Janet van den Berg
25216512
We live in an age where our biological entities can be manipulated and re-designed through invasive technologies. Technology is not a fix concept and has become far more pervasive than ever before. It has a powerful impact on the construction of ‘humanness’ and has caused the changed concept of the ‘self’ in our postmodern era.
Post humanity deals with the relationship between humans and technology. Pure human and nature is becoming unthinkable… The relationship between humans and technology is a longstanding one, yet it has exploded in recent years. Humans are now seen as intelligent machines and the separation between human and machine, real and artificial has almost completely faded. Humans are becoming more like computers and computers are becoming emotional beings.
Post humanity’s biggest motivational factor is the strive towards immortality. Technology has place immortality within our reach. Dieing has become a question of neglect and according to Timothy Leary is due to a lack of information. Yet even though living forever appears to now be possible, people are still dying. Is it really due to a lack of knowledge or because of neglect, or is it simply because death is part of living? Technology has indeed given hope for longer and healthier lives, yet I strongly disagree that it has or ever will make eternal life on earth possible.
In South Africa, the post human strive towards immortality has also become a reality. Even though South Africa is only a developing country, we already have access to these technologies that can ‘postpone’ death. Yet, I consider this ‘immortality’ only a luxury for the price for a longer live is extremely costly and not payable by most South Africans.
South Africa can indeed benefit from technologies that will make it possible to overcome death caused by the multitude of diseases in our country. But, being part of a post human society does not mean that one can or will ever be able to escape death completely.
As a Christian, I believe that live is not in our hands and that death is not something that we can or should control. Aren’t we in the end only trying to play God in world that is desperate for hope?
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Virtual Reality
Janet van den Berg
25216512
We live in an age where our biological entities can be manipulated and re-designed through invasive technologies. Technology is not a fix concept and has become far more pervasive than ever before. It has a powerful impact on the construction of ‘humanness’ and has caused the changed concept of the ‘self’ in our postmodern era.
Post humanity deals with the relationship between humans and technology. Pure human and nature is becoming unthinkable… The relationship between humans and technology is a longstanding one, yet it has exploded in recent years. Humans are now seen as intelligent machines and the separation between human and machine, real and artificial has almost completely faded. Humans are becoming more like computers and computers are becoming emotional beings.
Post humanity’s biggest motivational factor is the strive towards immortality. Technology has place immortality within our reach. Dieing has become a question of neglect and according to Timothy Leary is due to a lack of information. Yet even though living forever appears to now be possible, people are still dying. Is it really due to a lack of knowledge or because of neglect, or is it simply because death is part of living? Technology has indeed given hope for longer and healthier lives, yet I strongly disagree that it has or ever will make eternal life on earth possible.
In South Africa, the post human strive towards immortality has also become a reality. Even though South Africa is only a developing country, we already have access to these technologies that can ‘postpone’ death. Yet, I consider this ‘immortality’ only a luxury for the price for a longer live is extremely costly and not payable by most South Africans.
South Africa can indeed benefit from technologies that will make it possible to overcome death caused by the multitude of diseases in our country. But, being part of a post human society does not mean that one can or will ever be able to escape death completely.
As a Christian, I believe that live is not in our hands and that death is not something that we can or should control. Aren’t we in the end only trying to play God in world that is desperate for hope?
25216512
We live in an age where our biological entities can be manipulated and re-designed through invasive technologies. Technology is not a fix concept and has become far more pervasive than ever before. It has a powerful impact on the construction of ‘humanness’ and has caused the changed concept of the ‘self’ in our postmodern era.
Post humanity deals with the relationship between humans and technology. Pure human and nature is becoming unthinkable… The relationship between humans and technology is a longstanding one, yet it has exploded in recent years. Humans are now seen as intelligent machines and the separation between human and machine, real and artificial has almost completely faded. Humans are becoming more like computers and computers are becoming emotional beings.
Post humanity’s biggest motivational factor is the strive towards immortality. Technology has place immortality within our reach. Dieing has become a question of neglect and according to Timothy Leary is due to a lack of information. Yet even though living forever appears to now be possible, people are still dying. Is it really due to a lack of knowledge or because of neglect, or is it simply because death is part of living? Technology has indeed given hope for longer and healthier lives, yet I strongly disagree that it has or ever will make eternal life on earth possible.
In South Africa, the post human strive towards immortality has also become a reality. Even though South Africa is only a developing country, we already have access to these technologies that can ‘postpone’ death. Yet, I consider this ‘immortality’ only a luxury for the price for a longer live is extremely costly and not payable by most South Africans.
South Africa can indeed benefit from technologies that will make it possible to overcome death caused by the multitude of diseases in our country. But, being part of a post human society does not mean that one can or will ever be able to escape death completely.
As a Christian, I believe that live is not in our hands and that death is not something that we can or should control. Aren’t we in the end only trying to play God in world that is desperate for hope?
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