http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJonPMa4Lic

Thanks for pulling out and distinguishing between the individual focussed cyborg reading of posthumanism and the community oriented interconnected web of human and non human as intertwinned and codependent reading of posthumanism. I have only just begun wading my way through the posthuman readings and found a new term today that perhaps encompasses the later – the cognisphere.

Thanks also Jeremy for revealing that there is yet another reading of posthumanism – I now have some hooks on which to hang my wanderings through the literature

The ‘cyborg/transhuman’ strand, in which we might include Haraway’s cyborg manifesto, but in which we could certainly include the work of Nick Bostrum and Andy Miah. I would definitely agree with some of the comments here that the transhuman use of the term ‘posthuman’ can be very human-centric, emphasising technology use and prosthetics in particular.

However, there is also a strand which could be called ‘critical posthumanism’, in which we might include the Edwards reading, and also the work of Neil Badmington. This area deals primarily with a philosophical approach, such as the deconstruction of ‘humanism’ – the rethinking of traits such as rationality, autonomy and essentialism. In this sense, critical posthumanism is certainly attempting to rethink human-centricism, but is also not really about technology at all. Critical posthumanism is more about rethinking subjectivity by looking again at the ways in which humanistic ideals still permeate much of our ‘common sense’ thinking.

Thirdly, we might define ‘Animal Studies’ as another area of posthumanism. Pedersen’s paper might be categorised here, but certainly Cary Wolfe has done a lot of work in this area, and he is behind the posthumanities series. Donna Haraway’s later work on Companion Species might also be included. This ‘field’ is precisely about rethinking human-centricism and subjectivity in relation to the environment, and non-human animals. Again, this posthumanism is not really about technology use per se, but technology might be included in the ‘non-human’.

Some suggested readings if of interest:

Badmington, N. (2000). Posthumanism (Basingstoke, Palgrave)

Badmington, N. (2004). Alien Chic: Posthumanism and the Other Within. (Abingdon,
Routledge).

Bostrom, N. (2005). A History of Transhumanist Thought. Journal of Evolution and
Technology. 14 (1).

Haraway, D. (2003) The Companion Species Manifesto: Dogs, People and
Significant Otherness. (Chicago, Prickly Paradigm Press).

Miah, A. (2007). Posthumanism: A Critical History. In Medical Enhancements &
Posthumanity Gordijn, B. & Chadwick, R. (Eds.) (New York: Routledge)

Wolfe, C. (2010a). What is Posthumanism? (Minneapolis, University of Minnesota
Press).

Wolfe, C. (2010b). Posthumanities. Retrieved: 15 July 2011.
http://www.carywolfe.com/post_about.html

One of the readings tries to make posthuman be a relationship between humans and the environment. I was thinking about many native societies which have a much better symbiosis between themselves and their environment than we have.

I wonder if the bronze age people might have thought of themselves as posthuman compared to the stone ages folks

I’ve read a few papers relating to your #ededc course and found them very interesting. I’m not sure I buy into the ‘post-human’ term however, as in almost all of the real-world cases relate strongly to human goals and incentives.

At the core, ultimately all technology is designed to aid humans at some point along the chain. Whether it is helping the visually impaired tell the time, or enabling people to schedule their diaries better, or to act as a companion – to me it appears to be very human-centric.

D

I have a very strong recollection of visiting an elderly relative in a care home long after she had lost her sight. But she coped very well in a nice area in the Lake District and I am sure had many memories of her earlier time in that very lovely area.

But what struck me as we spoke and had a cup of tea with her was when her talking clock spoke out the hours of the time. She perked up and clearly related to this device.

I have thought of that a number of times since, especially related to discussions of companion robots for the elderly.

But now I think about it I see my our aunty and her speaking clock as one of my first experiences of posthumanism.

I found this a really interesting read. You have helped make some of the readings more clear. I had reached the same conclusion re the Internet but then had doubts, until now. So succinct, “The Internet becomes an extension of their capabilities.”

I like the sound of your future world; having a companion, the ability to remember and being able to keep in touch. What a nice place to live.

and compare to LIREC Future Robot Companions Project
http://lirec.eu/project