Reflection toward this course by Wuchi

Taking this course “Self.Net: Identities in the digital age”, that just like to analyse myself, because we now exactly live in the era which technologies, digital device, internet are really exist around us. After the 12 weeks, the most impressive issue to me, that must be “cyborg”. Before I take this coure, I have never been thought that, me, even the readers who are reading this post, you, can also called as “cyborg”. Through the digital devices which I am using, I can be more understand what the world is happening. Through the internet platform, I can build up and present my other identities to everyone.

Moreover, I have never thought I can be analyse my favourite digital game, “The Sims 2” at the last assignment of this subject. Every times, when I am playing this game, I often think that, why I do something in game that I have never do in reality, is that my other identities. This course has given the answer to me.

Reflective Post by Kelvin So

The past 12 weeks provided many new insights for me to understand things like weblogs, online communities, Cyborgs, etc. Actually not all the topics are interesting for me but they did gave me some good examples about how other people think about new issues generated by our online behaviors. At the beginning of the course I have learned that people in digital age are actually turning into Cyborgs, but I think it is a radical idea as we are not that using reinforcing body parts on our body. Since there are more and more discussion talks about people’s online behaviors, I started to accept that we are turning into Cyborgs as we almost can not live without the information technologies nowadays, no matter in working, entertaining or learning.

I was quite frustrated when I find out that we have to submit our work on weblog since I personally consider weblog is for personal usage. But Blogging does help us to experience the basic online activity that people on the internet doing everyday.

Reflective Post by Goofy Ng

I think this Webblog is quite useful in this course as I can see n leave comment to the work of my classmates here easily.For example,after I reading the article which was typed by my classmates,I can just click the hyperlink, then I can refer to the references book or journals already.To me,it is really convenient.

And I think I can be say as a cyborg as the technology really plays an important role in my daily life,I depends on them to do my assignments,to chat with my friends or even to watch the news and so on.Moreover,mobile phone is important to me too.If I forgot to bring it when I go out,I would very anxious all day.Thus, I think that I can be say as a cyborg.

After these 13 teaching weeks,I have learned some concepts about cyborg,virtual ethics,resistance is fertile,playing games and so on.It made me understand and know more about how the technology affected us nowadays.

Reflective Post by Allan Wong

Using weblog for learning purposes? Of course, that's a new learning experience for me and maybe also new to my fellow classmates too. As technology has been embedded to our daily life, using weblog for learning purposes sounds quite effective. However, as the discussion atmosphere is not quite hot. As a result, it did help us to know more about what our classmates have discovered through this unit, but not as effective as I initially think.

For the question of whether I think I am a cyborg, it's a difficult question, but I think I am. I am the person who can't live without technology and particularly computer. Originally, I interested in technology and computer a lot which I keep my eyes on those stuff constantly. As a result, I think this have become a part of my life and most probably inseparable.

Finally, I think the course did help me to understand more about the complex relationship of technology and identity. The course encourage, or maybe even force, us to research and read a lot about the topics that is relevant to self and technology. It's difficult and requires a lot of effort honestly. However, it is still quite rewarding.

Reflective Post --- Leung Foon Ming, Margaret

The learning of Webblog is so new to me in deed. I have never experienced before although I read blogs so often. I think the most effective idea of webblog learning is to share. Every participant can contribute the subject learning. Because I am a lazy student, I wont spend much time on readings, the sharing of the reading summary does help me alot !
Before attending this subject, I have no idea what a "cyborg" is. I would like to say the definition of "cyborg" keeps changing as culure or trend is fluid. Of me, I think I am not a cyborg because human creates technology and human understands how to make good use of technology.
The course offers me a better understanding towards the technology surrounding me. I cannot imagine how fast the development of technology is, and that's why some many people will have "TechnoPhobia". However, the course reassures me that technology is just a tool -- especially for human.

Reflection by Kiki Lam

I can still remember how did I feel during the first lecture. I felt confused.
How can the study of digital age related to gender issue?
How can we learn from a blog?
How can we become cyborg?
All of these questions can be explained now.
We can see the gender differences from online activity because of the gender ideology, e.g. online gaming.
We can use a blog, a super hot online communication tool to know more about each other and the course as well.
We can use the technology devices as our body to live better.

Actually, I don't want to be a cyborg but it's the truth. It's contradictious, right? Maybe it's the side effect of watching too much science fiction films. Human are just too arrogant to take over the world and then leading to death. Sometimes robots help to kill us since we treat badly to them. So I hope to make good use of the technology devices and become a good cyborg.

I am wondering that why the two lecturers don't respond to our posts? It would be great if we all can interact with each others.

a reflective post - Sophie

I guess this should be the last round to wrap this programme up. Frankly speaking, I had no idea what the heck 'self-net' is at first. After reading the notes & reading, I feel better in understanding. Some of them are fresh & new to me, like the term cyborg.

JenniCam is another topic that I find it interesting. To be honest, up to now, I just don't understand why she is trying to show herself off to the public. Is it because of her emptiness & loneliness? Lack of self-confidence makes her have such behaviour? I didn't know technology has such a great influence until now. At least it causes one's daily habit. Interestingly, gender difference causes another factor.

As for the usefulness of this weblog, it helps me though. Since most of the time I couldn't participate in the meetings, to keep pace with the progress, this is a way.

Reflective Post from Margaux

To be honest, technology is definitely an important element in my life. Before attending this unit, I have never thought of the drawbacks or problems that have been triggered off by technology. After the 12 weeks seminar, I have realized that technology does have the power to change our world, not just in a positive way, but also in a negative way. It can ease our lives in a certain extend. Yet, at the same time, we are slowly turning ourselves into cyborg, since we are too dependent on technology. And this may spark off other social problems. Every coin has two sides, so do technology. Whether it is a blessing or a curse, it depends on how we utilize it. Thus, after the course, I become more conscious on this issue and try not to be so addicted to the technology.

reflective post by kc luk

as requested to type a reflective post, therefore here i go. before studying this course, from the title of the course "self.net" really made me wonder what actually it is. after a twelve weeks teaching, i had been given some knowledge about what is cyborg, online communication, virtual world, online games, and so on. to be honest, some of them are interesting but some of them are not.

in my opinion, i think i can be say as a cyborg. it is rather a very new and mysterious concept or idelogy to all of us. i think so because we human, including myself, are heavily relying on technology to do every kind of things. for example, homework, entertainment, news, etc.

this is not the first time for me to do something online for learing purposes. i had tried this in my secondary. i think this type of learing progress can be more flexible, more mobile and more suitable for us the 'cyborgs', since we almost sitkc with the computer everyday. and this kind of learning progress is more interesting and up-to-date, too.

Reflective Post by Viven Szeto

The time flies, in these 12 weeks, this unit provide me to have an opportunity and learn more about the cyborg, posthuman, online communication, etc., which make me understand the positions within gender, cultural and communication studies related to the cyberspace.

