The dialogue accompanying this transfer is simple, but telling. Daniel offers to create an avatar of Joseph's daughter. Joseph is horrified. For Daniel, the copy of Zoe is so good that the differences between the original Zoe and the copy are meaningless. For Joseph, that one difference is everything.
Daniel: She looks like Zoe, she talks like Zoe, she thinks like Zoe, remembers all the events of her childhood. Has all the same likes, dislikes, flaws, strengths, all of it! Who's to say her soul wasn't copied too?
Joseph: You can't copy a soul!
Daniel: And you would know that how? How can you prove or disprove that idea?
Joseph: Look, I know what I know, okay? And I know you can't copy a person.
Daniel: I know that she's my daughter. I know that she is my daughter. And I know it in the only place that matters, here (pointing to his heart). The only difference between her and the Zoe that lived in this house is just that: she lived in this house instead of a virtual world. I want to bring her here. Joseph, I want her to live in this world once more. I want to hold her in my arms, and I want to kiss her, and I want her to feel the sun shine on her face.
Our daughters are dead, Joseph reminds Daniel. But what if we could bring them back? That's Daniel's question.
I can't help it. I'm really interested to see where this goes.
New episodes air every Friday, and current and past episodes are available at Syfy.com.
Beth Davies-Stofka teaches courses on comparative religion and the philosophy of religion. She has also been an online columnist and critic and contributes regularly to the Patheos site.
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