Abstract
This chapter examines the ways in which Westworld functions as a set of loops on a textual and metatextual level. The series, following in the wake of a number of pre-existing representations of Artificial Intelligence, not least of which is the original film and Jonathan Nolan’s Person of Interest, relies upon and re-inflects a number of pre-existing tropes within such representations. These include challenges to human exceptionalism, the nature of consciousness, the problem of agency, and freedom versus control. This chapter explores the extent to which the “AI narrative” of Westworld itself functions as an ideological mask, and asks whether the questions its asks include the one we should be asking: can we ever truly “escape” the systems its overt narrative elides?
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsWorks Cited
Baudrillard, J. (1983). The Orders of Simulacra. In Simulations (P. Foss, P. Patton, & P. Beitchman, Trans., pp. 81–159). New York: Semiotext(e).
Baudrillard, J. (1990). Fatal Strategies (P. Beitchman & W. G. J. Neisluchowski, Trans.). New York: Semiotext(e).
Baudrillard, J. (1997a). The Precession of Simulacra. In Simulacra and Simulation (S. F. Glaser, Trans., pp. 1–42). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Baudrillard, J. (1997b). The Beauborg Effect. In Simulacra and Simulation (S. F. Glaser, Trans., pp. 61–73). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Baudrillard, J. (1997c). Hypermarket and Hypercommodity. In Simulacra and Simulation (S. F. Glaser, Trans., pp. 75–78). Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Delos Destinations. (2017). Corporate Guidebook: Handbook for New Employees [online “Faked” Guidebook with publication date of 22 January 2017]. Available at: http://delosdestinations.com/intranet/#corp-resources“Guidebook.pdf”. Accessed 18 May 2018.
Gallagher, C. (2016). Is “The Lady With The White Shoes” A ‘Westworld’ Clue? Old Bill May Be Delivering A Message. Bustle. Available at: https://www.bustle.com/articles/187727-is-the-lady-with-the-white-shoes-a-westworld-clue-old-bill-may-be-delivering-a. Accessed 10 September 2018.
Jeffs, R., & Blackwood, G. (2016). Whose Real? Encountering New Frontiers in Westworld. Medianz, 16(2), 95–115. Available at: https://doi.org/10.11157/medianz-vol17iss2id211. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Pynchon, T. (2000). The Crying of Lot 49. London: Vintage. First published 1966.
Westworld. (2016). Episode Scripts. Springfield Springfield. Available at: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/episode_scripts.php?tv-show=westworld-2016. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Westworld. (2016, October). Home Box Office. First Shown.
Westworld (Film). (1973). Michael Crichton [United States]: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Westworld. (2017a). Special Features, The Reality of A.I: Westworld [DVD, Disc 2]. Warner Bros.
Westworld. (2017b). Special Features, Crafting the Narrative [DVD, Disc 3]. Warner Bros.
Westworld. (2018a). Episode Scripts. Springfield Springfield. Available at: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/episode_scripts.php?tv-show=westworld-2016&season=2. Accessed 17 May 2018.
Westworld (TV Series). (2018b). Internet Movie Database. Available at: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0475784/. Accessed 9 September 2018.
Westworld Wiki. (2018). Westworld Wiki. Available at: http://westworld.wikia.com/wiki/. Accessed 9 September 2018.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Slocombe, W. (2019). ‘That Which Is Real Is Irreplaceable’: Lies, Damned Lies, and (Dis-)simulations in Westworld. In: Goody, A., Mackay, A. (eds) Reading Westworld. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14515-6_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14515-6_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-14514-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-14515-6
eBook Packages: Literature, Cultural and Media StudiesLiterature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)