I believe myself to be a cyborg, as I find that I cannot live without the use of technology, like the mobile phone and computer. I relied on them every minute, even a second!

This is the first time of using weblog for learning purposes, and I think it is quite interesting. Everyone have to post their work onto the blog, and let others to comment on the work. This could make me have an improvement on my work.

Reflection from Jason

Honestly, this unit is quite hard for me to understand especially in the first few weeks, I do really think the concepts of cyborg or other issues are really complicated. However, as a student, we do need to dual with these stuffs finally because we need to hand in our assignment.

Cyborg is really a new term and concept for us. I think that as a teenager nowadays, we really rely on technologies no matter on chatting, entertainment or even doing assignments, Internet is definitely our “GOD”.

Besides, the presentation of each reading could help us to know more about different topics; also it can train up our skills to understand those different readings. It is really a good opportunity for students

13 weeks are finished; I cannot say that I could learn many things in this unit. Although the units is quite hard, but it is really a good chance for us to build up the ability to deal with different issues.

Reflection from Chris

well, through out the whole course, i did read the post from classmates on weblog. Weblog did provide a great platform for us to show our ideas and course materials to everyone, and function well for our discussion process. But honestly I don't think weblog really provide a large help on our learning.

Moreover, I do agree that human is currently highly linked with the internet and technology. It does provide a great convenient to us on our daily life. But i don't think myself as a cyborg, First I do not feel uncomfortable or isolated with the world even I did not use the internet for a couple of weeks. Second, I like to deal with the nature more than with the computer and technology. I rather like to have diving and swimming instead of playing online games or being a blogger.

At last, perhaps life is just a joke. I don't have any like or dislike with the course, but just something and someone step into your life at a particular time, in a particular place. It is no one's fault, it just happen to be. there's no right or wrong. 

Sir, I don't intend to dislike you, but we just have our style of teaching and learning. And none of us want to change ourselves. Thanks anyway, thanks for your patients and teaching.

Reflective post by Crystal Tsang

Actually, I haven't tried to upload the homeworks to weblog in pervious lectures. This course offers me a new method to try it. Honestly, I think that we need to upload homework to weblog is quite troublesome. However, I find the advantages of weblog after I use it to share my homeworks with my classmates. If we can't get their points in their presentation, we can comment on their post to ask them. It is quite convenient. Also, I can read other's homework to learn from others.

"Cyborg" this term is learned from this course. I am definitely a cybrog! In my life, I always play games, Msn, surf internet, talk phone etc. All these kind of things need to operate with machines. Once time, I went out for dinner, but I did not bring my mobile phone with me. I felt very anxious and inconvenient at whole night! So, I found that I were a cyborg for a long time. It showed that I could not live without machine. One day if I will lose my computer, mobile phone, I can not imgaine that what will I do in my daily life. How can I keep contact with my friends? How can I type and submit my homeworks?

Overall, I can gain some new knowledge from this course. I kown more about the relationship between the technology and us. However, I can not identify what differences between this course and other courses in communication studies. They seem very similar. This course's some theories maybe so difficult to understand, I can not get the main point in some lectures.

Reflective Post by Eva Ng

This is my first time to use the weblog for learning purpose. Although it is quite time-consuming to upload my webliography and outline of presentation, it indeed serves as a platform for me to know how well my classmates are doing their webliograpy. I can compare and contrast the difference of answering the questions of webliography with my classmates’ work. Moreover, I can have the preliminary notions of the coming presentation by browsing the outline of presentation.

Undoubtedly, I admit I am a cyborg who relies on the technology. I will be very uncomfortable if I forget to bring my mobile phone and my computer loses the connection with the internet. Technology is part of my life and I cannot live without it.

The course in general is quite difficult for me because it consists of many difficult concepts which I haven’t known before. However, the assignments and readings provide me the opportunity to investigate the theories into depth.

Reflective Post --- James Pang

In the first lesson, I had been told that the course was difficult to me. I shocked with this message. When we were told to create an account in weblog, I was glad to use it. It was because that was my first time to use such technology. I thought I could do well in the blog. It gave us an opportunity to share our learning process on the internet. It allowed me to establish my own online community.

Nowadays, many people relied on the technology, without exception, I was one of them. I relied on internet, computer, even the glasses I am wearing. Lots of the things I used let me think that: Am I still a “purely” human? It is hard to deny that I am not a cyborg.

Overall, I am quite interested in this course because it told me what is the internet about and it lets me think more about the technologies I used. However, I thought it is difficult for me to memorize those “theorized” things I already knew.

Course reflection by Kristy

Time fly, we come to the end of our course, self. net, such a difficult subject, we go through many strange and new theories together in these 12 weeks, it gave me a new way of thinking and understand about my identity. This course introduce some new concepts for me, such as post human and cyborg... etc. It gave me an opportunity to rethink the reality and cyberspace.

I gain and earn a lot by doing the assignment and the readings are a good tool for me to understand more about my identity and gender. Now, i am no doubt about i am a cyborg.

Using the blog for virtual communication is a good chance for us to support and understand our classmate. We exchange our opinion toward the course and share the reading outline here, are an effective way for us to learn.

Reflective post of Eunice

During 12 weeks of teaching, from the first lesson, Introduction to Cyborgs to the last lesson, post human. i think this course is worth for us to study which it can help me to know more about "self" from virtual to reality. And when I come to the discussion of cyborg in the first lesson, Wesley said that people who wear glasses are cyborg, and I looked around I found most of my classmates wore glasses! Are they cyborg? And I think if wearing glasses are cyborg, how about me? I AM WEARING CONTACT LENS, OH they are sticking on my eyes ball...

Also I think this course is interesting as every students of this course need a blog. A weblog for academic use is the first time. But I think beside we post our presentation outline and assignment works, the lecturer can encourage us to post something that is related to this course whenever we find anything interesting while browsing on web or from newspaper, that we can fully use of the functions of weblog.

The last post of the unit from Alex Wong

It is the time we are going to the end of this unit. This unit provide me a opportunity to know more about Cyberspace, Cyborg and online communication. Those readings and material help me to understand the concept within gender, cultural and communication studies which relate to cyberspace and identity.

As we learn the theory of Cyborg in first two lessons. I am wearing glass. So, I believe that I can classify into Cyborg, since glass is type of machine. It helps me to see the thing clear. I cannot live without glass.

This webblog is useful for sharing the ideas in learning this unit. It would help us to know more about other classmates opinions. This webblog is just like the virtual community for us. We would have sharing our feeling, ideas and information via the blog and we do put the time on engaging with the blog and the unit.

