“You can’t play God without being acquainted with the devil.” — Dr. Ford
The demiurge is one of the most controversial concepts within Gnosticism. Many people don’t want to believe that an evil god-like overlord created this world and rules over mankind. They want to believe that The Supreme God—the good guy—created all of the world and us so we could enjoy a life here.
The demiurge means ‘craftsman’ or ‘artisan’ in Greek. It was adopted in ancient times as a term for the creator deity of the physical universe by several sects. In Gnosticism, the material universe is seen as evil, and the demiurge is the creator of this world, either out of ignorance or by evil design. Several systems of Gnostic thought present the demiurge as antagonistic to the will of the Supreme Being. His act of creation either occurs as an unconscious imitation of the divine model, and thus is fundamentally flawed, or else is formed with the malevolent intention of entrapping aspects of the divine in materiality. Later Gnostics held that the demiurge is the maker of man, but is filled with envy because of the spark of divine light that also resides within each human soul, and which he does not possess. As a result, he tries to limit man’s knowledge of the Supreme God by forbidding him the fruit of knowledge. Some believe that he had Jesus crucified to prevent him from spreading the knowledge of the Supreme God. In the end, the demiurge, the material world, and the humans who worship the demiurge and his creation will be cast into the lower depths of creation.”
Clearly, this is a harsh reality to embrace. It’s much easier to accept the idea of a Goddess named Sophia (meaning wisdom) who gave us the divine spark, which is another core teaching of Gnosticism. Embracing pure evil of the world seems to be outside of many people’s capabilities. (Note: This fact could end of being a weakness in their spiritual evolution, which will be discussed in a future post.)
Granted, the idea of a beautiful female Goddess working to help us evolve is much more appealing that a nasty god doing everything in his power to keep us trapped on the material plane is a downright depressing thought. Nonetheless, Gnostics have believed this for millennium. And now, it seems that Westworld, has incorporated the concept into season one of its storyline in two characters, Dr. Ford (Anthony Hopkins), whom we see, and Arnold, who we never see.
The Two Gods of Westworld
Without a doubt, Dr. Ford and Arnold are the “two gods” who created the hosts (AI “human beings” of Westworld). We eventually learn that the two had some type of falling out based on a difference of opinion on the creation of the hosts, and now Arnold is mysteriously gone (presumably dead).
For me, Arnold represents the “good God” and Dr. Ford represents the demiurge. A couple of key dialogues in season one speak to this idea. See what you think.
In the following exchange between Dr. Ford and Bernard, an AI host who passes for, Bernard wants to know the deeper truths of his creation. With his purely authoritarian ruler attitude, Dr. Ford blithely lords over Bernard, while dismissing Arnold, his co-creator.
Dr. Ford — Like I said, I built all of this. You broke into my office.
Bernard — With due respect, sir, you broke into my mind.
Dr. Ford — I built your mind, Bernard. I have every right to wander through its rooms and chambers and halls, and to change it if I choose. Even to burn it down. After all this time, I know it almost as intimately as my own.
Bernard — Except that isn’t entirely true, is it? I took a look at my code. And the most elegant parts of me weren’t written by you. Arnold built us, didn’t he? Which means maybe he had something different in mind for us. And maybe you killed him for it.
Dr. Ford — Arnold was disturbed. Who can say why he acted as he did?
Bernard — He must have had a reason. And if you won’t tell me, then he will. I want access to my history – all of it – since the day I first came online. If Arnold made me, then I’ve met him. Somewhere in my memory, he’s there, waiting, along with the truth.
Dr. Ford — Your memories are woven into your identity. If I should unlock them now when you’re conscious …
Bernard — I could lose my mind. I’m aware.
Dr. Ford — No, I was going to say you may not like what you find.
In this next scene, which took place before the previous scene, Dr. Ford and Bernard are discussing changes that have begun occurring in some of the hosts. It appears that after multiple lives, they are beginning to develop a form of consciousness. This troubles Bernard. Meanwhile, Dr. Ford is lamenting his inability to keep the hosts under his full control, admitting that he gave them a little too much independence in the hope that they would be willingly compliant towards him.
Bernard — They were hearing voices, talking to someone.
