There exists strong worries amongst the public of the loss of the self and humanity that come with technological self enhancement and the fusing of human and machine. A “…frankensteinian fear in tampering with the body.” As Stelarc describes it in: Prosthetic, Robotics and Remote Existence: Postevolutionary Strategies. However, I believe these worries are both based in an unfounded fear as well as a failure to recognize that we already exist in a world with body enhancements and the hybridizing of the self with the system/machine.
Stelarc’s vision of the future and his fixation on extraterrestrial exploration and survival are ultimately dependent on the efficiency of the human body and accordingly, he provides theoretical solutions for common issues the body would encounter in such circumstances. He speaks on intense and invasive transformative processes such as creating synthetic skin which could absorb oxygen through pores, or even turning the process of insemination and embryo development to be held completely by artificial support systems. These types of processes would turn the body from subject to object, from a repairable machine, to a replaceable machine.
While these transformative bio-mechanical processes can seem drastic to a common audience, there should be an understanding that this world already contains similar processes. Prosthetic organs and limbs have helped the lives of many and vastly extended lifetimes. It is now not uncommon for children to develop outside the womb and live normal lives. Brain and spinal implants have also recently been developing and are already helping countless people with neural conditions.
These enhacements are also aesthetic based. Cosmetic surgeries have become increasingly common and other forms of “non-essential” body modifications are also arising. The argument can also be made that these new invasive technologies can affect the individuality of the mind and the way we think. The development of computers, and data collection systems however, have already become incredibly precise at depicting how we think, and what we want as consumers, voters, and citizens.
Stelarc’s proposition for an artificial vessel is simply an extension of the system oriented culture. The body is already in the process of becoming a system that can be modified for human needs and wants.