From: Samantha Atkins (samantha@objectent.com)
Date: Tue Jul 29 2003 - 20:06:51 MDT
On Tuesday 29 July 2003 08:12, Natasha Vita-More wrote:
> At 11:48 PM 7/28/03 -0700, -samantha wrote:
> >To be a cyborg is to work on integration of computational systems and
> >modes of
> >synthetic and increased perception and weave those into one's on gestalt
> > at a level deeper than the merely mechanical. Steve Mann has been doing
> > this nearly 24/7 for over 15 years and teaching others to do likewise.
> > That is why I consider him to be much more of a true cyborg.
>
> The questions is whether Steve Mann, out of desire, is more of a cybernetic
> mechanism than someone who has integrated computers and synthetic systems
> into their bodies out of life-preserving necessity (and, as much,
> evolutionary). In the latter, the emotions and psyche are forever altered
> in regards to the personal relationship of machine/biology as a by-part of
> having a developed a sense of dependency and earned respect for the
> relationship. Manfred Clynes described the need for humans to artificially
> enhance biological functions in order to survive in the hostile environment
> of Space.
The emotions and psyche are forever altered in Steve Mann's case. He can't
even function hardly at all without his cybernetic enhancements. That is how
integrated they have become. It has very much altered his views of reality
and its possibilities and altered his day to day functionng. He is very
dependent on these aids mentally, psychologically and perceptually at this
point. Enough?
>
> There is a big difference between the needs of a life-preserving system in
> its communication to the body and to the psyche in maintaining life to that
> of a desire for a relationship out of pre-planned artistic design for
> enhancing a system to communicate. Both have their values. The largest
> difference between defaulting to a cyborg lifestyle and initiating a cyborg
> lifestyle is in the mechanics of the mind. This takes on its own direction
> and becomes another element in the persona of cyborg.
>
> Natasha
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Tue Jul 29 2003 - 20:12:55 MDT