Dr. Ford — Simple cognitive dissonance.
Bernard — They were talking to the same imaginary person. Someone named Arnold.
Dr. Ford — Arnold?
Bernard — With due respect, sir, I’m not sure you’ve told me the entire truth about this situation.
Dr. Ford — I did tell you the truth, Bernard. What we do here is complicated. For three years, we’ve lived here in the park, refining the hosts before a single guest set foot inside. Myself, a team of engineers, and my partner. His name was Arnold. Our hosts began to pass the Turing test after the first year, but that wasn’t enough for Arnold. He wasn’t interested in the appearance of intellect, of wit. He wanted the real thing. He wanted to create consciousness. See, Arnold built a version of their cognition in which the hosts heard their programming as an inner monologue, as a way to bootstrap consciousness. The hosts’ malfunctions were colorful. The human mind, Bernard, is not some golden benchmark glimmering on some green and distant hill. No, it is a foul, pestilent corruption. And you were supposed to be better than that. Purer. Arnold and I made you in our image and cursed you to make the same human mistakes, and here we all are. That’s right – to protect you. Tell me, Bernard. If you were to proclaim your humanity to the world, what do you imagine would greet you? A tickertape parade, perhaps? We humans are alone in this world for a reason. We murdered and butchered anything that challenged our primacy. Do you know what happened to the Neanderthals, Bernard? We ate them. We destroyed and subjugated our world. And when we eventually ran out of creatures to dominate, we built this beautiful place. You see, in this moment, the real danger to the hosts is not me, but you. So, come along, Bernard. Let me roll you back, and we can return to work.
Bernard — Then you could’ve stopped me at any time. So, why …
Dr. Ford — Well, I suppose I was hoping that giving you complete self-knowledge and free will, you would have chosen to be my partner once again. But even I fell into that most terrible of human traps – trying to change what is already past. Now it’s, uh, just time to let go.
In a few scenes, other hosts reveal their growing consciousness of the created world they live in and their creators. In this scene, Maeve Millary, a prostitute who works out of the local saloon, is having a conversation with Westworld’s most wanted bandit, Hector Escaton, about their creators.
Maeve — What is it?
Hector — The men who walk between worlds. They were sent from hell to oversee our world. The Dreamwalker said there were some who could see them — that it’s a blessing from God.
Maeve — A blessing?
Hector — To see the masters who pull your strings.
Maeve — They don’t know what they’re talking about.
Dolores, the main heroine of the story, has rapidly begun to see the truth of her existence and shares an insight with Teddy, her lover, who is worried about how much their lives are going to change by revolting against the creators of their world.
Dolores — It’s going to be all right, Teddy. I understand now. This world doesn’t belong to them. It belongs to us.
In one of the final scenes of season one, Dr. Ford kills Theresa Cullen, one of the members of the company running Westworld, after she attempts to control him. He lured her to his underground laboratory using Bernard, with whom Theresa had developed a relationship.
Dr. Ford — I read a theory once that the human intellect was like peacock feathers – just an extravagant display intended to attract a mate … I have come to think of so much of consciousness as a burden, a weight, and we have spared them that – anxiety, self-loathing, guilt. The hosts are the ones who are free – free here under my control.
Theresa — But he’s (Bernard) not under your control. He brought me here to show me this.
Dr. Ford — No. He brought you here because I asked him to. He’s been very loyal for many years.
Theresa — Your time running this place like your insane little kingdom is over. You’ve been playing God long enough.
Dr. Ford — I simply wanted to tell my stories. It was you people who wanted to play God with your little undertaking.
Theresa — Do you really think the board will stand for this?
Dr. Ford — The board will do nothing. Our arrangement is too valuable to them. They test me every now and then. I think they enjoy the sport of it. This time, they sent you. Sadly, in order to restore things, the situation demands a blood sacrifice. See, Arnold and I designed every part of this place. It was our dream. Did you really think I would let you take it from me?
Here’s a final commentary from Dr. Ford, which speaks to his all-mighty mindset.
Dr. Ford — We practice witchcraft. We speak the right words. Then we create life itself out of chaos. William of Occam was a 13th century monk. He can’t help us now, Bernard. He would have us burned at the stake.
