Firstly, I want to give a definition of the essay major word – Cyborg. The term ‘cyborg’ is a shortening of the phrase ‘cybernetic organism’,used by Clynes and Kline (1960)[1] to refer to a combination of human andmachine which would be able to function in the harsh physical environment of space travel. As the word “Cyborg” is become more popular nowadays, besides the development of “Cyborg” had changed quickly, therefore the definition of “Cyborg” is become more blur. In this journal article, it mainly focuses on a model of information systems in terms of cyborgs – a boundary-crossing mixture of the technical and the social.
Secondly, the article is called Man or Machine. This discussion will prove that through the years in Japanese cult cinema, the interaction between technology and the male body has become increasingly personal and complex. Generally, three factors influence whether or not a film is ‘cult’. There were the audience, the content and the film’s position in relation to the mainstream film. Under this article, they were using different film to prove how the technology in Japan is well-developed. In the article, Some people would challenge that the concept of technology and humanity interacting is visible in mainstream Japanese films, The films that will be discussed are all in the genre of science fiction, a genre described as offering ‘large-scale speculations on the future of modern society… and allegories in science fictional form about its current condition.[2]’ While mainstream film is concern only in social and gender issue, and the science fiction will be more deeply analysis, and do have more criticism in order to imagine a brighter future. Nevertheless, According to Haraway, there are ‘three crucial boundary breakdowns that make the following political fictional (political scientific) analysis possible, on the other words, there are three boundaries that have weakened recently and this weakening allows for the possibility of the cyborg construct. The first boundary is that ‘between human and animal’ (Haraway 68)[3]. Nowadays, human and animal were no longer seen as separation instead animals were seen as humanity’s property, entertainment. The relationship between them were become closer, therefore, the boundary between human and animal is transgressed. Besides, the secondly boundary was between animal-human (organism) and machine’ (Haraway 69).[4] Traditionally, humanity’s relationships with machines were master and servants. However, if the technology of cyborg really change rapidly, it is possible that human and machine were seen as equality because the boundary of human and machine are blur.
The third and final boundary recently broken is that ‘between physical and non-physical’ (Haraway 70) this boundary, according to Haraway, has become ‘very imprecise for us.[5] Especially now in the age of telecommunication and the Internet, differentiating between physical and non-physical or virtual can be difficult. Technology is getting smaller, more complex, and more sophisticated. To sum up this article, the boundary line of cyborgs was become more blur.
Moreover, in James Bell’s article, “Philip K. Dick told his audience, "Machines are becoming more human.”[6] It was because in the present day cloning and robotics are blurring the lines between nature and machine. Due to the challenging of the mixed man and machine, therefore, “MIT's Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (backed by a five-year, $50 million US Army [7]grants) is busy innovating materials and designs to create military uniforms that rival the best science fiction”. In other words, for our perspective, soldiers were being transformed to a cyborg. It was no doubt that there was really a significant improvement if the soldiers were being transformed to a cyborg. However, if it really happened, the boundary of human and machine will become blurring.
Besides, according to Rachel Rein article, The Classic Battle of Human vs. Machine was another sources that proved the boundary line between men and machine are become more blur. In this article, author would use film as an example to illustrate it. This article is mainly focus on the idea change of cyborg in different period of time. Historically, “sci-fi has depicted mechanical beings as lacking "humanness.”[8] As the example of early sci-film, Short Circuit (1986) is an automaton who has a human persona/personality. This is the first time human identity can be found on automation. However, started from Edward Scissor hands [1990]), “Edward is an automaton who was originally constructed as a metal robot. However, the old scientist died, therefore Edward was left half human and half machine: a bizarre man with scissor hands. It was a significant point that cyborg appeared in film. Classic sci-fi is replete with these visions of automatons striving to be more "human”. However, in the modern sci-fi it was more frighten to see mixed human and machines in the film
In addition, in the article of The Cyborg’s future, according to Kevin Warwick, he believed “we will be able to send signals to and from human and machine brains in the nearly future and also he trust that communicate across the internet by means of thought signals alone”[9]. In the other words, it means that human is trying to transform as a cyborg. Besides, in the articles it mentioned the utopia of cyborg, which talking about is it possible to change your arms or limbs in the coming future. It is clear that while the technology had much improvement, on the other hand, it was more easily to reach to the utopia of cyborgs. Therefore, due to the development of technology was very fast, the technology of cyborg would also relatively rapid change. In other words, the boundary line between human and machine is not that clear then before.
In conclusion, through different example of examination, we have deeply understood what actually cyborg is, and how cyborg is affect us nowadays. It is clear that the boundary line between human and machine is become blur. After a period time when the technology had changed more rapidly, I think human and machine were hard to define already.
Footnote
[1] Magnus Ramage, “Information Systems – A Cyborg Discipline”, p.1
< http://oro.open.ac.uk/2669/1/IFIP82_Manchester.pdf>
[2] Colin Le Sueur, “Man or Machine” June 20th, 2006. March 1st 2009.
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[3] Haraway, Donna, ‘A Manifesto for Cyborgs,’ Socialisl Review, 80 (1985), pp. 68
[4] Haraway, Donna, ‘A Manifesto for Cyborgs,’ Socialisl Review, 80 (1985), pp. 70
[5] Haraway, Donna, ‘A Manifesto for Cyborgs,’ Socialisl Review, 80 (1985), pp. 70
[6] James Bell, “When Robots Bleed: Reseach Scientists Blur the Line Between Nature and Machine” Earth First! Journal, 2002.
[7] James Bell, “When Robots Bleed: Reseach Scientists Blur the Line Between Nature and Machine” Earth First! Journal, 2002.
[8] Rachel Rein, “Cyborgs in Film”, The University of Berkeley, 2005.
[9] Vexen, Crabtree, “The Cyborg’s Future”, FEB 1st 2001. March 2nd 2009
< http://www.humantruth.info/cyborgs.html
Bibliography
Colin Le Sueur, “Man or Machine” June 20th, 2006. March 1st 2009.
< http://www.filmfortress.com/cyborgs_essay/>
James Bell, “When Robots Bleed: Reseach Scientists Blur the Line Between Nature and Machine”, Earth First! Journal, 2002.
< http://westgatehouse.com/art107.html>
Magnus Ramage, “Information Systems – A Cyborg Discipline”, The Open University, UK, 2004.
< http://oro.open.ac.uk/2669/1/IFIP82_Manchester.pdf>
Rachel Rein, “Cyborgs in Film”, The University of Berkeley, 2005.
Vexen, Crabtree, “The Cyborg’s Future”, FEB 1st 2001. March 2nd 2009
< http://www.humantruth.info/cyborgs.html>
Additional Reading
Haraway, Donna, ‘A Manifesto for Cyborgs,’ Socialist Review, 80 (1985), pp. 65-107.
I think your Critical Annotated Webliography is very structural. You have give a clear definition of Cyborg. Thus, the reader would have a clear basic mind to continue your writing. Through the example of now being situation of Cyborg, Japanese movie, we would know more the opinion of other peoples. Then you raise the words from Kevin Warwick, we would see that how we can due with Cyborg in the future.
ReplyDeleteWhole passage can contain the concept of the boundary-crossing mixture of the technical and the social, which you state in the introduction paragraph. It is easily for reader's following.