The Posthuman Condition – Consciousness Beyond the Brain - Softcover

Pepperell, Julian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1841502901 ISBN 13: 9781841502908

Publisher: Intellect, 2009

Synopsis

"Where humanists saw themselves as distinct beings in an antagonistic relationship with their surroundings, posthumans regard their own being as embodied in an extended technological world."

Synthetic creativity, organic computers, genetic modification, intelligent machines--such ideas are deeply challenging to many of our traditional assumptions about human uniqueness and superiority. But, ironically, it is our very capacity for technological invention that has secured us so dominant a position in the world which may lead ultimately to (as some have put it) 'The End of Man'. If we are really capable of creating entities that exceed our own skills and intellect then the consequences for humanity are almost inconceivable. Nevertheless, we must now face up to the possibility that attributes like intelligence and consciousness may be synthesised in non-human entities--perhaps within our lifetime. Would such entities have human-like emotions; would they have a sense of their own being?

The Posthuman Condition argues that such questions are difficult to tackle given the concepts of human existence that we have inherited from humanism, many of which can no longer be sustained. New theories about nature and the operation of the universe arising from sophisticated computer modelling are starting to demonstrate the profound interconnections between all things in reality where previously we had seen only separations. This has implications for traditional views of the human condition, consciousness, the way we look at art, and for some of the oldest problems in philosophy.

First published in the 1990s, this important text has been completely revised by the author with the addition of new sections and illustrations.

For further information see: www.post-human.net

About this title

About the Author

Robert Pepperell is an artist, writer and musician. As well as producing experimental computer art and computer games he has published interactive CD-Roms and exhibited numerous digital installations at the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art, the ICA and the Barbican Gallery, London. He is also author (jointly with Michael Punt) of 'The Postdigital Membrane' published by Intellect, 2003.

Edition details

• Publisher: Intellect
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1841502901
• ISBN 13: 9781841502908
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 193