Am I a cyborg?
Ten weeks ago, I thought that the word cyborg means advanced robots as the pronunciation is very similar to the word, robot. However, the meaning of cyborg is not such an interpretation. According to Harraway’s theory, cyborgs are a hybrid of machine and organism. It simply means an organism that has both artificial and natural systems. Since I was defined as human beings, I can also be regarded as a cyborg. In recent years, the relationship between technology and us is very close, human beings not only rely on technology for survival such as prosthesis but also build the environment, which is full of technology for themselves. We are surrounded by technology. For this point of view, I agree that all things surround us which are almost the production of technology like the electronic products as mobile phones, computers, digital cameras and televisions in this era of increased technological advances. They are all continued development and evolution. And they have already become our necessities of humankind, even a symbol of civilization. We take any kinds of transportation to travel from place to place. We cannot go out without a mobile phone. When we go back home, we used to using a computer or other electronic products as well. For my personal life, I used to switching on my laptop and entering the button to automatically log in my MSN account. Then, I open the browser and click the website, Facebook. It seems natural and common to me joining my own social network to communicate with friends through the internet. Yes, I am a cyborg. I am just into the technology in the technology-driven world.
Evaluation of the blog
I have an experience of blogging before. But this time is different as I have never used a blog for learning purposes. It is a great information centre for us to have an interaction between our classmates by replying the comment and have a clear concept about our presentation beforehand. Besides, the blog is very useful that can gather all the information about the unit, since there are enormous amount of information about this unit. Furthermore, I can recapture the knowledge more specific and more deeply about the topics that I learn in the lectures in a fast and convenient way by reading the posts.
Evaluation of the unit
In fact, I am quite interested in the unit that contains philosophical and cultural aspects. During these twelve weeks, I know more about our identity in this digital age and the relationship between gender and technology that I like most. Besides, the unit of Posthuman leads my thinking on the development of our future. In the future, will there have a possibility that we can see robots everywhere to provide services for us? Do they like the robot in the film, I-Robot? That is an interesting question to explore after studying the unit.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Evaluation of Self.Net by Abe Lo
Am I a cyborg?
The question that whether human beings and technology can be separated had already came into my mind before I get in touch with this unit. As in nowadays, compare to the past, we are now all dependent on technology in most of the moments of our lives. Once a technological device is ruined or missing, for example, mobile phone or Internet, humans live will be seriously affected, as well as the organization of our economic and social system. With this unit, the concept of Cyborg was first introduced into my mind, while at the same time, it did helped me to think more in-depth about the relationship between human and technology.
I regard myself as a cyborg, for the situation that I am currently engaging in an environment surrounded by the high-technology. As in the past and places that are under-developed, humans dependency on the advanced technology will not be that high. In this situation, the line between human and technology is very obvious that they are two separate things. The influences bring to each other are quite little as well. So if I am in that situation, I think there is still a distance for me to see myself as cyborg. However, it is already too difficult for me to don't interact with technology, either intentionally or vice versa. My social network is connected by mobile phones, blogs, facebook and emails. My knowledge and information of society and the outside world are based on the Internet, TV, radio broadcast. Without technology, one is not participating with the society that he is in. Here at this point, I do agree and inspired a lot from the cyborg concepts of Katherine Hayles.
The use of blogs for learning purposes
It is the first time for me to use a blog as a part of learning process in a unit. The blog was quite useful for students to have discussion on each other's work. It provide students a platform to study and share opinions on different topics.
About the unit
This is definitely a great unit for me in this semester. Personally, I love to study unit that contains cultural, sociological and philosophical aspects, which exactly this unit fits. It is interesting to learn and explore more about cyborg, as it was an unknown concept for me before the lessons. Among the 12 topics in this unit, I like and get more inspiration from the post-human one. But, I do realise that some concepts/ arguments in some particular topics are quite difficult and unconcrete for year 2 students to understand, especially when some of the students do not have any contact with relevant aspects.
