Are droids in Star Wars considered sapient?

[JirinPanthosa]

Through all of the different incarnations of Star Wars we see droids represented as having different levels of emotions and complex reasoning capability, but in general, they seem to have a full range of emotions and fully unique individual identities. Yet, they're still treated consistently as beasts of burden to be reprogrammed, have their memory erased and repurposed at will.

Are they not really sapient and the universe of Star Wars really advanced at creating complex personality algorithms to make them easier for biological creatures to interact with, or if they are, is it an unaddressed problem that they're not given those rights?

 

[Ithekro]

We see a little about the idea of droid rights in Solo with L3. Mostly I think it is because droids are built by a corporation for tasks that they are not given rights. Most are supposed to be regularly mind wiped so they don't develop quirks and more of a real personally.

In theory they shouldn't develop enough to be sentient, and its just very convincing programming, but with droids that aren't wiped often? R2-D2 and Chopper are very distinct personalities. C3P0 despite being wiped has a strong bond with his friends.

Plus we even the cheaply built Clone Wars era B1 battle droids have interesting quirks in their personalities.

 

[JD]

I have to admit, I've never been real clear on exactly how sentient droids are, a lot of them sure seem to act sentient, but they aren't treated like it. And some people almost seem confused or disgusted when they're treated like anything more than a walking computer.
I guess maybe it's like animals in the real world where some people just treat them like they are, and others don't give them that much consideration.

 

[Kor]

Then there are droids that act autonomously, apparently independent of any organic being, such as IG-88. He takes on jobs and gets paid. Books and comics depict him as a very skilled and relentless killer, so most organics probably wouldn't want to get on his bad side by trying to subdue him with a restraining bolt and using him as a slave like many droids.

Kor

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I just got through an episode of Clone Wars in which there is a team composed of droids and a small frog man, and in this episode the droids show clear concern and empathy for each other.

I don’t know if any live action material portrays them with that level of emotion rather than just emotional affectation.

 

[Jedman67]

B2EMO in Andor was portrayed as the family dog. I think that viewing droids as basically mechanical service animals or pets allows for the individual personalities seen throughout the series.

 

[Unicron]

I have to admit, I've never been real clear on exactly how sentient droids are, a lot of them sure seem to act sentient, but they aren't treated like it. And some people almost seem confused or disgusted when they're treated like anything more than a walking computer.
I guess maybe it's like animals in the real world where some people just treat them like they are, and others don't give them that much consideration.

There's been a number of sources, like the Essential Guide to Droids, which suggest that their range of intelligence and even potential sentience varies widely. A protocol droid like C-3PO has a much more complex intelligence as a means to facilitate his role, like his fluency in so many languages, whereas other droids like power droids (at least per the EG) are considerably less intelligent because they're mainly only meant to be mobile batteries. They have advanced diagnostic programming to make sure they don't accidentally charge an unstable power source, but beyond that they might walk off a cliff before they realize they should change direction.

Droids like astromechs seem to have a wide variety of potential, as technically they're supposed to undergo routine maintenance that would prevent any unusual "quirks" developing in their personalities, but many living beings prefer not to do that because they like having those quirks. R2-D2 would certainly be a good example.

There are other droids whose programming can be potentially vulnerable to hacks, like the droid bartender in the EG. It's a popular model for busy starports and other locales, but it's not uncommon for the droids to suffer mishaps if a clever slicer messes with their programming. Endless free drinks or, potentially worse, telling it to mix up drinks that are chemically incompatible (and usually explosive).

So I would personally say it's a variety, in terms of what different droids are capable of and how living beings respond to them. It's not unlike how Data and the VOY EMH could be considered Trek examples of fully sentient artificial life, but not all artificial intelligence would necessarily be on their level.

 

[Reverend]

Short version: A given droid is exactly as sapient as a given story requires it to be.

Slightly longer version: First always keep in mind that Star Wars is at it's heart a fairy tale, NOT science fiction. Secondly remember that droids were deliberately framed from the very get-go and stand-ins for the very lowest rung of society; peasants, slaves, literal beasts of burden. Thirdly understand personality (or the appearance of it) isn't the same thing as sapience. Emergent behaviour and personalities can be nothing more than layers upon layers of programming errors, stitched together by imperfect self-correcting algorithms.

Finally, while some droids may indeed be sapient, they're still droids. Even if they're self-aware they'll still mostly think like droids and will find meaning and fulfilment in different things than organic sapients. Some of that is by design of course, but then aren't all species the product of their evolution? Humans are the way they are because of millions of years of evolutionary "programming". Same for Nemoidians, same for Hutts, same for everyone.

All that said, even if droids are just souless machines with only a facsimile of sapient thought, being kind and empathetic to them whenever possible is still good manners..

 

[Tuskin38]

IG-88 lead a droid rebellion in the EU

Also took over the Death star II's computer, but yeah.

 

[Ithekro]

Many Jedi treat droids like hardware, though they tend to be polite. The Skywalker's and Ahsoka treat droids better. Not surr if it is like people or a family pet.

 

[Tuskin38]

Anakin got chewed out during the Clone Wars because he never wipes R2s memory, it made him a security risk.

 

[Skywalker]

"Well, if droids could think, there'd be none of us here, would there?"

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Speaking of that particular arc in Clone Wars, Frog colonel is incredibly annoying and I don't know whose idea it was to make these characters a 4-5 episode arc. Easily the worst part of the series so far.

The way they treat droids is comparable to the way they treat clones. Sapient creatures treated as beasts of burden. Something that makes it harder to see the good guys as the good guys. It's never addressed that the lesser of two evils are still basically slavers.

 

[Set Harth]

The only part of that arc I liked was the design of the Void. Star Wars planets are usually so boring in terms of just looking like places on Earth, and for once this looked like a truly alien environment.

 

[Jedman67]

Speaking of that particular arc in Clone Wars, Frog colonel is incredibly annoying and I don't know whose idea it was to make these characters a 4-5 episode arc. Easily the worst part of the series so far.

The way they treat droids is comparable to the way they treat clones. Sapient creatures treated as beasts of burden. Something that makes it harder to see the good guys as the good guys. It's never addressed that the lesser of two evils are still basically slavers.

Clones are treated like droids. Disposable and plenty more where they came from.
At least in a conscript military (IRL, from a democratic state) the soldiers have some rights. Mandatory service can suck but (if you survive) you have the choice to retire from the military or re-enlist. Clones don't have those rights.

 

[Tuskin38]

The Hero Jedi characters tend to treat their clones with respect.
Heck wasn't it one of the first Season 1 arcs with Yoda all about that he doesn't consider them expendable?

Yeah the Empire treated them as shit after the war ended, we have no idea how the Republic would have if Palpatine was disposed or something.

 

[Set Harth]

It wasn't even an arc, it was the standalone first episode.

 

[fireproof78]

Something that makes it harder to see the good guys as the good guys. It's never addressed that the lesser of two evils are still basically slavers.

Yeah, the Clone Wars added a lot of personality to the Clones, which made the Jedi look far worse during the war. Yoda, Anakin, and some of the other generals tried regard them as more than mere fodder but it just makes the Jedi look bad.

 

[publiusr]

I guess it depends on the model…any damage. Lively R2 might feel sad over another astromech hit by lightning that…while functional, is less alive than even HAL was after the higher-order slabs were slid out.