Advances in cybernetic and nanotechnological body modifications currently allow for enhancements to human physical and mental function which exceed human species-based norms. This thesis examines body modification and human enhancement from two perspectives—Roman Catholicism and Transhumanism— in order to contribute to bioethical deliberations regarding enhancement technologies. Roman Catholicism has a longstanding tradition of bioethical discourse, informing the healthcare directives of Roman Catholic institutions. Transhumanism is more recent movement that endorses body modifications and human enhancements as a means of individual betterment and social evolution. The thesis first considers definitions of human enhancement and levels of normalcy in connection to cybernetic and nanotechnological bionic implants, and outlines a series of criteria to assess a technology’s potential bioethical acceptability: implantability, permanency, power, and public interaction. The thesis then describes Roman Catholicism’s response to non-enhancing decorative body modifications (cosmetic surgeries, common decorative modifications such as tattoos and piercings, and uncommon modifications such as scarifications and brandings) in order to establish a basis for possible Roman Catholic responses to enhancing cybernetic and nanotechnological modifications. This is followed by an analysis from a Roman Catholic perspective of the major social issues brought forward by enhancement technologies: commodification, eugenics, vulnerability, and distributive justice. Turning to Transhumanism, the thesis describes the origins and philosophy of the movement, and then discusses the bioethical principles it advances with regard to human enhancement. The thesis concludes by locating points of convergence between Transhumanism and Roman Catholicism that could be the basis of more widely accepted ethical guidelines regarding modification technologies.

Thesis (MA (English))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The end of the second millennium saw a sudden return to corporeality, especially within feminist scholarship, where embodiment and issues surrounding the body were, for the first time, made explicit. This study examines the corporeal body in relation to technology and the impact that newly emerging virtual technologies have on our understanding of the body, not only through examining representations of the technologically modified body, but also by exploring how contemporary cultural practices produce corporeal bodies that view themselves as somehow integrated with technology. It focuses on the material artefacts of contemporary culture in relation to explicitly virtual technologies, both arguing for a return to corporeality and contesting the pervasive trope of disembodiment that characterises so-called “posthuman” age. This study thus takes one of the most popular metaphors for the relationship between the corporeal body and technology as its starting point, namely Donna Haraway’s cyborg figures. Following the publication of Haraway’s “A Manifesto for Cyborgs” (1985), the female cyborg became an icon of emancipation for many feminist scholars, who utilised Haraway’s cyborg discourse as a means of discussing the cultural practices that both construct and limit female gendered identity. Through closely examining the metaphor of Haraway’s cyborg figures in relation to cultural representations of female cyborg bodies, this study argues that, ultimately, the metaphor of the cyborg is inherently neither challenging nor liberating. It then examines the failure of the cyborg as an icon of postgenderedness in terms of its negation of the corporeal, as cyborg figures paradoxically only strengthen the same Cartesian dualism Haraway’s cyborg discourse attempts to deconstruct. It explores representations of three female cyborg figures found in contemporary popular culture to illustrate how the cyborg body’s negation of the corporeal only results in the reiteration of conventional gendered stereotypes, rather than liberation from oppressive gendered practices. Finally, this study examines