I get that impression as well. One of the reasons why I don't like the Institute.

As I said before if they wanted to stop the Synths it would be incredibly easy to do so.

Hell they could take out the Rail Road so easily. Step one make a Synth with a very sad story, place a nuclear bomb in it. Step two: have it find the Rail Road. Step 3: Boom!

Hell just do what the Terminators did and send a bunch of Coursers out as normal Synths. Once they find the Institute, kill them all.

You could also Brave-New-World-program them before birth, could you not? Gen 3 synths are created from Shaun's DNA, and since they don't all look alike, they're not all a carbon copy. The Institute's been messing with the DNA - their nature 'programming', and with technology like the Memory Den, they can reprogram their outside influences - their 'nurture' programming. If both of these can be directly controlled by another, does the synth really have free will?

They have also been taking people and using their DNA have they not? They make copies of people and send them back out.

Which leads us to an interesting question: We are really close to gene-therapy technology to fight genetic diseases. We also know we can "implant" memories in children via suggestion. So, uh, will people have free will?

Before I head off for the night I will say that I am happy Bethesda gave us options in Fallout 4. They didn't decide for us if Synths are people. We make that call so again Thanks Bethesda

Not necessarily. The Gen-3's are stated to be superior to the Gen-2's in nearly every respect. And are probably better workers, assistants, warriors etc. But their increased intelligence also leads to the occasional one developing the capacity for free-thought, which causes them to sometimes desire 'freedom.'

Up until this point though, The escaping Gen-3's have been a very minor nuisance. Patriot lets out a couple Gen-3's, they make a break for it on a scav run, a Courser is dispatched. Rinse, repeat. Nothing that really affects The Institute, because each individual synth is cheap and expendable.

The Gen-3 program didn't become a real issue until The Brotherhood showed up all pissed off and ready to fight because they learned about it.

They do or they turn that person into a Super Mutant.

Minor correction. the BoS showed up because they detected what ultimately turned out to be the courser teleportation energy residue, and thought that such a massive use of power singled a high technological threat.

They didn't really know about the Gen 3 program until after they were already there.

I figured from Maxson's big speech to his officers that they knew about the Gen-3 synths already. And the energy spike just convinced them that something finally needed to be done.

You'd think they'd have heard rumors at least. Danse, IIRC, talks about Institute synths when first entering arc-jet.

I'm... going to go visit Valentine.

Very well said!

Sure, rumors.

I doubt, and nothing suggests, they knew the Institute was doing the Gen3 synth on THAT large of a scale though. they came to stop synths, in general. They didn't find out about le epic massive gen-3 program until after they got there.

Sure, they're just humans who don't age, don't need to eat or sleep, are infertile, are immune to radiation and disease, and are tougher than the average person. And how are they not machines again? Would you still feel the same if every synth in the game looked like a terminator?

I guarantee nobody would care about synths if they actually looked like robots.

Nick Valentine looks like a robot and we still feel the same about him

and do we really know that they don't age? they are mostly built from human parts, aren't they?

Nothing prevented them from putting him into a new body once he acquires enough knowledge

Actually, Starkaos, you reminded me about something. Why synths don't commit suicide? Even one hasn't attempted to do so, out of desperation. Not even a lame attempt to harm themselves or to sabotage something.

And one more thing: a regular toaster can't get a "virus." Only a much more advanced combination of hardware+software can be affected by a computer virus. Similarly, the argument can be made that only a highly complex mind, such as that of a human, can be at risk of developing a mental illness. A snail lacks the brain structure to develop schizophrenia.

Yep the Spoiler is right.

Just spell the Code and this "Human" is offline. Slaves are a bit different as this.

That's not really the same as biologically aging, I'd say it's more like getting replaced by someone with the same memories of the original. Where the new one wakes up, a new life with its own fake memories begins.

Care to elaborate on this? I've been looking for the in-game source for a while too, and I haven't found anything indicating anyone actively programming said spoiler.

Maybe. Nick Valentine is kind of a nice counter-example, but let's pretend you're right. Let's say we didn't care because of the way they looked.

Would that be right?

There's a man in Indonesia who has a rare disease that causes so many warts to grow on his skin that he doesn't look human. He looks like a tree. Maybe some people don't care about him because he looks monstrous. Is that ok?

Making a distinction, here, between the impulsive, ill-considered moral judgments we make and the considered, thoughtful moral judgments we should make.

I don't think he makes them more human he just helps those who want to leave escape.

I cared about the http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/masseffect/images/7/7e/Legionstanding_pc.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110131161253 in Mass Effect and they were a race entirely made up of networked AI that sought true individuality.

Human or not, if something sentient feels oppressed, I believe they have the right to question that oppressed state and desire their own freedom and self-preservation.

Are you sure the spoiler is correct..... I am having a real problem with Patriots age and the age of the railroad. it Just dont add up because we know the years when there last few leaders have been offed

Meaning the railroad has been around a lot longer

Legion.