To be or not to be [CYBORG] technology and culture: from the promethean tradition to the faustian tradition

  • Ramiro Fernando Marín Universidad Gastón Dachary
Keywords: Sociology of Technology, technological culture, technological culture incorporated, technological culture unincorporated

Abstract

This paper tries to reflect and discuss how science and technology begin to more directly affect the way that is lived in the present. Cybernetics and in particular, bionics contribute an ever more crucial not only in the physical improvement of people with motor disabilities but also begin to modify their own human physiology.
The first part of this work is on Raymond Kurzweil–clear example of the Faustian tradition– some arguments that give a frame work to examine and discuss how technology can influence society.
The second part of the article focuses on some of the experiences of people who have been subjected to various surgical procedures for implanting bionic devices.
Similarly, some mention is made investigations concerning the subject. From these facts, the characters express their views on the results and consequences. Similarly, an analysis of the political and economic implications, not only thinking from a general perspective but also, and more specifically, focusing from Latin America.In the latter sense, it underlines the challenges and difficulties faced by a region of uneven development in biotechnology research and access to resources.
Moreover, in the ethical, it is concluded that all scientific development must be geared to meet the needs of social development and meeting the needs of citizens. Of what it is to generate a broad discussion in society and it is there for necessary to create mechanisms and reporting tools, learning and participation that are placed in social service for the development of social responsibility. In this sense, education in Science Technology and Society pursues precisely the purpose of cultivating that sense of social responsibility. (Diagoet al, 2010)
All these elements, together, as has been said, the analysis of recent research, will serve a sin put for a reflection on how these technologies, in the first decades of the century, can influence the way of life of individuals and to thinking ways that would put the technology in the service of culture.
The second part of the article focuses on some of the experiences of people who have been subjected to various surgical procedures for implanting bionic devices. Similarly, some mention is made investigations concerning the subject. From these facts, the characters express their views on the results and consequences. Similarly, an analysis of the political and economic implications, not only thinking from a general perspective but also, and more specifically, focusing from Latin America. In the latter sense, it under lines the challenges and difficulties faced by a region of un even development in biotechnology research and access to resources.
Moreover, in the ethical, it is concluded that all scientific development must be geared to meet the needs of social development and meeting the needs of citizens. Of what it is to generatea broad discussion in society and it is there for necessary to create mechanisms and reporting tools, learning and participation that are placedin social service for the development of social responsibility. In this sense, education in Science Technology and Society pursues precisely the purpose of cultivating that sense of social responsibility. (Diagoet al,2010)
All these elements, together, as has been said, the analysis of recent research, will serve a sinput for a reflection on how these technologies, in the first decadesof the century,can influence the way of life of individuals and to thinking way sthat would put the technology in the service of culture and not vice versa.

Author Biography

Ramiro Fernando Marín, Universidad Gastón Dachary
Especialista en Educación y Nuevas Tecnologías – FLACSO. Universidad Gastón Dachary. Oberá - Argentina

References

Aguilar García, Teresa (2008). Ontología Cyborg. El cuerpo en la nueva sociedad tecnológica. Barcelona: Gedisa.

Berman, Marshall (2010). Todo lo sólido se desvanece en el aire. La experiencia de la Modernidad.17º reimp. México: Siglo XXI Editores.

Haraway, Donna (1995). Ciencia, cyborgs y mujeres. La reinvención de la naturaleza. Madrid: Cátedra.

Kranzberg, Melvin y Davenport Wiliam H. (eds.) (1978).Tecnología y Cultura. Barcelona: Editorial Gustavo Gili.

Kurzweil, Raymond (1998). The age of the spiritual machine. When computers exceed human intelligence. Penguin Group.

Olivé, León (2007). La ciencia y la tecnología en la sociedad del conocimiento. Ética, política y epistemología. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica.

Quintanilla, Miguel Ángel (1991). Tecnología: un enfoque filosófico. Buenos Aires: Eudeba.

Sibilia, Paula (2009). El hombre pos-orgánico. Buenos Aires: Fondo de Cultura Económica.

Spengler, Oswald (1947). El Hombre y la Técnica y otros ensayos. Buenos Aires: Espasa Calpe Argentina.

Tezanos, José Félix (coord) (2007). Los impactos sociales de la revolución científico tecnológica. Noveno foro sobre tendencias sociales, Madrid: Fundación Sistema.

Virilio, Paul (2003). El arte del motor: Aceleración y realidad virtual. 1º ed. 3º reimp. Buenos Aires: Manantial.

Winner, Langdon (1987). La ballena y el reactor. Una búsqueda de los límites en la era de la alta tecnología. Barcelona: Gedisa

Arqué, Alexandre Bota (2003). El impacto de la biotecnología en América Latina. Espacios de participación social. Acta Bioeth, 9(1), 21-38 [en línea] Recuperado el 10 de noviembre de 2012, de http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?pid=S1726-569X2003000100003&script=sci_arttext

Adams, Bryan; Breazeal, Cynthia; Brooks, Rodney A; Scassellati, Brian; MIT Artificial Intelligence (Julio/Agosto de 2000) Laboratory Humanoid Robots: A New Kind of Tool.IEEE Intelligent Systems and Their Applications: Special Issue on Humanoid Robotics, 15(4), 25 - 31,[en línea] Recuperado el 10 de noviembre de 2012, de http://people.csail.mit.edu/brooks/papers/IEEE-cog.pdf