the crucial interplay between the corporeal and the technological, not only when speaking of more imaginary cyborg configurations and tropes, but also when speaking of the physical reality of lived bodies and embodied experiences. By examining the increasingly embodied nature of cyberspace, this study explores possible alternatives to the figure of the hypersexualised and disembodied cyborg, through investigating new figurations with which to describe the embodied postmodern subject and his/her dependence on technology. Since the central task for a feminist ethics of embodiment would be grounded in the project of representing the female body, in such a way that it constructs autonomous women’s representations without falling prey to patriarchal, stereotypical or estranging images of women’s bodies, this study concludes with more useful methods of representing the corporeal body in relation to virtual technology through an appeal to an ethics of embodiment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die einde van die tweede millennium het ‘n skielike belangstelling in beliggaamdheid ontlok, veral binne feministiese vakgeleerdheid, waar beliggaamdheid en kwessies rondom die ligaam vir die eerste keer eksplisiet gestel is. Hierdie studie ondersoek die stoflike liggaam in verhouding tot tegnologie en die invloed wat nuwe, virtuele tegnologiëe op ons begrip van die liggaam het, nie slegs deur voorstellings van die tegnologies-gemodifieërde ligaam te ondersoek nie, maar deur ook te kyk na hoe kontemporêre kulturele praktyke beliggaamde subjekte produseer wat huself op een of ander wyse as geïntegreerd met tegnologie sien. Die studie fokus op die materiële artefakte van kontemporêre kultuur in verhouding tot eksplisiet virtuele tegnologiëe. Dit bevorder ‘n terugkeer tot beliggaamdheid, terwyl dit teen die sogenaamde “postmenslike” era se mees kenmerkende troop van ontliggaamdheid argumenteer. Die studie begin dus deur een van die mees populêre metafore vir die verhouding tussen die liggaamlike en die tegnologiese te ondersoek, naamlik Donna Haraway se siborgfigure. Sedert die publikasie van Haraway se “A Manifesto for Cyborgs” (1985), het verskeie feministiese vakgeleerdes die vroulike siborg-figuur beide as ’n ikoon vir emansipasie beskou en gebruik om die kulturele praktyke wat vroulike geslagsidentiteit gelyktydig konstrueer én beperk te bespreek. Deur Haraway se siborg-figure met kulturele voorstellings van vroulike siborg-liggame te vergelyk, kom hierdie studie tot die gevolgtrekking dat die metafoor van die siborg inherent nóg uitdaagend nóg bevrydend is. Gevolglik ondersoek die studie die onbevoegdheid van die siborg-figuur as ‘n ikoon vir postgeslagtigheid in terme van die siborg-liggaam se negering van beliggaamdheid, aangesien siborg-figure op ‘n paradoksale wyse die selfde Cartesiaanse dualisme versterk wat Haraway se siborg-diskoers wou dekonstrueer. Dit ondersoek voorstellings van drie vroulike siborg-figure in kontemporêre populêre kultuur om te illustreer hoe die siborgliggaam se negering van beliggaamdheid slegs konvensionele geslagstereotipes versterk, eerder as om ons van beperkende, patriargale geslagspraktyke te bevry. Ten slotte ondersoek hierdie studie die deurslaggewende tussenspel tussen die ligaamlike en die tegnologiese, nie slegs in terme van meer denkbeeldige siborg tropes nie, maar ook in terme van die fisiese reailiteit van konkrete, beliggaamde lewenservaringe. Deur die toenemend beliggaamde kwaliteit van kiberruimtes te ondersoek, stel hierdie studie moontlike alternatiewe maniere voor om die postmoderne subjek en sy/haar afhanklikheid van tegnologie te beskryf, eerder as om op ontliggaamde en hipergeseksualiseerde siborg-figure staat te maak. Aangesien ‘n feministiese beliggaamde etiek gegrond is in ‘n projek om die vroulike liggaam op só ‘n wyse voor te stel dat patriargale, stereotipiese of vervreemdbare beelde van die vroulike liggaam vermy word, eindig hierdie studie met meer nuttige metodes om die stoflike liggaam in verhouding tot virtuele tegnologie voor te stel deur ‘n beroep tot ‘n meer beliggaamde etiek te maak.