Margaux's Presentation Outline

My assigned reading is "Interactive Audiences?", by Henry Jenkins



1. Some features on Collective Intelligence

2. How computer and network affects Collective Intelligence (by using fan community as an example)

3. The interaction and conflict between Knowledge Culture and Commodity Culture

4. Bloggers and culture jammers


These are some points that have been covered in the reading and I am going to explain them further in tomorrow's tutorial.

Presentation outline by Lam Sz Ki, Kiki

Smart mobs
the power of the mobile many
by Howard Rheingold

Howard Rheingold is the introducer of “smart mobs”. He states that “Smart mobs consist of people who are able to act in concert even if they don’t know each other”. A few worldwide examples are used to illustrate the concept of smart mobs including Philippine, Britain, Toronto and so on. Smart mobs use many of the current technologies to spread out certain idea. It is easily found in protests.

The idea of “netwars” is similar to smart mobs since they are both created by the network.
The “swarming” strategies mean many small units work together with some purposes.
Wearable news-gathering system is related to peer-to-peer journalism. Swarm intelligence talks about the power of group activity rather than individual.

Questions are raised by the writer at the end:
1. What do we know now about the emergent properties of ad hoc mobile computing networks, and what do we need to know in the future?
2. What are the central issues for individuals in a world pervaded by surveillance devices – in terms of what we can do about it?
3. What are the long-term consequences of near-term political decisions on the way we’ll use and be affected by mobile, pervasive, always-on media?

Presentation Outline by Viven Szeto

“Cyborg Citizen: Posthuman Possibilities” by Chris Hables Gray

Within certain technologically determined limits, we can socially construct the future we choose. The process of choosing, however, is profoundly political and therefore it is anything but straight-forward

Subjectivities of posthumanity
-Talk about the different attitudes towards cyborgs in different cultures
-Bodies can be remade technologically

Carnival Cyborg
-Humans have always aspired to be cyborgs and we have always feared that aspiration
-Cyborging ourselves is costuming ourselves from the inside out, a disturbing technocarnival with permanent consequences
-We are a cyborg society of tools, machines, and organisms but we deny it
-Cyborging is something we do to ourselves as well as the world
-Cyborgs are invented as new technosciences

The future is not yet written
-Cyborg politics are about power, as all politics are. Power is both coercive and constructive
-Knowledge is power. Knowledge as power moves from the specific to the general and back again
-Knowledge is situated. Specific types of cyborgization have their own histories and implications
-Meanings are constructed, which means they can be chosen

Cyborgization will not make us like gods, but we may be able to live better and longer than any human or protohuman has before

Reflection

The use of weblogs for learning purposes is the first time happened in my study time. I think it is a quite innovative learning experience. However, the posts were assessable and compulsory, seemed not to meet the purpose and nature of blogging. We did not use it as a typical blogger would, such as we did not discuss or give any opinions on current events, but we need to meet the requirement for the unit. The blog was just the medium to submit assignments, not a forum for debate, opinion or even simple conversation. On the other hand, it has been helpful reading outlines of tutorial presentations before the actual in-class discussion.

As I believe myself to some extent of a 'cyborg' after all the theoretical analysis, I have to remark on how prevailing the internet and cyberspace really is. I am also excited by all the virtual communities. I really do consider that the internet is an extension of our physical reality.

I disliked most about the course was that we begun with the early heavy theoretical issues. They were totally unfamiliar to me and frightened me off a bit. But as we continued, I found the topics and theories really related to my daily life, which made it much easier to identify with them.

Presentation Outline by Nik Yu

From Wuake Grrls to Desperate Housewives: A Decade of Gender and Computer Games

by Henry Jenkins and justine Cassell

Based on two Conferences

1. From Barbie to mortal kombat, Gender and computer Games,
2. conference held by Yasmin Kafai, Carrie Heeter and Jill Denner at UCLA 2006.

The Girls Game Movement, Took shaped by five factors,

• Economic , Political , Technology, Entrepreneurial, Aesthetic

How Computer Games Construct a Gender Divide.

• From first wave of girls' games to The Sims
• From the Sims to Desperate Housewives

Presentation outline by Margaret Leung Foon Ming

"As We Become Machines: corporealized pleasures in video games"
By Martti Lahti

Suggestion:

A "new cyborgian relationship" between players and technology is attempted to erase the boundary between the virtual and the real.

Claims:

video games as a unique "paradigmatic site for producing, imaging and testing different kinds of relations between the body and technology in contemporary culture."

"games actually anchor our experience and subjectivity firmly in the body or in an ambiguous boundary between the body and technology."

Her argument consists of two view points:

1. the dissolution of the boundary between players and the game world.

3D graphics, rumble packs, joysticks, pedals and wheels produce the physical immersion with the game world. --> "corporatization of perception”.

First person point of view -->representation of their bodies.

The bodily experience will create “a hybrid condition resonant with the cyborg”.

2. video games encourage a merger between perspectives and subjectivities with the onscreen world.

The virtual self can be created and customized

The pleasure-->the ability to control and construct the body we desire, the ability to ‘try on’ different bodies and to ‘trespass or toy with racial and sexual boundaries’.

Conclusion:

Video games focus on an immaterial and disembodied vision in a virtual world but at the same time offer players to rethink our “bodies.

"the body is a site where sensory stimuli are registered"

Video games WILL NOT turn players into cyborgs

but build up a close relationship with each others.

Presentation outline by Kristy Leung

Hot dates and fairy-tale romances studying sexuality in video games will discuss in the following:

Final Fantasy IX and The Sims will be used for case study.

- Players are encouraged position themselves in as the character.

- Different expectation of man and woman in game.

Final Fantasy IX:
- The main character( Zidane) is heterosexual.
- Potential problems addressed when played by different players.
- Woman used for rescue Male from gayness.

The Sims:
- More liberate game
- Reaffirm social norms
- Possible pairing allowed
- Different language used in different type of sexuality.

--> Heterosexual is always preferred and natural.

Presentation Outline by Allan Wong

My assigned readings is "Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics in Teenage Social Life" by dannah boyd.

My presentation is basically separated into numerous parts in accodance to the readings, and they are:

1. Introduction
2. Methodology and Demographics
3. The Making of Social and Network Sites
4. Profiles, Friends, and Comments
5. Networked Publics
6. Initiation: Profile Creation
7. Identity Performance
8. Writing Identity and Community Into Being
9. Privacy in Public: Creation MY Space
10. But why there?
11. Conclusion

Presentation outline by Kelvin So

My assigned reading for the presentation is “The virtual community” by Howard Rheingold.

The article can briefly divided into two parts, the first section covered how the author make use of internet, how he interact with the virtual community in his online or offline time, his observation towards the virtual communities, and the potential benefits that the virtual communities can bring to us.

The second part of the article talks about the development of virtual communities. In the beginning there are small number of computers start to form a network for the American Military research institution, then the computer conferencing technology change the way who people communicate. After civilians put a lots of affords to build up the telecom networks, the bulletin-board systems (BBSs) appears and it allows general citizens to make communication through internet. As there are particular number of people formed different kind of virtual discussion BBSs, virtual communities like WELL start to be formed. As the computer technology is improving, virtual community brings revolutionary changes to the way how people communicate to others.