The question that whether human beings and technology can be separated had already came into my mind before I get in touch with this unit. As in nowadays, compare to the past, we are now all dependent on technology in most of the moments of our lives. Once a technological device is ruined or missing, for example, mobile phone or Internet, humans live will be seriously affected, as well as the organization of our economic and social system. With this unit, the concept of Cyborg was first introduced into my mind, while at the same time, it did helped me to think more in-depth about the relationship between human and technology.
I regard myself as a cyborg, for the situation that I am currently engaging in an environment surrounded by the high-technology. As in the past and places that are under-developed, humans dependency on the advanced technology will not be that high. In this situation, the line between human and technology is very obvious that they are two separate things. The influences bring to each other are quite little as well. So if I am in that situation, I think there is still a distance for me to see myself as cyborg. However, it is already too difficult for me to don't interact with technology, either intentionally or vice versa. My social network is connected by mobile phones, blogs, facebook and emails. My knowledge and information of society and the outside world are based on the Internet, TV, radio broadcast. Without technology, one is not participating with the society that he is in. Here at this point, I do agree and inspired a lot from the cyborg concepts of Katherine Hayles.
The use of blogs for learning purposes
It is the first time for me to use a blog as a part of learning process in a unit. The blog was quite useful for students to have discussion on each other's work. It provide students a platform to study and share opinions on different topics.
About the unit
This is definitely a great unit for me in this semester. Personally, I love to study unit that contains cultural, sociological and philosophical aspects, which exactly this unit fits. It is interesting to learn and explore more about cyborg, as it was an unknown concept for me before the lessons. Among the 12 topics in this unit, I like and get more inspiration from the post-human one. But, I do realise that some concepts/ arguments in some particular topics are quite difficult and unconcrete for year 2 students to understand, especially when some of the students do not have any contact with relevant aspects.
Evaluation of the Self Net/ Identity in the Digital Age by Jason Hung
Evaluation the use of blog
Actually, this is my first time authentically to use blog to communicate with others. For me, I think that to use the blog to share our opinions is very fresh and I never imagine that weblog can be used for learning purpose. In fact, living in 20th century digital era, use pen and paper or type it in computer and print it out can be replaced by this weblog platform? Same as us, to hand in the homework is let our lecturer to see our understanding in the course, no matter using what methods to hand in the homework also can show our participation in the lesson. Therefore, I think that using weblog to give our comments and share with other is really useful and it can have an immediate communication with others, so that it will not waste many times to wait for the reply by others. As the development of the internet is used to help people to have a quickly and effective communication, why don’t we fully using this technology? Furthermore, the environmental pollution is very important around the world, reducing to use the paper and inks is very useful to protect our world. Therefore, weblog is a great idea for academic used, rather than only share our own experience.
Am I a cyborg?
According to Donna Haraway who published a book called “A Cyborg Manifesto” in 1985. It mentioned that “A cyborg is a cybernetic organism, a hybrid of machine and organism”. Actually, the name “cyborg” is mean cybernetics plus organism. I totally agree with Donna Haraway said. Because of the development of technology is very ferocious in nowadays, it is not exaggerate to say that people cannot live without technology. For me, I really think that I am a cyborg, since I really cannot lose and very depends on technology. When I was young, I started to play Gameboy, until I studied in secondary school, I played Play-Station, after the development of internet, I played online game, until I get into university, I always using computer to help me to do the research and find information. To now, I always use iPhone to connect with others and I also drive car for transportation. Everything is inseparable with the technology. Mary Shelley had written a book called “Frankenstein” that said the general people will separate their own and technology, but it is impossible to say it now. In nowadays, human create technology and it influence our environment, but at the same time, the environment also influence the technology that affect human. Human is now being combined with technology. Therefore, I deeply believe that I am a cyborg.
What I most liked or not about the unit
Actually, I do not dislike anything about the unit, this course has deepen the concepts between me, technology and environment in nowadays, that is I never expected to gain it, so that I really thank you Franco and Alison to provide an interesting topic to our classmates. But for one things that is make me doubt is why the proportion of the research is so heavy, but the workload of weblog participation also very heavy, it only occupy 15%. I think it may need for adjust. Anyway, I really gain a lot in this course, Thank you:)
Joey's reflection post
Do I regard myself as a cyborg?
