From a conservative standpoint, the idea that one should be able to modify his or her body permanently with technology is similar to me in ways to modifying a body by plastic surgery. In my mind, there is a fine line between what is acceptable/necessary to change one's body for medical purposes and what is done to change one's body for the sake of personal enhancement. For example, it seems grotesque to me that a person would change there body beyond recognition via plastic surgery and take away the "natural" beauty they were born with to become a "super" beauty for the sake of personal enhancement. In the same ways, I find it grotesque that one would change his or her body using technology simply for personal enhancement. I can not imagine changing my body to have implanted knives in my hands or a microchip in my brain to interact with computers. It does not seem human to me. It seems like an alien being with similar functions to both technology and humans.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
My Body
In this new age of technology, some philosophers would agree that we have reached the point where it is possible to make the transformation from human to post-human. The definition of post-human being that the body is modified or enhanced by technology and is no longer "natural". In my opinion there are multiple moral issues that come up when the choice to modify one's body is made. I have to say that I most identify with Peter's "natural" body which is untouched and virginal to technological modifications.
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Great job Halley!
ReplyDeleteI liked how you first introduced your topic by defining post-human, and then progressing into which "body" you are. You tied the concept of posthumanism into our society quite nicely, I especially liked your example of plastic surgery. I did not even think of that. Nice job!
I completely agree with your comparison of plastic surgery and technological enhancement! That example really helps me to put technology into perspective. Many people get caught up in all of the new devices and think that we have to use them simply because we have them. This is definitely not true. It can be fun to imagine far-fetched technological enhancements, but when we actually develop and implement these objects into our bodies we have gone too far.
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