Följande studie ämnar studera hur en grupp präster inom Svenska Kyrkan ser på den mänskliga naturen i relation till cybernetiska organismer. Syftet med studien var att ta reda på deras uppfattningar av gränsen mellan människa och maskin. Detta ansågs vara viktigt eftersom deras syn på människans natur kan ge en djupare inblick i den pågående debatten om mänsklig förbättring mellan forskare och religiösa företrädare. Teorier som har använts i studien är transhumanism, biokonservatism, posthumanism samt Donna Haraways cyborgteori. För datainsamling har det genomförts fyra semi-strukturerade intervjuer med präster från olika församlingar inom Svenska Kyrkan. Totalt har det identifierats fyra olika kategorier som har angetts utgöra den mänskliga naturen: ”Innehav av en komplex inre värld”; ”Koppling till någonting större än den fysiska/materiella verkligheten”; ”Förfogande av en fri vilja inom en begränsad ram” samt ”Härkomst från ’det naturliga’”. Resultatet har visat att dessa kategorier har en rad olika relationer till cyborgkonceptet och mänsklig förbättring.

Este ensaio traça um percurso textual inusitado para estudar a saúde. Pesquisaexperimento que acopla o conto de ficção científica “A Formiga Elétrica”, de Philip K. Dick, às (des)construções poéticas do Corpo-sem-Orgãos, de Antonin Artaud, e visa a ofertar caminhos possíveis ao pensamento, aportando - para o campo dos estudos científicos da saúde - provocações sobre o corpociborgue. Com a ficção-cietífica apreendeu-se que, após tornar o corpo máquina, insurge um potente desejo de retorno, pois o andróide (vir-a-ser do ciborgue) luta - após atingir sua perfeição como máquina - para conquistar a vida e suas sensações (memórias, inscrições, riscos). Esta experimentação buscou produzir acontecimentos (geradores de linhas de fuga) para pensar os movimentos de corpos (im)possíveis que se rebelam contra sua ciborguização para que a vida possa escapar: rasgos nos territórios da terapêutica, da cura e da reabilitação; deslocamentos de realidade; imaginação; subversão da norma e desconstrução do controle sobre o corpo; fabulação de corpos-humanos-outros na saúde coletiva. Corpo-sem-Órgãos para outras clínicas (im)possíveis, produção de um cuidado que afirme a vida. Margens (riscadas a giz) para corporeidades insurgentes. / This essay outlines an unusual textual route to study health. Research-experiment that engage the Philip K. Dick’s science-fiction short story "The Electric Ant" in the Antonin Artaud’s poetic (de)constructions of the Body-without-Organs and aims to offer possible ways to thought, introducing - in the field of scientific health studies - provocations on the cyborgbody. With the science-fiction was apprehended that, after rendering the body as a machine, a powerful desire of return insurges, as the android (the becoming of the cyborg) struggles - after reaching its perfection as a machine - to conquer life and its sensations (memories, inscriptions, risks). This experiment quested to produce events (lines of flight generators) to think the movements of (im)possible bodies who rebel against their cyborgzation so that life can escape: tears in the territories of therapy, healing and rehabilitation; displacements of reality; imagination; subversion of the rules and deconstruction of the control over the body; fable other-human-bodies in collective health. Body-without-Organs to other (im)possible clinics, production of a care that affirms life. Borders (chalk scratched) to insurgent corporealities.

Este ensaio traça um percurso textual inusitado para estudar a saúde. Pesquisaexperimento que acopla o conto de ficção científica “A Formiga Elétrica”, de Philip K. Dick, às (des)construções poéticas do Corpo-sem-Orgãos, de Antonin Artaud, e visa a ofertar caminhos possíveis ao pensamento, aportando - para o campo dos estudos científicos da saúde - provocações sobre o corpociborgue. Com a ficção-cietífica apreendeu-se que, após tornar o corpo máquina, insurge um potente desejo de retorno, pois o andróide (vir-a-ser do ciborgue) luta - após atingir sua perfeição como máquina - para conquistar a vida e suas sensações (memórias, inscrições, riscos). Esta experimentação buscou produzir acontecimentos (geradores de linhas de fuga) para pensar os movimentos de corpos (im)possíveis que se rebelam contra sua ciborguização para que a vida possa escapar: rasgos nos territórios da terapêutica, da cura e da reabilitação; deslocamentos de realidade; imaginação; subversão da norma e desconstrução do controle sobre o corpo; fabulação de corpos-humanos-outros na saúde coletiva. Corpo-sem-Órgãos para outras clínicas (im)possíveis, produção de um cuidado que afirme a vida. Margens (riscadas a giz) para corporeidades insurgentes. / This essay outlines an unusual textual route to study health. Research-experiment that engage the Philip K. Dick’s science-fiction short story "The Electric Ant" in the Antonin Artaud’s poetic (de)constructions of the Body-without-Organs and aims to offer possible ways to thought, introducing - in the field of scientific health studies - provocations on the cyborgbody. With the science-fiction was apprehended that, after rendering the body as a machine, a powerful desire of return insurges, as the android (the becoming of the cyborg) struggles - after reaching its perfection as a machine - to conquer life and its sensations (memories, inscriptions, risks). This experiment quested to produce events (lines of flight generators) to think the movements of (im)possible bodies who rebel against their cyborgzation so that life can escape: tears in the territories of therapy, healing and rehabilitation; displacements of reality; imagination; subversion of the rules and deconstruction of the control over the body; fable other-human-bodies in collective health. Body-without-Organs to other (im)possible clinics, production of a care that affirms life. Borders (chalk scratched) to insurgent corporealities.