Presentation outline by James Pang

The reading I am going to present is "A Rape in Cyberspace; or How an Evil Clown, a Haitian Trickster Spirit, Two Wizards, and a Cast of Dozens Turned a Database into a society." written by Julian Dibbell.

The narration of the "virtual" rape.

Background of the criminal and virtims

Punishment of the criminal, Mr Bungle

Different opinions from technoliberstarians, anarchists, wizards and other MOOers

The consequence of Mr Bungle

The changes of the writer toward "virtual" rape and LambdaMOO

Critical Annotated Webliography by Kelvin So

Guiding question 1.

We are living in an age which technology dominant our lives. In the past centuries, people’s living standard improved by wisely use of technology. Now, people start to further enhance human life by integrating technology to our body, the concept of Cyborg emerged under the notion of technology integration.

Kelvin Warwick’s article[i] gives us a practical example how to integrate technology with body and experimental usage of computer chip implant. By implanting a chip in his arm, he is able to switch on the light automatically without physically touching the switches when he enters his lab. That is only part of his experiment, he use similar techniques later to implant chip in to human to record bio-electrical signal between brain and muscle, and try to analysis emotion and sensation of human. Such research is very useful in the medical field, for example helping the limb-transplant patient gain the sense from the artificial limbs. In his second experiment, Project Cyborg 2.0, he try to install micro chips into silicon made artificial skin, by scanning the brain activity, the chip can transmit the signals which are possible for people to control computer system just by using their brain

When we talk about “Cyborg”, we may instantly have an image of Terminator, which has steel body and computer brain coated with “organic skin”, a “cybernetic organism”. Dan Sharpe’s article[ii] mentioned ethical problem that may encountered when we enter the age of Cyborg. One positive opinion of being Cyborg is enhancing human lives, take contact lens as example, it improve people’s vision by integrating a lens into their eyes. But the negative opinion is people will lose their will, or “be less human” by under control by technology. The example Dan takes is Borg in Star Trek, using technology to make their body perfect, but individuals do not exist in ­Borg, it act as collective consciousness. No matter Cyborg is good or bad, Terminator can only be classify as robot because Cyborg must be part of human, or “transform” from human. Terminator also lack of soul of humanity, of the concept of “Ghost” in Ghost in the shell.

In general people’s mind, Cyborg is the enhancing solution for many purposes. Military soldier cyborgs[iii] is not a new concept for us. There are already many projects about how to enhance the combat ability of soldier by integrating technology into their body. Some of them are aim to improve the communication ability: real time video and body status transmit, some are aim to re-engineering human body to make soldier gain more muscle strength and recover more quickly, and some projects are researching the way that make soldier can stay awake and remain alert for 7 days. These are not new concept for us, many movies has imaged such kind of super soldiers. However these projects are actually exist, funded by government and some of them already entered field-test stage. The article show us that Cyborgs are not only appears in our imagination, there maybe practical prototype cyborgs existing.

As mentioned before, Cyborg technology can be used in Military purpose, such technologies also can be apply in medical purpose. Samuel Dokko’s article[iv] give us some examples that Cyborg technology enhance our lives. In his article, he mentioned the Cyborg technology-artificial body parts can be implant in to human body, to “restore lost function, organs and limbs.” Artificial organs are not something new to us nowadays, we have commercial artificial heart invented in the last decade, which extend the patient’s life let them survive until they found the suitable organ donor. There are also researches which aim to invent a fully functional artificial limb to restore human limbs. The article give a detail example of a artificial hearing device which is implanted to restore the hearing ability to the deaf people, such technology enhance human lives greatly in physical way.

Except the “hardcore” cyborgs mentioned above, some people think that we are already become cyborgs since our modern lives have close relationship with technology. Amber Case’s Blog[v] has suggested that human are becoming cyborgs through uploading hypertext, or constructing their identity on the internet. This weblog entry are mostly talk about the cyborg anthropology, but his article gives us some online social interaction examples that how people using internet to construct their identity and build the power relationship to order people: “On facebook, identity and value is constructed through images, on Twitter, power is constructed through text, retweeting, link exchange, etc.” As we entered the digital age, such kind of social interaction is becoming part of our life. Under the current situation, we are all cyborgs existing both online and real life.

When we come across the identity on internet, we may have whole new experience because of the variety of identity we can choose to be on the internet. Jennifer Breen’s article[vi] give us details that why sex swapping is so common on the internet. While we can not choose being male or female when we were born, and it is difficult for people to take gender reassignment surgery, sex change online is relatively easy. The article suggested that under online environment, male would like to become female to express their woman aspect opinion, which they would not do it in actual life. Females also like to become male to experience “the feeling of a guy” or to see how other women interact with man. There are also interesting examples about gender changing in online game, the male players may tend to become female characters to gain the help from other male players, and the female players would like to become male character to get higher levels by helping the female characters. The essential element of gender changing online is not just take a opposite sex name or choice opposite sex character, the most important thing is to make other people sitting in front of the computer believe that you are a woman/man. The way to do so is the pretend the way how woman or man behaves, how they talk to others, and how they present themselves. This may solidify the stereotype of gender, but we can understand the way how the opposite sex thinks, such gender relationships cause a significant change in the way that we think about gender.

To conclude, as human are more depends on technology, if cyborg are figures that integrating technology into human bodies, people living under digital age can be classified as cyborg no matter they are “hardly” or “softly” technology integrated.

---

Reference:

[i] Kelvin Warwick. “Cyborg 1.0”, Wired Magazine, 8.02 (February 2000)

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.02/warwick.html (accessed 2 March 2009)

[ii] Dan Sharpe, “Cyborg Philosophy: ethical issues concerning augmentation”, CYBORG D. (2007)

http://cyborgdb.org/sharpe.htm (accessed 2 March 2009)

[iii] “Cyborg Soldiers”, Tactical Gear. (2007)

http://www.tacticalwarfightergear.com/tacticalgear/catalog/Cyborg_Soldiers.php/ (accessed 2 March 2009)

[iv] Samuel Dokko, “Cyborg Body in Medicine”, CYBORG D. (2007)

http://www.cyborgdb.org/dokko.htm (accessed 2 March 2009)

[v] Amber Case, “Robots, Robots, Everywhere – A Field Guide to Cyborg Anthropology”(12 December 2008)

http://oakhazelnut.makerlab.com/2008/11/12/robots-robots-everywhere-a-field-guide-to-cyborg-anthropology/ (accessed 2 March 2009)

[vi] Jennifer Breen, “Cyber Gender”

http://www.cyborgdb.org/breen.htm (accessed 2 March 2009)

Presentation outline by Goofy

The title of my reading is "Pranking Rhetoric: "Culture Jamming" as Media Activism" by Christine Harold



-"culture jamming" as a strategy of rhetorical protest

-what is culture jamming

-the political art of culture jamming

-what is media prankster


-3 case studies

a. the culture jamming collective ark

b. the San Francisco- based Biotic Baking Brigade

c. the American Legacy Foundation's INFKT Truth campaign


-conclusion

Eunice's presentation outline

- Why there is an anti consumerist organization?

example: Nike
used a billion-dollar advertising budget to force you to consume their products
but offer bad conditions to their employees


- About Adbusters

a not for profit organization
mainly for anti consumerism

- What is cultural jamming?
aim is to to create a large contrast between the corporate image and the real consequences of corporate behavior

- What are adbusters's campaigns?

