Are Cyborg Humans (and Animals) Still True Life Forms? A Future Tense Panel Recap.

By Adam Sneed

Cyborgs have arrived on Earth, but there’s no reason to worry. They’re nothing like the cold machine-men from The Terminator. Cybernetic technologies that integrate with the human body is something you could soon be able to try for yourself—in fact, you might even want to.

Cyborgs and bionic life forms were the topic of conversation on Saturday at Future Tense’s segment of Emerge2013: The Future of Truth, a conference held at Arizona State University. (ASU is a partner with Slate and the New America Foundation in Future Tense.) Devices already exist to extend our senses beyond their natural limits, and advancements in neuroscience and robotics have demonstrated the possibility of wiring robotic devices straight into the human brain. Looking into the future, humans could use technology to tailor their own experiences, desires, and abilities. But what does this mean for how we find and share common truths?

To work through this question, Future Tense brought together Neil Harbisson, a cyborg and founder of the Cyborg Foundation, science journalist Emily Anthes, and Slate staff writer Will Oremus.

Harbisson is one of the world’s first cyborgs. He was born without the ability to see any colors, which complicates …read more
Source: Future Tense Blogs