Eldon Rosen is the owner of the Rosen company. Although he pretends to be helpful when Rick comes to see him, he has no interest in aiding the police. Instead, he Eldon Rosen is a significant character in Philip K. Dick's novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", though his role differs somewhat from his counterpart in the film adaptation "Blade Runner."
Eldon Rosen's character thus serves as a crucial element in the novel's exploration of the blurred lines between human and android, as well as the moral and ethical questions surrounding artificial intelligence and corporate power.
Corporate Leader: Eldon Rosen is the owner and CEO of the Rosen company, which is based in Seattle and specialises in manufacturing androids. He represents corporate interests, greed, and consumerism.
Estrangement from Humanity Eldon Rosen's character illustrates how corporate leaders become estranged from humanity by serving abstract entities like corporations rather than individual or societal values. His willingness to deceive, bribe, and manipulate reflects a loss of personal morality, aligning him more closely with androids than empathetic humans.
Manipulative: Despite appearing helpful when Rick Deckard visits, Eldon has no genuine interest in aiding the police. His actions are driven by corporate interests rather than a desire to assist law enforcement.
Technological Innovation: As the businessman and engineer behind the Nexus-6 brain unit, Rosen embodies the cutting edge of android technology.
Antagonistic Force: Rosen represents the corporate and technological forces that create advanced androids, often acting as an antagonist to Rick Deckard's mission.
Symbol of Dehumanisation: Rosen's character illustrates how capitalism can dehumanise even those at the top of the corporate hierarchy, as he sacrifices individuality for the benefit of the corporation.
Ethical Ambiguity: Through Eldon's actions, the novel explores the complex relationship between corporations, law enforcement, and the ethical implications of creating artificial life.
Plot Catalyst: Eldon's interaction with Deckard, particularly the revelation about Rachel, serves to deepen Deckard's unease and complicate his views on androids and humanity.
Deceptive: Eldon attempts to manipulate Deckard by claiming that Rachel Rosen is human, not an android. He provides a false explanation that Rachel's lack of empathy is due to limited human contact throughout her life.
Protective of Company Interests: Eldon's primary concern is protecting his company's reputation and products. He goes to great lengths to conceal the true nature of his androids, even if it means deceiving law enforcement.
Manipulation of Empathy Rosen undermines the notion of empathy, a key trait that differentiates humans from androids in the novel. He attempts to manipulate Rick Deckard by presenting Rachel Rosen, a Nexus-6 android, as human and questioning the reliability of the Voigt-Kampff test. His actions blur the line between human and android, challenging whether empathy alone can define humanity.
While Eldon Rosen shares some similarities with Eldon Tyrell from the film adaptation, there are notable differences:
Location: Rosen's company is based in Seattle, unlike Tyrell's Los Angeles-based corporation.
Ethical Stance: Rosen appears more overtly manipulative and deceptive compared to Tyrell, who is described as "very corporate, objective and ethic[al]" in the film version.
Blurring Human-Android Boundaries: By equipping Nexus-6 models with false memories and human-like traits, Rosen actively contributes to eroding distinctions between humans and androids. This complicates traditional definitions of humanity, forcing characters like Deckard to confront their assumptions about identity and consciousness.
In essence, Eldon Rosen challenges humanity by exposing its flaws—its reliance on systems that prioritise profit over ethics, its vulnerability to manipulation, and its inability to maintain clear boundaries between human and artificial life.
Eldon Rosen's character serves to highlight the complex relationship between corporations, law enforcement, and the ethical implications of creating artificial life. His attempts to deceive Deckard about Rachel's true nature underscore the blurred lines between human and android in the novel's world.