Illusory Images of the Cyborg
The conversation centered on Donna Haraway's definition of a cyborg as a cybernetic organism and explored whether current technology, from simple aids like glasses to advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI), has made humans extensions of these tools rather than the reverse.
We discussed the ethical frameworks necessary to navigate a technologically integrated world, questioning whether technology should be broadly defined to include non-electronic inventions like cooking and debating whether the drive for efficiency and progress is truly sustainable or beneficial for collective human existence.
What We Discussed
Cyborg Central Take
Simply stated: "these tools are not extensions of us anymore. Instead, we are extensions of the tools". This perspective immediately introduces a severe ethical challenge: "And what does that mean for our ethical framework now?".
How should humanity live in a world where this reversal, or "unleashing of cyborg ethics," has impacted the present space. When we say "we're cyborgs," we do not mean "we're completely robots".
The question goes back to that "flip," emphasizing that "cyborgs are human, too".
The central take elevates the discussion from defining what a cyborg is (a hybrid organism, per Haraway) to defining who is in control of the hybrid relationship. By arguing that humans are extensions of the tools, it is posited that a world where necessity and adaptation, driven by technology (like the physiologically required technology of cooking), have created a new, possibly unsustainable, equilibrium where the things we build—the Frankenstein’s monsters—now dictate the terms of our existence.
Technology’s Integration with Humanity
The integration of technology with humanity is like a deep-sea diver's suit: once you put it on, it is essential for survival in the new environment you inhabit (the technology-driven world), and you cannot simply shed it or revert to functioning naturally.
The question is no longer whether we are wearing the suit, but whether we, the occupants, are still in control of the suit's direction, or if the life support systems themselves are now determining where we must go.
Unleashing of Cyborg Ethics
• The Unleashing: This flip demands an immediate reevaluation of our moral compass, prompting the question: "And what does that mean for our ethical framework now?" and "How is this unleashing of cyborg ethics impacted the space that we find ourselves in, in the present?".
The "unleashing of cyborg ethics" is akin to discovering that the scaffolding we built to reach new heights has become the foundation of our house, and we are now legally bound to live within the rules determined by that rigid structure.
The challenge is that society must now collectively design a new moral building code to govern a home that was never meant to be permanent, especially since the builders (the tools) are rapidly evolving and the occupants (humans) are struggling to agree on the terms of survival and sustainability.
Read the notes, review the deliverables, and listen to the Deep Dive podcast in the Notebook.
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