Blackspot campaign
An Anti- megacorporation (mainly is Nike) campaign
The shoes is designed to resemble the Nike-owned Chuck Taylor All-Stars.
100%made from organic hemp and recycled car tires

- More about Adbusters

Presentation outline by Crystal Tsang

Tomorrow I will present the article "Consumption and Digital Commodities in the Everyday" written by Mark Poster.

Introduction
1. situation of advertising in USA
2. main theme "relationship between media and consumption"

Consumption Culture
1. modernity
theorists: Firat and Dholakia
2. postmodernity
theorist: Michel de Certeau

Digital media and consumption
1. identity of consumer changed
2. problem of copyrights

Tutorial Presentation by Eva Ng

The reading I am going to present is "The Ethics of Porn on the Net" written by Kath Albury analyzes the domestication of pornography , morality and ethics on the net.

Here is the outline of my presentation.

1. Four reasons of pornography for being immoral.

2. blurring of the categories of different posts in the internet pornography

3. Pornography is immoral

4. what's ethical about pornography?

Outline - The Good, the bad, and the Virtual: Ethics in the Age of Information

This article mainly discusses the ethics issue of using the Internet. Since the internet is a new environment, it is a part of virtual world. So, it is not all principle or moral standard can be applied on it.

In the presenatation, I would state that
1. What is good and bad?
2. What is "the age of information"? Why do writer say it is the fate of ethics?
3. Is real world and virtual can share same moral norm?
4. How new media change the ethical enviroment? and how to solve?

Critical Annotated Webliography

3. Frankenstein continues to occupy the popular imagination as a monstrous scientist. Analyse some of the ways in which Frankenstein haunts discussions of recent technologies.

In this short article, I am trying to show Frankenstein haunts discussions of recent technologies specifically human cloning. I have chosen six online research articles which are all critically annotated and relevant to the existence of Frankenstein in the recent technologies.

According to the article of “Ethics, Human Cloning, and Procreation” written by David Chan[1], human cloning has its own benefits and harms to the human. Human cloning is beneficial because it “widen the range of reproductive choices for the infertile couples and to eradicate certain diseases”. (Chan, p.3) However, some people worry human cloning will create human monsters like Frankenstein. The writer also states that human cloning are “threats to social institutions such as family and marriage, and to the value and sanctity of life.” (Chan, p.3) The clone may have psychological harm and the life of a person is not respected and valued. Moreover, human cloning brings about more benefits than the harms to the human. Since the benefits are immediate that it is new cure and helps for infertile couples. Nevertheless, disastrous consequences are predicted only and have not existed yet because it can be avoided and minimized. They are also often exaggerated. Some people doubt about whether we have the right in gene selection and both parents value a genetic link to the child. The writer points out that human cloning is twinning but not natural reproduction by giving in-vetro fertilization and test-tube babies as examples. This article is useful to illustrate the fear of the people to human cloning which may produce a human monster like Frankenstein did in the past. It also indicates the ethical problems of human cloning and some possible alternatives instead of human cloning.

With reference to the article of “FRANKENSTEIN UNBOUND? Monsters Myths and Metaphors in the Debate over Reproductive Technologies” written by Theo Vurdubakis and Brian Bloomfield[2], the writers discuss the New Productive Technology which arouse the concern of the people. People reflect on the role of technology in human affairs after the successful clone of Dolly. The writers also demonstrate that New Reproductive Technology leads to “interpretive struggle and moral controversy”. (Vurdubakis & Bloomfield, p.2) It is a continuous bio-technological revolution. As Vurdubakis and Bloomfield go on to explain, “Concepts such as ‘danger babies’ or ‘genetic engineering’, can be considered ‘monstrous’ insofar they being simultaneously to distinct and even incompatible realms of experience and systems of meaning”. (Vurdubakis & Bloomfield, p.5) New Reproductive Technology goes around a number of monstrosities such as pigs with human hearts which is physical metaphors for border displacement. Some opponents worry that it is a moral breakdown with the use of this technology. The Dolly creation shows that science fiction is true like the story of Frankenstein. Technology turns to be an autonomous force which brings about dilemma between the stance of society and the interest of individuals. The writers believe that, “moral and intellectual failure often accompanies techno-scientific success”. (Vurdubakis & Bloomfield, p.18) In this article, it reveals that Frankenstein still haunts in the discussion of New Reproductive Technology which implies that the story in the science fiction becomes true because of the technology advance. Nevertheless, people are afraid of the possibilities that some may misuse the New Reproductive Technology which creates monsters.

According to the article of “Human cloning and human dignity” written by Dieter Birnabacher[3], the writer first of all questions whose dignity is important in human reproductive cloning. He defines that “in its marginal meaning human dignity means a kind of moral status”. (Birnbacher, p.2) We cannot physically obtain it but we should have it in the society. Furthermore, the writer believes that, “The cloned child is the object of the parents’ wishes”. (Birnbacher, p.3) Because it is existed for some purposes such as saving the life of their children so their parents may particularly select a specific gene in the cloned child. The writer claims that, people have “the wish to prevent the irritation caused by the potential birth of a modern analogue of Frankenstein’s monsters”. ((Birnbacher, p.5) People believe that human cloning does not produce monster even though it highly manipulate. Scientist can distinguish the consequence of creating a monster. Since human cloning is seen as something monstrous, it seems to be objected to origin. The writer not only supports the legal ban of human cloning in the short term, but also in the long term. In this article, it indicates that human cloning bears the risk that it will create a monster although some may believe that the scientist can control themselves critically. This technology harms the human dignity to different aspects including the cloned child and the one who is being cloned.

