LIFT07: Towards a society of cyborgs, Daniela Cerqui

Walked in late to this one... it looks a bit hand-wavey cybernetic, but I'm here for the nostalgia trip (Cybernetics was my degree, for a bit)

What we consider as normal is continually shifting as technology progresses.

We can get used to almost anything.

Usual argument is that implants are good for therapy but not enhancement. But this is an entirely arbitrary line: enhancements constantly follow therapy.

Kevin Warwick is not an exception; his implants are just one more step along the route which we're all following. Right now, being normal in our society means being connected. What those who argue with this stuff are arguing against is our essential human nature.

Adam Greenfield: I don't feel we're all on the same path. Who can define what normal is - telling me I'm connected is an imposition.

Q: Is Kevin Warwick happier with his implant?

A: Yes. (Though the happiness she describes seems more one of intellectual satisfaction than an emotional state)