Geekzone: technology news, blogs, forums
Guest
Welcome Guest.
You haven't logged in yet. If you don't have an account you can register now.


mdf

mdf

3512 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#180692 18-Sep-2015 08:12
Send private message

I'm a sci-fi fan - probably not the only one on these forums. I've just been reading a series which I won't name (spoilers) where one of the main themes is the antagonists have "given up their humanity" by embracing technology and turning themselves into cyborgs - neural shunts, robotic prostheses, deformed biological bodies etc. The story's protagonists spend some time thinking how horrible it all is. It's not a unique theme (Dune certainly springs to mind).

Personally though I had far more sympathy for the antagonists. I'd be one of the first in the line to sign up for cyborgification which sounded like a totally practical (and awesome) solution to the issues facing the antagonists.

Am I weird in thinking this way? Would you install robotics in yourself? Where do you draw the line of acceptable "enhancement"?

View this topic in a long page with up to 500 replies per page Create new topic
 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
Coil
6614 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user


  #1389473 18-Sep-2015 08:13
Send private message

Na. Hoomans are best.



kotuku4
483 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified
Lifetime subscriber

  #1389490 18-Sep-2015 08:23
Send private message

Some people are now, aren't they.  With smart phones glued to themselves all waking hours, ear sets, watches etc.  Busy in cyber space, ignoring all else around them.




:)


networkn
Networkn
32349 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified
Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #1389497 18-Sep-2015 08:28
Send private message

About the only thing I'd love to have is a way to get information into the brain by SD Card. So If I want to learn x topic, insert card, import data, KNOWLEDGE!

The rest of it's just creepy.



Inphinity
2780 posts

Uber Geek


  #1389498 18-Sep-2015 08:31
Send private message

As with anything, I'd weigh up the pros and cons of the specific action. Lost use of a hand in an accident, and can get a cybernetic one (like Luke's, for example)? Sounds good to me. Adding stuff in just to look cool? No, probably not. Getting bits that provide some sort of health benefit, without particularly negative side effects? Quite possibly. I don't think there's a blanket answer.

andrew027
1286 posts

Uber Geek


  #1389507 18-Sep-2015 08:43
Send private message

Without knowing what "the issues facing the antagonists" are, I'd probably be fine with some level of enhancement if it was necessary, e.g. if I needed it to overcome a physical disability or environmental condition. I don't know that I'd be lining up for parts just because it was possible.

For me, the interesting phrases in the OP is "deformed biological bodies". I don't think I'd go for the enhancements if the option was replacing my crippled legs with, say, the rear end of a robotic spider. Do we, as humans, have some kind of built in preference for our own upright bipedal form, or is that just an extension of existing prejudices, e.g. racism?

Batman
Mad Scientist
29760 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #1389519 18-Sep-2015 08:59
Send private message

no

Paul1977
5039 posts

Uber Geek


  #1389526 18-Sep-2015 09:07
Send private message

What book series is it? Doesn't sound like you've spoiled anything about it - antagonists are cyborgs, protagonists think it's icky.




 Home:                                                           Work:
Home Work


 
 
 

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.
kotuku4
483 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified
Lifetime subscriber

  #1389528 18-Sep-2015 09:17
Send private message

Hummm do you need to clone yourself first as a backup and keep in cryostasis?
Then who decides when to kill off the buggy version and use the backup?

Or will Cyberdyne Systems Skynet take over long before that point anyway?




:)


Rickles
2933 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

  #1389531 18-Sep-2015 09:19
Send private message

Who has been watching "Humans" on TV 3?

nzkc
1571 posts

Uber Geek


  #1389561 18-Sep-2015 09:42
Send private message

We already have plenty of cyborgs in society today. We just dont view them as such.  Anyone with a pacemaker or cochlear implant is (technically*) a cyborg.

Yes I would happily become a cyborg if it improved my quality of life.


*see what I did there? ;)

mdf

mdf

3512 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

  #1389562 18-Sep-2015 09:43
Send private message

So what you're all saying is yes, yes I am wierd. ;)

networkn: About the only thing I'd love to have is a way to get information into the brain by SD Card. So If I want to learn x topic, insert card, import data, KNOWLEDGE!

The rest of it's just creepy.


I will give good odds that whoever manages to commercialise this first will also come up with some screwy proprietary format. SecureCompactMediaCardStickPro.