BBC Sport (14 de enero de 2008). ‘BladeRunner’ handedOlympicban [en línea] Recuperado el 10 de noviembre de 2012, de http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport2/hi/olympics/athletics/7141302.stm

Bisang, Roberto; Campi, Mercedes; Cesa, Verónica (2009). Biotecnología y Desarrollo. CEPAL [en línea] Recuperado el 10 de noviembre de 2012, de http://www.eclac.org/publicaciones/xml/9/35729/docw35.pdf

Basso, Maristela (Septiembre de 2005). La biotecnología en América Latina: propiedad intelectual y desarrollo humano sostenible. Workshop: Biotechnology and Intellectual Property: Restructuring for the Public Benefit (Montreal, Canadá) [en línea] Recuperado el 10 de noviembre de 2012, de http://www.cipp.mcgill.ca/data/presentations/00000009.pdf

Diago, Neyma Bruce; Almoguera, Evileidys Vázquez;Vizca y Castilla; Marisely Alberro Fernández, Marianela (2010). Las investigaciones biotecnológicas. Implicaciones éticas y sociales. Universidad de Ciencias Médicas «Dr. José Assef Yara» Ciego de Ávila. [en línea] Recuperado el: 10 de noviembre de 2012, de http://bvs.sld.cu/revistas/mciego/vol16_supl2_10/pdf/t-16.pdf

Elola, Joseba (11 de febrero de 2007).La Revolución del Hombre Biónico. Diario «El País». [en línea]Recuperado el: 16 de noviembre de 2011, de http://www.elpais.com/articulo/reportajes/revolucion/hombre/bionico/elpepusocdmg/20070211elpdmgrep_1/Tes

Eveleth, Rose (24 de Julio de 2012).Should Oscar Pistorius’s Prosthetic Legs Disqualify Him from the Olympics? Scientists debate whether prosthetic legs give Pistorius an unfair advantage in the 400-meter race. Scientific American Magazine. [en línea] Recuperado el: 10 de noviembre de 2012, dehttp://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=scientists-debate-oscar-pistorius-prosthetic-legs-disqualify-him-olympics

Field, Robert; Cohen, Erica (16 de octubre de 2012). Are we ready for bionic patients.[en línea] Recuperado el: 10 de noviembre de 2012, dehttp://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/fieldclinic/Are-we-ready-for-bionic-patients.html

Gómez Ramírez, Miguel (2006). Caracterización de pacientes sordo-ciegos con implante coclear en Cuba. Estudio de un año.Ministerio de Salud Pública, Instituto Superior de Ciencias Médicas Ciudad de la Habana. Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico «Hermanos Ameijeiras» [en línea] Recuperado el: 10 de noviembre de 2012, dehttp://www.sld.cu/galerias/pdf/sitios/otorrino/pacientes_sordo-ciegos.pdf

Joy, Bill (8 de abril de 2000). Why the future doesn’t need us. Our most powerful 21st-century technologies - robotics, genetic engineering, and nanotech - are threatening to make humans an endangered species. Wired Magazine [en línea] Recuperado el: 10 de noviembre de 2012, dehttp://www.wired.com/wired/archive/8.04/joy_pr.html

Kurzweil, Raymond (Septiembre de 2005). Human life: The next generation. Revista «New Scientist». Recuperado el: 20 de noviembre de 2012, http://www.singularity.com/NewScienceArticle.pdf

Libedinsky, Juana (31 de diciembre de 2006).Entrevista a Ray Kurzweil: «El hombre se fusionará con la tecnología». Diario La Nación. [en línea] Recuperado el: 16 de noviembre de 2011, de http://www.lanacion.com.ar/871503-ray-kurzweil-el-hombre-se-fusionara-con-la-tecnologia

Pollard, Robert (28 de noviembre de 2008).Psychological Risks in Childhood Coch lear Implantation. [en línea] Recuperado el: 10 de noviembre de 2012, de http://www.zak.co.il/d/deaf-info/old/psych-risk.html

Quintanilla, Miguel Ángel (marzo de 1998). Técnica y Cultura.[en línea]Recuperado el: 16 de noviembre de 2011, de http://www.oei.es/salactsi/teorema03.htm

Ruffier, Jean. (1998). Máquinas diabólicas y constructos humanos. En La eficiencia productiva: cómo funcionan las fábricas. Montevideo: Cinterfor. [en línea] Recuperado el: 10 de noviembre de 2012, dehttp://www.ilo.org/public/spanish/region/ampro/cinterfor/publ/ruffier/pdf/ruffier.pdf

Thacker, Eugene. (2001). Datos hecho carne: la biotecnología y el discurso de los post humano.Zehar45: 30-34. [en línea] Recuperado el: 10 de noviembre de 2012, de http://www.arteleku.net/secciones/enred/zehar/zehar2/45/Zehar45Thacker.pdf

How to Cite
Marín, R. F. (2012). To be or not to be [CYBORG] technology and culture: from the promethean tradition to the faustian tradition. Trilogía Ciencia Tecnología Sociedad, 4(7), 33–58. https://doi.org/10.22430/21457778.152

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Published
2012-12-18
Section
Articles

Altmetric

Crossref Cited-by logo