Open access
DATA ECOSYSTEM, TRANSHUMANISM AND UBICOMP. HUMAN IN SPACE — BETWEEN CYBORGISATION, BIOHYBRIDISATION AND LONGING FOR NATURE
Anna MAJ1
Digital era: culture, economy, technology
Publication language: English
Journal article
Transformations No. 3 (114) 2022, Publication date: 30 September 2022
Keywords: data ecosystem, transhumanism, ubicomp, calm technologies, wearables, memetics
Abstract The ideas of transhumanists and designers of the so-called calm technologies, which lie at the heart of the ubicomp paradigm, converge in a common vision of the bio-technological ecosystem. Human (or rather post-human) operates there in space (physical, architectural, cognitive, cultural, informational, virtual) which is a conglomerate of nature, culture and technology. It is a space saturated with media and information systems, seamlessly hidden sensors and devices that collect and analyse data from the environment. The idea that such a natural-artificial ecosystem should be a perceptually friendly, relaxing environment, “like a walk in the woods” (Mark Weiser), lies at the root of the ubicomp concept. Transhumanists advocating cyborgisation or biotechnologies provide various definitions of human “naturalness”, their environment and perception. The implementations of these ideas, along with the big data revolution, result not only in the appearance of new devices, gadgets, surveillance systems or methods of communication, but also cognitive changes. In particular, it is worth looking at the shifts of meanings these concepts have made in terms of understanding perception, and considering their cultural and communicative consequences.
Institute of Cultural Studies of the University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland
ORCID: 0000-0003-3958-267X
E-mail: anna.maj@us.edu.pl