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| Cyborg Existences....
Why would a fully functioning human wish to enhance and transform his or her body with mechanically engineered body parts? What would or could they look like? Check HERE for ideas. What is the appeal of BECOMING....or is that the appeal? The capacity to change, to explore new worlds, to indulge the innate thirst for discovery which exists in most humanity, yet which is smothered in the modern world,where no country is unvisited, no ocean uncharted, and no land unmapped.The voyage of expansion within oneself has long fascinated humanity. And so, in our age, in this time, the cyborg began to be able exist..... . . History . "The term cyborg stems from the concept of the cybernetic organism which is neither human or machine but rather a combination of the two: a hybrid. The word 'cyborg'was coined some time in the early 1960's by Manfred E. Clynes and Nathan S. Kline. This term was meant to describe the enhanced powers of a hybrid who could survive in extra-terrestrial environments such as outer space.In fact, Clynes and Kline thought the cyborg would be needed by scientists for space travel." From History of the Cyborg .. "glossary of terms / terminology " cyborgs are cybernetic organisms: the term cyborg itself was coined in the 1960s by space scientist Manfred Clynes. cybernetics: the science of communication and control theory that is organism: a living person, animal or plant hybrid: 1.an offspring of genetically differing parents (as members of avatar: n. Syn. 1. Among people working on virtual reality and | ||||||
| TheAcademic Legitimization of ....................................Cyborgsand Cybernetics . .  . "Know how a ROM personality matrix works?" "Sure, bro, it'sa firmware construct." "So I jack it intothe bank I'm using, I can give it sequential,real time memory?" . .  . No course is completewithout a study of the seminal tretise by Donna Haraway, "A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist-Feminism in the Late Twentieth Century," in Simians,Cyborgs and Women: The Reinvention of Nature(New York; Routledge, 1991), pp.149-181. . "Cyborg imagerycan help express two crucial arguments in this essay: first, the productionof universal, totalizing theory is a major mistake that misses most ofreality, probably always, but certainly now; and second, taking responsibilityfor the social relations of science and technology means refusing an anti-sciencemetaphysics, a demonology of technology, and so means embracing the skilfultask of reconstructing the boundaries of daily life, in partial connectionwith others, in communication with all of our parts. It is not just that science and technology are possible means of great human satisfaction, as well as a matrix of complex dominations. Cyborg imagery can suggest a way out of the maze of dualisms in which we have explained our bodies and our tools to ourselves. This is a dream not of a common language, but of a powerful infidel heteroglossia." | ||||||
| CyborgTransformations
. Desires for technology - the technoeroticist . "Our love affair with computers, computer graphics, and computer networks runs deeper than aesthetic fascination and deeper than the play of the senses. We are searching for a home for the mind and heart. Our fascination with computers is more erotic than sensuous, more spiritual than utilitarian. Eros, as the ancient Greeks understood, springs from a feeling of insufficiency or inadequacy. Whereas the aesthete feels drawn to casual play and dalliance, the erotic lover reaches out to a fulfillment far beyond aesthetic detachment. The computer's allure is more than utilitarian or aesthetic; it is erotic. Instead of a refreshing play with surfaces, as with toys or amusements, our affair with information machines announces a symbiotic relationship and ultimately a mental marriage to technology. Rightly perceived, the atmosphere of cyberspace carries the scent that once surrounded Wisdom.
The world rendered as pure information not only fascinates our eyes and minds, but also captures our hearts. We feel augmented and empowered. Our hearts beat in the machines. This is Eros." The Erotic Ontology of Cyberspace
"The alternative to artificial reality is to build a mechanical body which carries the brain simulator around, just as our bodies carry around our brains now. The body would need to duplicate the senses and motor functions of a real human body if we want to minimize the patient's adjustment. Artificial bodies would no doubt be crude at first, with numbed senses and clumsy muscles, but if demand is high, technology is sure to improve. Rather than clunky metal robots such as the famous "C-3P0" of Star Wars fame, artificial bodies will probably be made of smart polymers, ceramics, and other advanced materials. Note that as artificial bodies will probably run on some sort of fuel cell or nuclear power source, eating will no longer be necessary. However, a properly designed body may still allow for the act of eating, for the pleasure of it. The same goes for other bodily functions (e.g., sex) -- if there is demand for it, then artificial (or simulated) bodies will no doubt be capable of it."
The Sacred Cyborg
Ironically, this new spiritualism is inspired by the profound transformation of our everyday lives by technology. We take it for granted that we can have light at night,fly across oceans and communicate with people on the other side of theworld. Above all, we expect medical science to postpone our mortality. Unlike our ancestors, we're unlikely to die in early childhood, almost certainly survive giving birth and will probably live for many decades. From glasses to pace-makers, we've invented an array of technologies to compensate for our bodily weaknesses and to prolong our
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