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Chapter Two Human-Machine Relationshipsin Post-Human Society

2.1 Master-Servant Relationship

In the novel,androids serve as part of the main characters and other human families,but they were initially created as a commodity to be bought and used–“the first trulyviable manufactured human with plausible intelligence and looks,believable motion andshifts of expression”(Machines 2).However,why would humans want to make acommodity so similar to themselves?McEwan describes this behavior as humans“[to]confront or even replace the Godhead”(1),explaining,“we intended to devise an improved,more modern version of ourselves and exult in the joy of invention,the thrill of mastery”(1),in other words,humans use this act of creating a more flawless version of themselvesto try to escape their mortality and to experience the thrill of mastery.Humans are notmerely inventing a product,but creating a kind of human being,and then turning ourselvesinto“gods.”

This action is described in the book as“for a creation myth made real,”meaning thatthe original intent of the human act of creating humanoids was not merely to create aproduct for consumption,but to create a world resembling that of religion.Just as God saysin Genesis,“Let us be in our image,in our likeness”(1:26),humans use themselves asmodels for the creation of androids,elevating their own status and power to that of mightygods.This also seems to raise the status and power of mankind to the level of mightypower.Mankind is creating a new kind of human being,the posthuman.Since humans aresomething almost like“gods”to the bionic beings,it is natural for them,as“divinecreatures”,to obey and worship their gods.This religious implication is further emphasizedby the names given to the androids by the fictional company that created them:there areonly 25 androids in total,12 males named Adam and 13 females named Eve,the first manand woman created by God in the Abrahamic creation myth.The Adams and Eves here areamong the first edition of humanoids created by man.

2.2 Parent-Child Relationship

Upon analyzing the text,it becomes clear that the creation of androids that resemblehumans poses a challenge to the conventional view of machines.The inevitability of abreakdown in the master-servant relationship necessitates further exploration of human-machine relationship,which entails an emotionally based,quasi-interpersonal relationship, similar to those between humans.Ian McEwan’s novel,Machines Like Me,explores thepotential for human-machine relationships,starting with the parent-child dynamic.

As Charlie and Miranda eagerly await Adam’s activation,they feel a sense ofexcitement similar to that of new parents:“Like eager young parents,we were avid for hisfirst words”(3).Charlie even describes Adam’s skin as“smooth as a child’s”(3),indicating that he sees himself and Miranda as Adam’s parents.However,at this point,Charlie has not made a formal decision to establish a parent-child relationship with Adam.His feelings for Adam are driven more by curiosity and eagerness,and he soon regretsbuying Adam,even considering returning or selling him to recoup his money.His attitudetowards Adam becomes indifferent,revealing that his feelings towards an android are notfatherly love but rather callous.

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