According to the article of “The Dolly case, the Polly drug, and the mortality of human being”, written by Fermin Roland Schramm[4], he states the bio-techno scientific relevance of the Dolly fact. In the words of Schramm, “SCNT allows to expand procreative techniques in mammals and improve human reproductive health, without going through the standard fertilization procedures”. (Schramm, p.3) It helps the infertile couple to reproduce when they cannot reproduce by using traditional reproduction method. The writer claims that, “it appears unlikely that ‘cloning’ in humans will become commonplace. It is more likely that humans will continue to reproduce using the traditional method, which appears to be much more pleasurable”. (Schramm, p.5) Human cloning is an exception method for the people to reproduce unless the other reproductive methods fail. Time magazine compared Dolly case to Frankenstein. It also implies dictators will make use of the technology of human cloning to produce their clones. Moreover, the United States, England, France have different ideas on the Dolly case and mostly oppose human cloning. Two camps of polarization were formed in France after the Dolly case was exposed. In addition, there are two methods to distinguish whether human cloning is good or bad, that is good or bad in itself and good or bad to its consequences. In this article, it discusses about the recent technology, cloning of Dolly, and derives it to the safety and public perceptions on it. It points out that abuse of human cloning will result from the Frankenstein case.

According to the article of “On Replicating Persons: Ethics and the Technology of Cloning”, written by Frederick Ferre[5], he indicates the ethical problems and concerns in the technology of human cloning. “Clones are being maintained as mere organ farms, manufactured and raised for their spare parts by persons anticipating the need for transplanted hearts or kidneys, livers or lungs”. (Ferre, p.3) This arouses the ethical concern on the human cloning which sounds like a science fiction like Frankenstein. It is impossible in the past but now the technology proves that it becomes possible. Moreover, cloning is not quite new since plants can do so. The writer further indicates the human rights and ethical questions. Scientists have to go through many failures until success while reproducing human cloning. He questions how to deal with the visible human embryo during the cloning process. In this article, human cloning is relevant to the ethical problems of Frankenstein. Visible human embryo is controversial like the monster in Frankenstein.

To sum up, this webliography concentrates on the five articles about reproduction of human cloning which arouses many ethical problems and public concerns on the purpose of applications and the consequences on misusing and abusing.

[1] Chan, David, “Ethics, Human Cloning, and Procreation” <http://www.valueinquiry.net/CloningChan.pdf>, Retrieved on March 8, 2009

[2] Vurdubakis. Bloomfield. , Theo. Brian. , “FRANKENSTEIN UNBOUND? Monsters Myths and Metaphors in the Debate over Reproductive Technologies” <http://wickedness.net/Monsters/M2/vurdubakis%20paper.pdf>, Retrieved on March 8, 2009

[3] Birnbacher, Dieter, “Human cloning and dignity” <http://www.gencat.cat/salut/depsalut/pdf/di4.pdf> Nov 5 2004, Retrieved on March 8, 2009

[4] Schramm, Fermin, “The Dolly case, the Polly drug, and the mortality of human cloning” <http://www.scielosp.org/pdf/csp/v15s1/0337.pdf>, Retrieved on March 8, 2009

[5] Ferre, Frederick, “On Replicating Persons: Ethics and the Technology of Cloning” <http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/SPT/v3n2/pdf/FERRE.PDF>, Retrieved on March 8, 2009

Introduction

Hello , everyone. My name is Ng Yuk Wah, Eva. Similar to some of you, I studied Associate of Arts(Media and Cultural Studies) in SPACE and chose to study this course in order to get a degree for better career prospect.

I have 1 sister and 1 brother in my family and I 'm the second. I live in Tseung Kwan O so I always take MTR.

I love hunting for food in my leisure time. Let me share some of it to you guys.

Tonkichi in Causeway Bay

Lobby Lounge in Prince Hotel

AL CID

Other than that, I love playing badminton, reading, sport climbing, watching TV and surfing in the internet. I played the game of "Bubble Town" in facebook before and recently I 'm playing the game, "Pet Society" in facebook.

It's time to stop now. Hope you enjoy your school life in CIDP or Perth. Welcome to chat with me, I'm glad to know more about you in these two years.

Cheers,

Eva ^_^

Self-feedback of the oral presentation - Sophie

I have almost forgotten to post a comment here. To those who've reminded me, thank you.

After my reflective thinking, I realised that I could have done better in my many ways. I admit that I failed to provide examples illustrated by Alison Adam. Though 3 minutes aren't enough, what I should do is to make a long story short to allow audience understand better.

Surely the overall improvement will be there if I prepare better next time. I hope I can be in a better shape so that I can really throw my voice and stretch myself further.

Presentation outline for Chris Mung Pak Yu

My reading is " Ruminations on Cyber-Race" by Jerry Kang.
I will present the general ideaof the readings base on the theory of Race, the role of cyberspace with people and the abolition and integration.

Moreover, i will talk about the transmutation, which means the cyber passing method.

Looking forward to the presentation

Outline of Presentation by JASON

Hong Kong Cyber culture: A Case Study by Amy Lai

Using an English Language community website as an example --- ICERED

ICERED
- Launched in Hong Kong in March 2000
- Target users is the working professional in the city
- Example to examine HK cyber culture
- Discussion in the broader context of cyber democracy
-
II. “Your English Sucks”
Class discriminations in the Internet (ICERED)
- 1. University Banding
- 2. College Teaching
- 3. Banking
- 4. Level of English
à Discriminate those who are the lower class, on the other hand, promote the higher class and celebrate them.

III. The Unbearable “White-ness” of ICERED
Battle of different races
- Most of people called Internet a “Radicalized” place
à Criticized the color-blindness
à Dominated by whites

IV. “Men are after sex, women after money”
Hong Kong Man
- Sex-oriented
- Car
- How much they earn
Hong Kong Woman
- Unintelligent
- Bad-looking
- Money-mined
- Lowest IQ in Asia

à No limitation as to how people might describe themselves in cyber space.

V. Homophobia and Queerness
Homosexual discussion in ICERED is accept
- Western people’s mind
- Respect homophobia
However, discussion homophobia in Hong Kong is prohibited
- Not open-minded
- Believed natural value
- Respect Family
- Example for children
à ICERED as a discussion panel online is allowed different voice in the cyber world. à Internet fails to become the equivalent of a public sphere.

VI. “Who wanna be superstars?”
“Party Animal of Hong Kong” of Lynne Lee on ICERED
- Rude and obscene comments
- Appearance can replace the real in virtual space
à Chat Room Culture
- Chat room identities which are continuously invented and forever changeable

outlines of my presentation - KC Luk

the readings topic i was assigned is Menu-Driven Identities: Making Race Happen Online by Lisa Nakamura in her work Cybertypes.

the reading discussed some issues about the 'appearing' of the race of the users of the internet.

it demonstrated with different valid examples such as website, and gave some detailed description of how people's race will be shown in the web.

moreover, it explored the purpose of some forwarding e-mails.

in addition, it have mentioned some issues about those ethnic websites

more details will be given out in my presentation.

About FoonMing Leung

I like taking photographs.

My name is Leung Foon Ming.

