I would have thought that the intention at the time was that he was human. The Alien films up to then have had that very clear visual sign of who is an android and who isn't. As you say, they could have upgraded but what purpose would that serve in the story? Whatever about how hard he was, I would have thought that the red blood being revealed was to show us that he really was human. Otherwise there's not really any point in having his ear hang off at all.
However, the intention at the time and what they believe now seem to be two different things.
However, the intention at the time and what they believe now seem to be two different things.
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