I don’t argue that we’re meant to empathize with the characters, and it’s good that we do. But as we can see, Helena is fine. They didn’t trap her soul, they didn’t take her brain, they made a quick copy of brain wave patterns centered on a specific problem. This robot that now has that specific set of data is not going to go around thinking and acting like it’s Helena the rest of its existence. I suppose that’s where I differ in opinion here; I don’t see the need to empathize with a small selection of brain wave impulses that have been transferred to the robot. As far as I can see, there is no indication as yet that the robot has sentience.

1) OK It’s a work of fiction; but it’s intended to hook our empathy module, and it’s done that in spades for me – I care what happens to Al and Brendan. Why should I not care about Helena trapped in a diving bell?

2) Sure, we don’t know yet what the denouement will be, but we can be forgiven for worrying about it. I’m with CFT. Even if the bot is only a rudimentary Helena, she still deserves our empathy (see(1) above)

3) Where’s my next episode? It’s Monday already and I’m ready to burst! C’mon, if I don’t get my fix…

It’s a work of fiction. The science and technology being put on display here isn’t as yet real. So who knows how much sentience the robot has; it may only copy the patterns of a human mind without having a conscience existence. We know that eventually the work they are doing now leads to the world where Sulla is alive, so obviously the technology does progress to a point where the robots do have a sense of existence, but at this first step? Perhaps that *is* an issue that will come up further down the road. At this moment in time we don’t even know what will become of the little robot, so perhaps before you jump to the conclusion that Al and Brendan are going to be irresponsible with it, we allow the story to show us what happens?

It’s like pressing your hand into plaster. The imprint looks a little like a hand, but it’s not a hand, and you couldn’t even construct a full hand from it, just one surface. If there was time for a full copy, the copy would be like a plaster mold that you can cast things with, but this copy is just a rough outline.

You do raise some good points, but I don’t think that what the emulator produces is a true sentience. The brain waves thing makes me think it’s like xeroxing a 3D object; it appears somewhat the same, but is clearly not the same thing. Brendan and Al are good people, I’m sure they wouldn’t destroy a true living being.

What are Al and Brendan going to do with their ‘cloned’ mind after their little performance? Treat it like toy and turn it off? Hmm. I guess they aren’t so different than modern parents who want to have fun, get pregnant and then decide the ‘child’ is a disposable choice.