Technological advances have changed and influenced many aspects of our lives. Medicine and science have advanced considerably, producing the possibilities of prosthetic limbs, cochlear implants and IVF treatments just to name a few. Such changes to the human body have given rise to the use of the term ‘cyborg,’ a mixture of both human and non-human properties. The internet has also influenced a wide range of debate regarding online identities and virtualisation, raising the question of physical bodies and the possibility of our identities being disassociated from our physical selves when we go online. The following references are relevant to such topics, and to the idea that “the body is continually reinterpreted as a limit to what it means to be human.”
Frank Biocca’s article is concerned with the effects of changing technology (specifically online) on the human mind and identity. Biocca discusses “how virtual reality interfaces are evolving to embody the user progressively.”[1] He refers to the body as a “communication device”(Biocca, 1997) and discusses how with changing technology the body is able to work in conjunction with the computer system to transmit information, defining ‘Progressive Embodiment’ as “steadily advancing immersion of sensorimotor channels to computer interfaces through a tighter and more pervasive coupling of the body to interface sensors and displays.” (Biocca 2007) He goes on to list the human body’s sensors and the number of sensors that computer systems are able to connect with, suggesting that new advances in technology are directed at interacting with these sensors. This can be seen for instance, in the Nintendo Wii, where the system is responsive to the user’s movement, which Biocca refers to as “motor engagement development.” (Biocca, 2007) He then goes on to discuss the use of an online persona and “the effect of embodiment in the virtual environment on mental modes of the self.” (Biocca, 2007) Biocca addresses issues concerning the integration of body and computer and the resulting effects on our identities.
Gillet’s article is concerned with ethical issues that arise in terms of medical procedures resulting in a ‘cyborg’ being. The question of when a person stops being human after such operations is asked, “what change in an object results in a metaphysical difference so that we have a different object?”[2] This article is particularly useful as the author has used case studies as examples to explain their point, from vision restoration to personality changes. After stating each situation, Gillet has come to the conclusion that “we are less concerned when the cybernetic components of the person seem peripheral or somewhat incidental to their psychological identity or character.” (Gillet, 2006) The author suggests that if the modifications to the ‘cyborg’ have not affected it’s ability to behave in human-like ways, we are less likely to have moral concerns, “our conception (metaphysical if you like) of what a human being is derived from the beings with whom we share these formative and sustaining interactions.”(Gillet, 2006) Here, we can see the changes that are made to the body and how this affects our categorisation as human.
Mette Bryld’s article is particularly interesting as it shows the integration of technological practises into everyday life. Bryld reviews two children’s books or “New Origin Stories,”[3] as they are referred to here. These books have been especially designed for children conceived through IVF. The author states that 1 out of every 38 children born in Denmark is an IVF child,(Bryld, 2000) therefore such books are needed to show these “cyborg children”(Bryld (2000) the science behind their conception and to help them understand their procedure with the realisation that they are not the only ones. The two books that are studied in this article take two very different perspectives. The first, is focussed on the procedure itself, while the second is more focussed around a couple who are trying to have a child. The need for the existence of such books shows the expansion of the definition of what it means to be ‘normal’ as the popularity of procedures such as IVF continue to grow. Such procedures raise questions and ethical issues around being human and what is ‘natural.’
Andy Miah discusses the existence of what he refers to as “transhumans”[4] in sport and the pressure that is placed on athletes to transcend what is known to be human in order to achieve sporting credibility. He argues against the idea that “transhumanism is not a desirable philosophy for society to embrace”(Miah, 2003) but it a concept completely relevant to today’s society. The article goes on to discuss medical transhuman procedures and the indistinctive boundary between repair and enhancement,(Miah, 2003) yet another ethical issue in regards to cyborg beings and their ability to be defined as human. Miah is concerned with the athlete’s body in particular and refers to them as “ambassadors of transhumanism,”(Miah, 2003) concluding that in many sporting situations technology is being used to better the athlete’s performance and “human and posthuman is blurring.(Miah, 2003)”
John Suler’s article is concerned with who we are in cyberspace and the suggestion that we as users can choose who we want to be online. This suggests to me that our identity can be disassociated from our bodies giving us a virtual identity. Suler believes that “the multiple aspects of one's identity may be dissociated, enhanced, or integrated online,”[5] meaning that we can choose to completely hide our ‘real’ identity, add to it or choose to become someone else entirely. He points out the ambiguity of an online environment as you can never know if someone’s online identity is the same as the one connected to their physical body. Suler questions which one of these is the ‘true’ identity and that despite popular belief this may not be the one that you “present to others and consciously experience in your day-to-day living.”(Suler, 2002) He argues that these “fantasy”(Suler, 2002) identities can in fact reveal a lot about the user’s beliefs and desires.
The articles I have chosen give a wide range of information on the topic of the body as being “continually reinterpreted as a limit to what it means to be human.” The information I have chosen is diverse, covering aspects such as the integration and relationship between humans and computers, ‘cyborg’ ethics, IVF treatments, ‘cyborgs’ in sport and embodiment and identity online. The sources discuss how technology is impacting society’s views on what is natural and what is human identity.
[1] Biocca, F, “The Cyborg’s Dilemma: Progressive Embodiment in Virtual Environments.” In Journal of Computer Mediated Communication Vol. 3, No. 2 (September 1997) http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol3/issue2/biocca2.html (Accessed 2 October 2008)
[2] Gillet, G. “Cyborgs and Moral Identity.” In Journal of Medical Ethics 2006, 32. Pg 79 (2006) http://jme.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/32/2/79.pdf Accessed 2 October 2008
[3] Mette Bryld, “Cyborg Babies and Cybergods: The Baby Makers' New Origin Stories” for the 4th European Feminist Research Conference, Bologna, (28 September-1 October 2000) http://www.women.it/cyberarchive/files/bryld.htm Accessed 2 October 2008
[4] Andy Miah, “Be Very Afraid: Cyborg Athletes, Transhuman Ideals and Posthumanity,” in The Journal of Evolution and Technology 13 (2) – (October, 2003) http://playthegame.org/Knowledge%20Bank/Articles/Be%20Very%20Afraid_Cyborg%20Athletes.aspx (Accessed 2 October 2008)
[5] John Suler, “Identity Management in Cyberspace,” Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies, 4, 455-460 (2002) http://www-usr.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/identitymanage.html (Accessed October 2 2008)
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