Human & technology

Understanding media: the extensions of man
Marshall McLuhan (1964)
Chapter 12 & 13

New species - Homo Representans Digitalis

Mankind is evolving together with the technology in a truly revolutionary way. Are we becoming a new species in the human evolution - called homo representans digitalis? Not at all in the sense as Darwin meant as natural changes of the species, where the species is naturally evolved together with the nature. Having mankind manipulating the species doesn't change the species in real evolutionary sense. However playing around with the expression Homo Representans Digitalis is surely interesting since we are becoming so close to the digital world that we have cables hanging out from our bodies connected to walkmans, ipods etc. We put parts of it in to the human body where she becomes a whole new self. The progress is truly remarkable and revolutionary for mankind.


There are people already having implanted chips under the skin. The company VeriChip sells small chips that is operatated in the arm and makes it possible to se where you are, know your ID and your patient history. In Mexico where a lot of kidnappings takes place this would be perfect. Using this technique to be able to open doors, paying etc opens a possible new world in the future.


Housing as extension of our body and skin

McLuhan had a lucid view on how the new technology was starting to affect mankind - his body, clothing, extensions and housing. Our housing which is extensions of our bodies in a collective sense has altered radically with lighting. As we are all aware the electric age has changed the way our houses function and are designed. Technology is everywhere in our houses; our kitchen tools consist of small computers, the living room is centered around the stereo and television, the office main attraction is the computer. Connection to the world through Internet is perhaps the most important in our houses. McLuhan was describing the literate, civilized man, compared to tribal man, as prefering separate spaces rather than the open cosmos. Today we can see how we are closing in on tribal man's view as we are opening up our houses to the world with a little help of technology. McLuhan predicted big changes of our houses, though he might not have been predicting mankind to alter the body with technology by inplanting digital media under the skin. However he understood that the electric age was starting to make us live, breathe and listen with our entire skin.


The hunt for cyborgs

As a result of the incorporation of technology in our bodies, are we becoming cyborgs? Lets clarify the concept. The idea of a living entity that consist of both organic and mechanical matter who is functional and self-regulatory is a good description of a cyborg. The concept of it has been described in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein as well as in science fiction movies e.g. Darth Vader in Star Wars. As often portraited in culture as evil monsters unable to feel empathy or unable to control themselves but rather control the people around them implicates the mere concept of cyborgs. In the non-fictional world people are getting help due to technology in mostly medical purposes. Are these enhancements examples of cyborgs or rather as technological extensions of our bodies. Lets have a look at an example. 4th of July 2001 Matthew Nagle was stabbed by a hunting knife in the neck and was paralyzed from neck down and unable to almost anything in his everday life. 2004 brain surgeons put electrodes on his brain, with the technique BrainGate that reads brain waves. With this Matthew now is able to turn the TV, lights etc on and off, answering telephone and communicating on computer by thinking the actions. Thinking close and open he is able to open/close a robotarm. Take a look at all this on youtube. In many cases it's hard to decide whether it's merely a technological extension or an actual cyborg we are looking at. Putting a chip under the skin is questionable wheteher it could be called a cyborg. In Matthews case the brain actually functions together with an artificial system and if that isn't an example of a cyborg - what is?


In this case the technology has helped people with disabilities in a huge way. Even though the technology is used in ethical supportable ways there is still a point in always be critical against its use as the culture warns in science fiction stories


Holistic view of mind, body and technology

Taking side on viewing the mind, body and technology as seperate entities that interact with each other or as a whole according to the holistic view isn't easy to do. The holistic view emphasizes that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. The idealistic state is when the technology is so integrated in human life that it actually becomes a part of the whole. The three parts doesn't only interact but rather works as one system sharing the same goals or rather purposes. This should be seen as an idealistic view, since the three isn't always so in tune with each other.


Ethical view on these thechnological enhancements

The question when technology is getting so incorporated with the mind and body is if there's situations when it's more ethical and situations when it's less ethical. Using technology to restore lost functions of the mind or body is easy to defend as seen in the example with Matthew Nagle. Using technology to enhance an already well functioning mind and body is a more difficult situation. The development of sight has gone so far as getting blind people the ability to see. Using this enhancement and making people without problems to see the ability to actually zoom in/out rises questions about how we compete in e.g. sports. With nano technology it is possible to create nano blood which would make it possible to run 20 minutes without a breath take. How would we compete in e.g. track and fields with these enhancements in only a few of the participants. There is clearly some new issues arising with the development of humankind to an almost new "species".