Jottings on science, religion, technology, pop culture and faith from the Antipodes.

AI/Robotics, Bioethics/Biotech, Cyborg, Science, Technology & Religion, Transhumanism

Living in the Borderlands

Mark over at Reflections… wanted some more details about last Friday’s talk. So here are some links to related things:

  • The introduction to my talk is here – Cyborg-Intro.pdf. It’s pretty rough and ready as I read it, rather than have others read it.
  • I used the ASB Bank “Streamline” TV commercial as an example of a narrative of apprehension about technology – wonder and anxiety combined. It’s online here: http://www.caanz.co.nz/awards/video/effie_2002_1269.mpg (It’s the last ad in the clip)
  • Mondolithic Studios have some pretty amazing art the connects with the themes of the cyborg and boundaries being broken. See www.mondolithic.com.
  • Sociable robotics projects at places like MIT. Video clip available on this page about MIT Media Lab’s Leonardo Robot is a good example.
  • The Flavr-Savr – a tomato with a flounder gene in it to slow down decay and spoiling.

All these things contribute to the sense the traditional boundaries are being lost. Human life is now found in the borderlands between what used to be clearly separated categories in the world.

1 Comment

  1. Stephen,
    Wondering if you’ve seen the new Pew Internet report that notes almost half of their surveyed respondents believe technology will grow beyond our ability to direct it…….
    Cynthia Ware