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-	Matt	+	Paul Verhoeven's 1987 film ''Robocop''[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093870/] can be seen as an exploration into the realm of subjectivity and an inquisition into the fixity and invulnerability of the human subject.
		+	Using analyses from thoerists such as Slavoj Zizek, Steve Best and Dale Bradley, the following entry will attempt to probe the perceivable message in Robocop regarding the existence of a cybernetic subject and the possibilities for such a subject to be devoid of human essence or form.
		+	This will be acheived through several character sketches and an examination of the role each character fulfills in the interplay of subjectivies within the film.
		+
		+	= Robocop =
		+	[[Image:robocop-792844bmp.jpg|thumb|'I can feel them...but I can't remember them]]
		+
		+	he character of Robocop, and perhaps by association, the film as a whole, is subject to examination based on two seemingly polarized readings.
		+	The first involves a resilient human subject that resist deterioration despite its lack of human embodiment.
		+	The film can be seen as being rife with evidence to support such a reading.
		+	Slavoj Zizek identifies a process of resubjectification where Robocop gradually returns from existing as a being of pure incarnated drive to one of human desire (Zizek, pg. 22).
		+	In other words, Robocop switches from a robot governed by a series of directives to a human spirit contained inside a robot bent on avenging his own previous death.
		+
		+	Steve Best points to a similar occurence as he insists that Robocop's former identity as Murphy re-emerges desipte the computer program meant to 'wipe his memory'.
		+	For Best, this return signifies the overcoming of the crisis of subjectivity that Robocop seemingly presents.
		+	This 'return of Murphy' can be seen to prove that technology cannot acheive its goal of completely obliterating the human subject (pg. 6).
		+
		+	Dale Bradley (he's our prof!) present an alternative to the more conservative reading as exemplified by Zizek and Best.
		+	According to Bradley, the cyborg, in this case, Robocop, is capable of becoming aware of and recognizing the identity of the 'human' who was used to provide the raw materials for its creation, and, in turn, can 're-acquire' this past identity through a series of performative acts that are associated with what is perceived to be it's past 'self' (Bradley pg. 11; 13)
		+
		+	As Bradley states, neither account is inaccurate or incorrect, but rather both point to the indeterminability of the text and the creation of a space for multiple readings and interpretations (pg. 15).

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Revision as of 23:22, 30 April 2008

Paul Verhoeven's 1987 film Robocop[1] can be seen as an exploration into the realm of subjectivity and an inquisition into the fixity and invulnerability of the human subject. Using analyses from thoerists such as Slavoj Zizek, Steve Best and Dale Bradley, the following entry will attempt to probe the perceivable message in Robocop regarding the existence of a cybernetic subject and the possibilities for such a subject to be devoid of human essence or form. This will be acheived through several character sketches and an examination of the role each character fulfills in the interplay of subjectivies within the film.

Robocop

he character of Robocop, and perhaps by association, the film as a whole, is subject to examination based on two seemingly polarized readings. The first involves a resilient human subject that resist deterioration despite its lack of human embodiment. The film can be seen as being rife with evidence to support such a reading. Slavoj Zizek identifies a process of resubjectification where Robocop gradually returns from existing as a being of pure incarnated drive to one of human desire (Zizek, pg. 22). In other words, Robocop switches from a robot governed by a series of directives to a human spirit contained inside a robot bent on avenging his own previous death.

Steve Best points to a similar occurence as he insists that Robocop's former identity as Murphy re-emerges desipte the computer program meant to 'wipe his memory'. For Best, this return signifies the overcoming of the crisis of subjectivity that Robocop seemingly presents. This 'return of Murphy' can be seen to prove that technology cannot acheive its goal of completely obliterating the human subject (pg. 6).

Dale Bradley (he's our prof!) present an alternative to the more conservative reading as exemplified by Zizek and Best. According to Bradley, the cyborg, in this case, Robocop, is capable of becoming aware of and recognizing the identity of the 'human' who was used to provide the raw materials for its creation, and, in turn, can 're-acquire' this past identity through a series of performative acts that are associated with what is perceived to be it's past 'self' (Bradley pg. 11; 13)

As Bradley states, neither account is inaccurate or incorrect, but rather both point to the indeterminability of the text and the creation of a space for multiple readings and interpretations (pg. 15).