In this blog post, I will reflect on the meaning of changing human identity through the cyborgization of humans and the mechanical extension of the self.
We, ‘Homo sapiens,’ are researching and implementing ways to replace some of our bodies with inanimate matter, and we are researching ways to give computers a digital mind. We are becoming cyborgs. According to the dictionary, a cyborg is a combination of cybernetic and organism, and it refers to a virtual artificial human that has been modified through the replacement or implantation of artificial organs to survive in a heterogeneous and bad environment. If this future arrives, will we still be able to introduce ourselves as “Homo sapiens”?
There have been many attempts to overcome disabilities with prosthetic limbs, and humans are currently using various machines that replace eyes with computer chips or act as the heart and kidneys. It is even possible to move bionic arms and legs with just the power of thought, even from a very long distance. In addition, machines that are more advanced than the basic human organs, such as electronic noses and electronic tongues, are also being created. This technological advancement is moving beyond simply compensating for human deficiencies and is moving toward exploring new possibilities and expanding human capabilities. For example, if visual aids that allow us to observe objects more precisely than the human eye or digital aids that enhance cognitive abilities are developed, the boundaries between the human body and mind will inevitably blur. This change can be seen as a new form of evolution that is essentially different from the “evolution” of humanity in the past.
Even those who are reading this article are already living a convenient life by leaving some of the “memory” that their brains should be responsible for to their smartphones or computers. In particular, digital devices such as smartphones are becoming our “extended brain” beyond the level of simple tools, and most of our daily decisions, memories, and information searches are made through digital devices. This change shows that part of human consciousness and self is closely connected to mechanical devices. As the boundaries between digital and physical memory are blurred, our brains are shifting from a concept limited to the human organism to an expanded concept connected to machines.
In the future, not only will there be more people who want to replace various parts of their bodies with machines due to accidents or disabilities, but also more people who want to become cyborgs simply because of the superiority of bionic organs. We may also see more people with faces that are more machine-like than human. We may no longer have to worry about infectious diseases, but we may have to fear computer viruses and hackers. When we reach this stage, can we call ourselves “Homo Sapiens”? Some may say that we are no longer “Homo Sapiens” and are a new species, and some may disagree. If cyborgization becomes an inevitable society, the definition and identity of the human will also need to be redefined. We no longer need to maintain our traditional human form or functions, and it is likely that we will be reborn as a new being that values functional needs and convenience over our limitations as organisms.
What would happen if we uploaded our “self” to a computer instead of converting a part of our body into inanimate matter? Recently, Stephen Hawking, a star in the world of physics, passed away. What would happen if a scientist were able to copy Dr. Hawking’s brain into a computer? Is the “Stephen Hawking” in the computer a person? If you put Dr. Hawking in the trash, would that be considered murder? We can already do so much in cyberspace. But if it is possible to connect our brains to computers in the future, how will we define concepts such as personality and self if such a future comes?
Imagine a huge computer that stores all the people in the world. Various people with their own memories, knowledge, and experiences will be stored in the computer. If people can access each other’s brains to obtain information from the computer, they will have each other’s memories. In this case, the experience and memory of each other will be shared and overlapped, and the individual self and boundaries will become blurred. The concept of independent human beings will also fade, and eventually, all individuals may be connected into one huge collective consciousness. In such a future, the definition of individual personality will fade, and a new form of “collective self” in which the individual identity of humans is lost is likely to emerge.
We are Homo sapiens, living in various places on Earth, engaging in various activities, and dying at the end of our lives as living beings. However, if our limbs are replaced by machines and our brains are uploaded to computers, we will live in cyberspace rather than on Earth, and death may not come. Can we really call the people living in cyberspace “Homo Sapiens” in this situation? According to the Korean dictionary, life is defined as “the state of an organism from birth to death.” If we are “stored” in a non-organic computer and become immortal, we may be considered to no longer be “Homo Sapiens” from the current perspective.
No matter how much we imagine and suggest possibilities, the future is very likely to be more than we can imagine. We are already moving away from “Homo sapiens.” When Homo sapiens comes to an end and we become something else, we may not be able to maintain the concept of the self and the personality as we know it now. As we contemplate the future of humanity, we need to reflect on our identity. We need to think deeply about what kind of being we will become and how our humanity will be preserved and changed in the process.