Este ensaio traça um percurso textual inusitado para estudar a saúde. Pesquisaexperimento que acopla o conto de ficção científica “A Formiga Elétrica”, de Philip K. Dick, às (des)construções poéticas do Corpo-sem-Orgãos, de Antonin Artaud, e visa a ofertar caminhos possíveis ao pensamento, aportando - para o campo dos estudos científicos da saúde - provocações sobre o corpociborgue. Com a ficção-cietífica apreendeu-se que, após tornar o corpo máquina, insurge um potente desejo de retorno, pois o andróide (vir-a-ser do ciborgue) luta - após atingir sua perfeição como máquina - para conquistar a vida e suas sensações (memórias, inscrições, riscos). Esta experimentação buscou produzir acontecimentos (geradores de linhas de fuga) para pensar os movimentos de corpos (im)possíveis que se rebelam contra sua ciborguização para que a vida possa escapar: rasgos nos territórios da terapêutica, da cura e da reabilitação; deslocamentos de realidade; imaginação; subversão da norma e desconstrução do controle sobre o corpo; fabulação de corpos-humanos-outros na saúde coletiva. Corpo-sem-Órgãos para outras clínicas (im)possíveis, produção de um cuidado que afirme a vida. Margens (riscadas a giz) para corporeidades insurgentes. / This essay outlines an unusual textual route to study health. Research-experiment that engage the Philip K. Dick’s science-fiction short story "The Electric Ant" in the Antonin Artaud’s poetic (de)constructions of the Body-without-Organs and aims to offer possible ways to thought, introducing - in the field of scientific health studies - provocations on the cyborgbody. With the science-fiction was apprehended that, after rendering the body as a machine, a powerful desire of return insurges, as the android (the becoming of the cyborg) struggles - after reaching its perfection as a machine - to conquer life and its sensations (memories, inscriptions, risks). This experiment quested to produce events (lines of flight generators) to think the movements of (im)possible bodies who rebel against their cyborgzation so that life can escape: tears in the territories of therapy, healing and rehabilitation; displacements of reality; imagination; subversion of the rules and deconstruction of the control over the body; fable other-human-bodies in collective health. Body-without-Organs to other (im)possible clinics, production of a care that affirms life. Borders (chalk scratched) to insurgent corporealities.

Advances in cybernetic and nanotechnological body modifications currently allow for enhancements to human physical and mental function which exceed human species-based norms. This thesis examines body modification and human enhancement from two perspectives—Roman Catholicism and Transhumanism— in order to contribute to bioethical deliberations regarding enhancement technologies. Roman Catholicism has a longstanding tradition of bioethical discourse, informing the healthcare directives of Roman Catholic institutions. Transhumanism is more recent movement that endorses body modifications and human enhancements as a means of individual betterment and social evolution. The thesis first considers definitions of human enhancement and levels of normalcy in connection to cybernetic and nanotechnological bionic implants, and outlines a series of criteria to assess a technology’s potential bioethical acceptability: implantability, permanency, power, and public interaction. The thesis then describes Roman Catholicism’s response to non-enhancing decorative body modifications (cosmetic surgeries, common decorative modifications such as tattoos and piercings, and uncommon modifications such as scarifications and brandings) in order to establish a basis for possible Roman Catholic responses to enhancing cybernetic and nanotechnological modifications. This is followed by an analysis from a Roman Catholic perspective of the major social issues brought forward by enhancement technologies: commodification, eugenics, vulnerability, and distributive justice. Turning to Transhumanism, the thesis describes the origins and philosophy of the movement, and then discusses the bioethical principles it advances with regard to human enhancement. The thesis concludes by locating points of convergence between Transhumanism and Roman Catholicism that could be the basis of more widely accepted ethical guidelines regarding modification technologies.

This thesis offers a critical reflection of posthumanism as seen through the perspectives of performance art. The first part of the text discusses the onset and development of posthumanism as a philosophical and cultural movement focused on the gradual convergence of the human and technology. The following second part then presents a reflection of thus conceptualized posthumanism in performance art. Posthumanism is conceived as a movement on the border between serious scientific discourse and fiction: Based on the mathematical theory of communication, as well as the legacy of cyberpunk dystopia, posthumanism offers a vision of a transition from human to the so called posthuman. The posthuman is seen as an offspring of technoculture, the synthesis of living and artificial, a loosely evolving entity without fixed ontological boundaries. The existence of the posthuman lies beyond dualistic categorization, has a processual character and refuses any essentialist approach. It is an attractive subject of science-fiction stories and a sexy postmodern slogan, but it is also a symbol of a transgression of actual predestinating categories such as race, gender or social status. More than anything else, posthuman is primarily a metaphor, adopted by a variety of narratives focused on the potential aspects of...

This essay examines visions of the future in Alex Garlands 2015 film Ex Machinausing critical futures studies and posthumanist theories. The aim is to make visible howfutures are constructed and how artificial bodies are coded based on ideas of the future.Through an image and discourse analysis, the essay shows how “Western” society isstructured and how it is expected to be structured in the future. While the previous researchmainly focuses on phenomenology and gender, this essay shows that intersectional methodscan be helpful in making visible how power structures influence how we construct and viewbodies. In addition, the analysis shows how images of the future are multifaceted andcomplex, while at the same time they reproduce hegemonic visions of the past, present andfuture. In summary, this essay shows how the visions of the future in Ex Machina areprimarily based on a “Western” scientific tradition that reproduces colonial and patriarchalideals, though they are consistently challenged by the existence and actions of the cyborgs.

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