. So the story might be trapped in a different kind of endless circle after all. However, even if history doesn’t keep repeating itself, and so we have only two timelines, there is still a third problem: the problem of personal identity.
The Terminator
takes place on the third timeline. From the perspective of the third timeline, Reese is the previous father (in timeline two). Second, it seems that new timelines will be added infinitely as Reese keeps returning to the past. So the story might be trapped in a different kind of endless circle after all. However, even if history doesn’t keep repeating itself, and so we have only two timelines, there is still a third problem: the problem of personal identity.
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