Critical Annotated Webliography by YU WING HO, NIK

3.Frankenstein continues to occupy the popular imagination as a monstrous scientist. Analyze some of the ways in which Frankenstein haunts discussions of recent technologies.

Nik Yu

Nowadays, people are living surrounded by technology. We all are taking benefit of technology in everyday life, on the other hand, we still fear of the technology as we think one day it may lose control and become too powerful. Frankenstein is one of the earliest popular imaginations coming from the fear of the technology. In order to analyzing if this popular imagination still haunt discussions of recent technologies. I use search engines such as Google, particularly Google Scholar. I found many articles in regard to Frankenstein and Technology. From among them I choose the most related scholar articles about the discussion of recent technologies.

Frankenstein Complex

In Orlin Damyanov’s article, Technology and its dangerous effects on nature and human life as perceived in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and William Gibson's Neuromancer, [1] Orlin compared two fictions, Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley’s and Neuromancer, writer by William Gibson to show how the technology invention impact our society and our life. Firstly, Damyanoy analyzed how the history and the technology background of the story influence the plot itself in each fiction. Also Damyanoy pointed out that even two stories were from different history background, he still thought that sciences and technologies were the basic elements of the transformations in the structure of our world. “Would be the science and technology referred to in Shelley's Frankenstein or the powerful information and computer technologies implied in Gibson's Neuromancer, the underlying idea is the same - profound change and transformation in every aspect of human life is imminent, to such extent that life itself is being transformed.” (Damyanoy, 1996) Also he pointed out that the danger of the technology was our reliance on it and its equivocal inventions. “It is this unambiguous danger to our human community that is hidden in our reliance on technology and its equivocal inventions that these two works”. (Damyanoy, 1996) At the end of the articles, Damyanoy warned us to think about how technology influencing our life by asking us “science and technology are really going to improve the world, will new technologies really improve human communication, or inadvertently make it more difficult? Will our lives be better?” (Damyanoy, 1996)

Frankenstein Complex: The Education towards Technologies

In Shari Popen’s article, Thinking Through Technology: Frankenstein’s Problem, [2] the author mainly criticized if technologies influenced our society and our life in a good way or in a bad way. Analyzing her article, we could see that she thought the danger of using technology was we, human, the creator of the technology, paid little concern for what we created, like Frankenstein in the Mary Sheelley’s fiction. She thought as a creator of the technology, we also became an educator, we should have tried our best to include our technology in the dynamic and changing human community. As what she said in her article, “Mary Shelley’s gothic tale contains a modern parable about our ambiguous relationship to technological creation and power.” At the end of the articles, Popen pointed out that, Frankenstein actually called us to recognize the humanity in our own constructions. Also she thought “the real master in Frankenstein is neither Frankenstein nor the “Monster” but the logic or state of mind that permits these acts, that produces and reproduces them.”

In Alias Burns articles, Frankenstein of the future, [3] Burns’ view is actually similar to Popen’s, She pointed out that as a creator of the technology, we should take our responsibility to parent of these potentially dangerous “children”. As she thought technology maybe powerful enough to take control or destroy the society of the human begins, just like Frankenstein.

Frankenstein Complex :From Transhumanism to Morality

In Francis Fukuyama’s articles, The World’s Most Dangerous Ideas: Transhumanism, [4] Fukuyama thought transhumanism is one of the most dangerous ideas in the world. Fukuyama did not think that transhumanism would make us, smarter, less prone to violence’s and so on. Also he through this technology was quite dangerous to our society as the moral or intellectual threat they represent were not always easy to identify. He also pointed out that the human always looked for the better life so that sometimes we would ignore the moral cost, which is very dangerous for human begin. In the latter part of his articles, he questioned if some transhumanism’s advocates understand the ultimate human goods. He thought we were “miraculously complex products of a long evolutionary process, products whose whole is much more than the sum of our parts.” Therefore, he thought transhumanism is one of the most dangerous in our life as there were many uncertainties of this technology also it now had already threatened our moral standard.

Opposition of Frankenstein Complex

In Lee McCauley article, Countering the Frankenstein Complex, [5] McCauley mainly explained the concept of “ The Frankenstein Complex” and he used some Hollywood movies to showed that how people fear the uncertainty of using the technology. However, McCauley actually was quite positive towards the technological impact towards our society. In the first part of his article, he pointed out the science and the technology capture the imagination of the general, which engendered fear and skepticism. “At 50 years old, the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics capture the imagination of the general public while, at the same time, engendering a great deal of fear and skepticism.” (McCauley) Then he explained the phenomenon of Frankenstein Complex by some old fictions, such as Rossum’s Universal Robots, written by a Czech Author, Karel Capek. Also, he pointed out that Frankenstein’s could more acutely show the notion that technology produce something that could not control and explored. Beside, he also pointed our that Frankenstein complex is still alive and well in our society as many Hollywood movies, such as, Terminator (I, II, III), I. Robot, Artificial Intelligence, and so on, still present the love and hate between robots and human, also showed us the fear of uncertainty of using the technology. In the next part of the article, he used some academic to show that how the human being fear the technology, mainly focus on people thinking robots could replace us. At the end of the articles, McCauley gave three reasons to argue Frankenstein Complex. Firstly, he thought there are not many high intelligent level robot, which could evoke the evolution to against the human. Next, he showed that the birth rate of human being is much more higher than the machine. Also, he does not agree robots itself could reproduce at this moment as they are not powerful or knowledgeable enough. Last but not least, he thought should be test for many times before it came out so it could also reduced the possibility of the evolution robots. Finally McCauley thought the human race still could destroy itself, but sure not through technology.

To conclude, nowadays, we cannot doubt that we can live without technology and we know that the power of the technology would be stronger and stronger. However, we should try to get more understanding on what technology we are using and how it impacts our life in a good way and bad way.

References

Alisa Burns. "Frankenstein of the Future." . October. 2002. . 04 March. 2008 .

Francis Fukuyama. "The World's Most Dangerous Ideas." . 01 September. 2004. . 04 March. 2008 .

Lee McCauley . "Countering the Frankenstein Complex." . . University of Memphis . 04 March. 2008 .

Orlin Damyanov. "Technology and its dangerous effects on nature and human life as perceived in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and William Gibson's Neuromancer." . 1996. . 04 March. 2008 .

Shari Popen. "Thinking Through Technology: Frankenstein’s Problem." . 1998. North American Association for Community of Inquiry. 04 March. 2008 .

SOMETHING ABOUT NIK

INTRODUCTION? Set.NET

I really have no idea how to describe myself here. Also, it's been ages since i last did an introduction in written form. Anyway let me try.

I'm 21, still 21. however, i think i've done too much in certain aspects. i am learning how to be a good son and a good boyfriend everyday, but i never try to be a good guy. i think it's bit meaningless to be a good guy, as i believe, most of the time, nobody would appreciate it if you're too good. even i never try to be a good guy, i am still not a bad guy. at least i never mean to hurt others. if i really hurt anybody, i mean to apologize here. however, even i mean to do it.. i think i am still too mean.