 Paul1977: What book series is it? Doesn't sound like you've spoiled anything about it - antagonists are cyborgs, protagonists think it's icky.


It's one of those series where the author drip feeds information about the antagonists. You don't find out about their cyborginess until about 2/3 of the way through book 2. And even after we find out about the big reveal you get about 5 other point of view characters until he comes back and explains this. Does lend itself for a reasonable hook though, and at least he didn't leave it as a cliffhanger ending for the next one.

andrew027: For me, the interesting phrases in the OP is "deformed biological bodies". I don't think I'd go for the enhancements if the option was replacing my crippled legs with, say, the rear end of a robotic spider. Do we, as humans, have some kind of built in preference for our own upright bipedal form, or is that just an extension of existing prejudices, e.g. racism?


Interesting point. This particular one had a little bit of the Matrix about it. The biological forms were deformed due to environmental factors. The solution was to hold the biological form in a capsule/cryostasis with the consciousness transferred to various cybernetic forms (which weren't necessarily humanoid). Somehow the temporariness of this didn't creep me out, but you're right, if it was grafted on to the "real" me I'd feel comfortable with something relatively humanoid but wouldn't want to be Arachne/a drider.

afe66
3181 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

  #1389608 18-Sep-2015 11:11
Send private message

I'd wait til version 3 of cybersoft os is released first.

Rickles
2933 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

  #1389610 18-Sep-2015 11:17
Send private message

"We are the Borg. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile."

BlueShift
1692 posts

Uber Geek


  #1389679 18-Sep-2015 13:29
Send private message

This is something that ethicists have been considering for a while now. Up until now(ish) prosthetics have been mostly second-best, a step down from the biological original, but necessary if the original is missing for whatever reason. We are reaching the point where prosthetics can become an improvement on the originals. We are there already in some limited cases - Oscar Pistorius is faster with his fake legs than he would have been if he had organic limbs. In theory, Usain Bolt could get his legs amputated at the knee and beat his records (after some adjustment of course) largely due to the blade prosthetics weighing a lot less than standard meat-legs. Of course Pistorius's blade legs aren't as adaptable as meat-legs, and have a stack of other drawbacks.
What happens when a cochlear implant or even a standard hearing aid becomes superior to unassisted natural hearing? Allowing one to hear dog-whistles, and appreciate a greater range and depth in orchestral music? If and when unimpaired people start upgrading themselves, then the cyborg revolution will have begun.

I mean, what child of the 70s wouldn't want Steve Austin's bionic eyes and slow motion speed running?

ubergeeknz
3344 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted
Vocus

  #1389681 18-Sep-2015 13:35
Send private message

If enhancements become available and are truly enhancements, why not?  Anything from genome modification to implants to replacement parts, I have no problem with it.  Bring on the future I say.

 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
View this topic in a long page with up to 500 replies per page Create new topic





News and reviews »

Air New Zealand Starts AI adoption with OpenAI
Posted 24-Jul-2025 16:00


eero Pro 7 Review
Posted 23-Jul-2025 12:07


BeeStation Plus Review
Posted 21-Jul-2025 14:21


eero Unveils New Wi-Fi 7 Products in New Zealand
Posted 21-Jul-2025 00:01


WiZ Introduces HDMI Sync Box and other Light Devices
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:32


RedShield Enhances DDoS and Bot Attack Protection
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:26


Seagate Ships 30TB Drives
Posted 17-Jul-2025 11:24


Oclean AirPump A10 Water Flosser Review
Posted 13-Jul-2025 11:05


Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7: Raising the Bar for Smartphones
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Brings New Edge-To-Edge FlexWindow
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Epson Launches New AM-C550Z WorkForce Enterprise printer
Posted 9-Jul-2025 18:22


Samsung Releases Smart Monitor M9
Posted 9-Jul-2025 17:46


Nearly Half of Older Kiwis Still Write their Passwords on Paper
Posted 9-Jul-2025 08:42


D-Link 4G+ Cat6 Wi-Fi 6 DWR-933M Mobile Hotspot Review
Posted 1-Jul-2025 11:34


Oppo A5 Series Launches With New Levels of Durability
Posted 30-Jun-2025 10:15









Geekzone Live »

Try automatic live updates from Geekzone directly in your browser, without refreshing the page, with Geekzone Live now.



Are you subscribed to our RSS feed? You can download the latest headlines and summaries from our stories directly to your computer or smartphone by using a feed reader.