Terminator emotions
From the very beginning, the Terminator mythology has made it clear that machines (T-8xx onwards) have the capacity for becoming more than their programming originally allows. In the case of Terminators this is often expressed through their growing understanding of human behavior, which leads to their emulation of said behavior and the emotions associated with them.
Being infiltrators, the Terminators' primary programming necessitates the need to learn and expand their knowledge of social behavior and the inner "workings" of the human mind; how they think, why they think, what they feel, how they feel, why they feel. Given the machines' advanced nature, the Terminators are perfectly capable of emulating anything they learn and in some cases develop their own versions of what humans call emotions.
This being said; a machine that "feels" cannot possibly feel as a human does, simply because they are not human. However, an artificial mind can "feel" in its own right, just not in the same manner as humans. While their outward displays (such as Cameron's jealousy) may appear to be identical to our own, the thought process that goes on within their CPU is entirely different to what occurs in the human brain, though it can be argued that the results are the same.
James Cameron once said that Terminators are "already half-human" and likened the T-800 from T2 as the "Tin-man who got his heart". This theme of the "Tin-man" suggests that Terminators are already capable of developing their own sense of self, but they are required to discover this for themselves first. This is seen with the T-800 and Cameron both.
Shortly before its termination, the T-800 told John Connor: "I know now why you cry, but it is something I can never do." The T-800 had, in the space of a few days, advanced its own learning considerably with John's guidance. Although what it told John was true; it cannot perform the act of crying, the T-800 is capable of knowing (i.e. feeling) the emotion associated with the act. This was the moment that James Cameron spoke of; when the "Tin-man" got his heart.
The biggest controversy in regards to emotions in Terminators is the question, "are what they claim to 'feel' real or simply simulated?"
Terminators are programmed to simulate human behavior in all its forms, although their ability to do so is hampered by the pre-settings of their chips (Read-only vs Read-write). However, this impediment appears to have been discarded by Skynet in its latest models, perhaps due to the fact that infiltrators are notably more efficient and adaptive with their CPUs set to Read-write.
[paragraphs about Cameron omitted]
Further examples of actual emotions are seen in the T-1000 and the T-X, both highly advanced Terminators. The T-1000 was shown to be surprised, frustrated, amused, scared, and annoyed (the latter resulting in it terminating an innocent truck driver for no apparent reason). The T-X displayed the same emotions as the T-1000 as well as experiencing a gasp of excitement upon identifying a blood sample as belonging to primary target John Connor. She also exhibited a wide-eyed fear response when the T-850 shoved an unstable hydrogen fuel cell into her mouth, prompting the T-X to shake her head in a pleading gesture.
[more stuff omitted]
The T-1000
"Say, that's a nice bike."
- The T-1000.
The T-1000 was in possession of limited emotions without any apparent pre-development, a trait shared by the T-1001 Catherine Weaver. This suggests that both of the T-1000 and T-1001 are potentially self-aware. The T-1000 displayed annoyance, surprise, anger, and fear during its short-lived mission to terminate John Connor.
http://terminator.wikia.com/wiki/Terminator_emotions
Being infiltrators, the Terminators' primary programming necessitates the need to learn and expand their knowledge of social behavior and the inner "workings" of the human mind; how they think, why they think, what they feel, how they feel, why they feel. Given the machines' advanced nature, the Terminators are perfectly capable of emulating anything they learn and in some cases develop their own versions of what humans call emotions.
This being said; a machine that "feels" cannot possibly feel as a human does, simply because they are not human. However, an artificial mind can "feel" in its own right, just not in the same manner as humans. While their outward displays (such as Cameron's jealousy) may appear to be identical to our own, the thought process that goes on within their CPU is entirely different to what occurs in the human brain, though it can be argued that the results are the same.
James Cameron once said that Terminators are "already half-human" and likened the T-800 from T2 as the "Tin-man who got his heart". This theme of the "Tin-man" suggests that Terminators are already capable of developing their own sense of self, but they are required to discover this for themselves first. This is seen with the T-800 and Cameron both.
Shortly before its termination, the T-800 told John Connor: "I know now why you cry, but it is something I can never do." The T-800 had, in the space of a few days, advanced its own learning considerably with John's guidance. Although what it told John was true; it cannot perform the act of crying, the T-800 is capable of knowing (i.e. feeling) the emotion associated with the act. This was the moment that James Cameron spoke of; when the "Tin-man" got his heart.
The biggest controversy in regards to emotions in Terminators is the question, "are what they claim to 'feel' real or simply simulated?"
Terminators are programmed to simulate human behavior in all its forms, although their ability to do so is hampered by the pre-settings of their chips (Read-only vs Read-write). However, this impediment appears to have been discarded by Skynet in its latest models, perhaps due to the fact that infiltrators are notably more efficient and adaptive with their CPUs set to Read-write.
[paragraphs about Cameron omitted]
Further examples of actual emotions are seen in the T-1000 and the T-X, both highly advanced Terminators. The T-1000 was shown to be surprised, frustrated, amused, scared, and annoyed (the latter resulting in it terminating an innocent truck driver for no apparent reason). The T-X displayed the same emotions as the T-1000 as well as experiencing a gasp of excitement upon identifying a blood sample as belonging to primary target John Connor. She also exhibited a wide-eyed fear response when the T-850 shoved an unstable hydrogen fuel cell into her mouth, prompting the T-X to shake her head in a pleading gesture.
[more stuff omitted]
The T-1000
"Say, that's a nice bike."
- The T-1000.
The T-1000 was in possession of limited emotions without any apparent pre-development, a trait shared by the T-1001 Catherine Weaver. This suggests that both of the T-1000 and T-1001 are potentially self-aware. The T-1000 displayed annoyance, surprise, anger, and fear during its short-lived mission to terminate John Connor.
- Example 1: In the shopping mall, the T-1000 appeared to be visibly amused-even doing a double-take-when spotting a department store mannequin with a metallic finish, resembling its own appearance.
- Example 2: While on the phone to John and posing as his stepmom, the T-1000 became annoyed by the stepfather and casually terminated him (by impaling him through the mouth with his left arm converted into a blade as he drank from a milk carton) before likewise killing the family dog for sabotaging its conversation.
- Example 3: When they arrive at the steel mill, the T-1000 gets frozen with liquid nitrogen. Its arm breaks off and the T-1000 displays genuine shock towards what is happening to him.
- Example 4: In the steel mill, and while torturing Sarah Connor; the T-1000 is attacked from behind by the T-800. Frustrated by being constantly impeded by the inferior machine, the T-1000 proceeded to ruthlessly beat the T-800 and watched with possible satisfaction as it tried to crawl away.
- Example 5: After almost being blasted into a pit of molten steel, the T-1000 gave Sarah an amused "Tsk, tsk" gesture before advancing on her and John. Before it could catch them, however, the T-800 arrived and shot a grenade into the T-1000's stomach. It was visibly shocked by the explosive and displays horror when its body was contorted by the explosion. It then screamed in "agony" as it melted within the molten steel.
http://terminator.wikia.com/wiki/Terminator_emotions