Beside being mean, i mean to be lazy. I just dunno why i could that lazy all the time. i always try to do assignments before the deadline, yet... deadline is my only driving force.

I think i am a very lucky guy, esp after 18. my life sometimes is just too smooth and i am just spoiled by my family and friends. I've got some part times jobs since i was 16. most of the jobs were bit HEA.... and i seldom found it's difficult to make money. I was a tutor when i was 16-19. I've worked in a Photography studio for three yrs and have worked in an NGO for six months. i worked in PCCW as a fix-line content management coordinator when i was 20. Actually just went to do sounds recording, photo editing and content managing and so on.

I have no interests, but usually i spend most of my time with my family, gf, work, school and gym. I travel sometimes, i've been taiwan for five times, thailand for four times, Shanghai, Beijing, KL, Japan, Australia, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and UK./ Actually I still think HK is the best.

Critical Annotated Webliography by Allan Wong

Question 3 - Frankenstein

Through the intensive search of relevant articles/journals on the internet, I found some articles might be useful in answering the question of analyzing some of the ways in which Frankenstein haunts discussion of recent technologies. I find that the major concern of current technologies relating to the fear of Frankenstein is about the new reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), cloning and etc. The following are my findings.

1. In the article “Curse of Frankenstein” written by Jon Turney, he stated that we are less “able to escape the shadow of a fictional monster” (Turney, par. 1), Frankenstein when our technology become more advance. He uses the monstrous figure of Frankenstein to relate to the current biotechnology and explained why we still fear of the story, which is because the power over the body it the power we most desired and most feared, and “is now ours for the asking” (Turney, par. 12). He also stated that the myth of Frankenstein cannot help in deciding to deal with the current life science and technology. “What we need are ways of choosing which science to promote, which to curb” (Turney, par. 14). This article is helpful in answering the guiding question, for it has discussed how much we wanted to control the body and the fear of the monstrosity we may have created by manipulating such technology over the course of the history of biotechnology. It also gives me a general idea of how Frankenstein is linked to the new reproductive technologies.

2. In the editorial “Letters to Dr. Frankenstein? Ethics and the new reproductive technologies” by Henk Ten Have, it introduces some of the new reproductive technologies, such as IVF, GIFT and ZIFT. Also, it uses a large proportion of the writing to discuss the ethical issues of manipulating such technologies, mainly IVF. The author discusses deeply about whether the use of IVF to help the infertility to have children is valid or not, because each technology needs scientific assessment before it is allowed to proliferate. However, IVF is not justified by its scientific assessment. This article is largely focus on the moral issues about the new reproductive technologies with little mention about the fear of the figure of Frankenstein. However, I think it is still useful in answering the guiding question for it provides a detailed debate on whether using IVF is valid or not, and the new reproductive technologies are actually very similar to the tale of Frankenstein and the debate of IVF is linked closely to the fear of Frankenstein. Also, it provides an in-depth look on how we think about IVF.

3. In the essay “The curse of Frankenstein: Visions of technology and society in the debate over new reproductive technologies” by Brian P. Bloomfield and Theo Vurdubakis, it also talks about the debate of the new reproductive technologies, such as cloning and designer baby. The essay gives us a general history of the new reproductive technologies, from cloning case of ‘Dolly’, ‘Polly’ and the first human clone ‘Eve’ to the designer baby ‘Adam’. This essay lead us from case to case of the controversies about the use of the new reproductive technologies. The authors will discuss the issues of each case and also quoting other scholars’ thinking for more discussion on an issue. This essay is also useful in answering the guiding question, because it gave me the views that the aforementioned articles lack of, such as the case of cloning and designer baby. It tells us how we fear the possible consequences of manipulating the new reproductive technologies and the continuous debate about such issues in a broader view.

4. It the article of “The creation lottery: final lessons from natural reproduction: Why those who accept natural reproduction should accept cloning and other Frankenstein reproductive technologies” by Julian Savulescu and John Harris, it gives us an interesting view that it takes a position on pro-Frankenstein reproductive technologies, which is opposite to the previous articles. The argument of this article is that the artificial reproduction method is able to reduce the loss rate of embryos and reduce the possibilities of having a genetically abnormal child, while the natural reproduction method is not able to do that. Also, they stated that it would be our obligation to have a healthier child and reduce the death rate of embryos if those new reproduction technologies, such as cloning, IVF, etc. are able achieve these goals. I think this article is quite useful in answering the guiding question, because it provides a counterargument for the debate on the controversial new reproduction technologies. The views of this article and broaden the view of my answer to the question.

5. In the article of “Re-engineering the human: New reproductive technologies and the specter of Frankenstein” by Brian P. Bloomfield and Theo Vurdubakis, it follows a similar plot of the aforementioned article that is written by the same authors. It also uses cases of new reproductive technologies to illustrate their view upon the use of these technologies. The article quoted a lot from the news coverage and scholars, which could give us how the media and the experts respond to such events. Also, the quotation helped the authors on explaining their views on the new reproductive technologies. In my point of view, this article is just fairly helpful on answering the guiding question. It is not because the arguments and information in it is not rich enough, but it quite similar to the previous article by the same writers, which means that it, is not able to provide me more views and arguments on this issue as compared to the others.

In conclusion, the concern about the new reproductive technologies seems to be overwhelming. According to my search result, a large proportion of the results are about this issue. So, I decided to focus on the debate of the new reproductive technologies rather than the other topics. In my opinion, the fear of the new reproductive technologies is quite similar to the fear of Frankenstein. It is because, in the process of cloning and making designer baby is actually put us in the position of modern Prometheus which match with the subtitle of the Frankenstein novel. As we still not able to understand fully about manipulating the power over the body, the debate about the new reproductive technologies will continue and the shadow of Frankenstein will not disappeared any time soon.

1. Bloomfield, Brian, Theo Vurdubakis, “Re-Engineering the Human: New Reproductive Technologies and the Specter of Frankenstein” , 2006, retrieved on 5 March 2009.
2. Bloomfield, Brian, Theo Vurdubakis, “The Curse Of Frankenstein: Visions of Technology and Society in the Debate over New Reproductive Technologies” , April 2003, retrieved on 5 March 2009.
3. Have, Henk Ten, “Letters to Dr. Frankenstein? Ethics and the New Reproductive Technologies” , 1995, retrieved on 5 March 2009.
4. Savulescu, Julian, John Harris, “The Creation Lottery: Final Lessons from Natural Reproduction: Why Those Who Accept Natural Reproduction Should Accept Cloning and Other Frankenstein Reproductive Technologies” , retrieved on 5 March 2009.
5. Turney, Jon, “Curse of Frankenstein” , 3 April 1998, retrieved on 5 March 2009.