In the past, “cyborg” means robot in my dictionary, something part human part machine, characters that we can find in the science fiction. However, I get a totally different concept and meaning of this word after studying this unit. Although, I am a human with with flesh and blood for no doubt, I actually am a cyborg, and I guess everyone around is all cyborg. Nowadays, to survive in this scientific and technological world, we all have no choice but to become a cyborg starting from our childhood days when we started to learn. Things that we use and things that surround us are all most likely related to technology, telephones that we use to connect and communicate with others, computers that we use to let information in and out, and digital devices like Ipod which kids and adults are nearly addicted to, I can say that these are all things we can’t live without with. Like the last discussion we had on the topic post-human, boundary between human and technology, technology is already part of our lives, part of us. Technology doesn’t take place only in reality, it occurs in our mind. Just take myself as an example, every morning when I wake up, whenever I have free time or even I don’t, I will automatically switch on my computer and go online check my facebook account, I am so addicted to facebook and it’s my most preferred medium of communication to others. And after checking facebook I would sign in to my MSN account and check my emails and news and stuff. Everything is just so perfectly natural, and if anyone out there happened know not how to use one of those digital stuffs I have mentioned, he/she would be considered as weird or even abnormal in this digital age. So, I am a cyborg, I accept technological progress but I would allow myself to be over relied on it.
Generally about the unit
Honestly, I don’t have much good feelings on this subject at the first place, I don’t really care about what cyborg is and to me it is sort of troublesome to post comments and evaluations online time to time. However, unexpectedly I found the topic actually can be quite interesting, presentations and discussions we had in the tutorial classes inspired me as well. Every week, after we have certain understanding of that week topic in lecture, classmates take turn to present us a very thorough presentation in tutorial lesson. The discussions in class is really an excellent platform for us to express our thoughts and somehow once or twice I expressed my opinion in class which I rarely do so in the past. The atmosphere of learning is really important and I have to say that asking students to comment or post evaluation online is quite effective in order to make student like me to be more into the unit. And about the unit, I think it covers really well on a wide aspect and motivates me to think deeply in the relation or connection between human and technology. I’ve especially learnt a lot more on values and privacy, and I think under this digital age, I will keep exploring on this topic in my daily life.
In the past, “cyborg” means robot in my dictionary, something part human part machine, characters that we can find in the science fiction. However, I get a totally different concept and meaning of this word after studying this unit. Although, I am a human with with flesh and blood for no doubt, I actually am a cyborg, and I guess everyone around is all cyborg. Nowadays, to survive in this scientific and technological world, we all have no choice but to become a cyborg starting from our childhood days when we started to learn. Things that we use and things that surround us are all most likely related to technology, telephones that we use to connect and communicate with others, computers that we use to let information in and out, and digital devices like Ipod which kids and adults are nearly addicted to, I can say that these are all things we can’t live without with. Like the last discussion we had on the topic post-human, boundary between human and technology, technology is already part of our lives, part of us. Technology doesn’t take place only in reality, it occurs in our mind. Just take myself as an example, every morning when I wake up, whenever I have free time or even I don’t, I will automatically switch on my computer and go online check my facebook account, I am so addicted to facebook and it’s my most preferred medium of communication to others. And after checking facebook I would sign in to my MSN account and check my emails and news and stuff. Everything is just so perfectly natural, and if anyone out there happened know not how to use one of those digital stuffs I have mentioned, he/she would be considered as weird or even abnormal in this digital age. So, I am a cyborg, I accept technological progress but I would allow myself to be over relied on it.
Generally about the unit
Honestly, I don’t have much good feelings on this subject at the first place, I don’t really care about what cyborg is and to me it is sort of troublesome to post comments and evaluations online time to time. However, unexpectedly I found the topic actually can be quite interesting, presentations and discussions we had in the tutorial classes inspired me as well. Every week, after we have certain understanding of that week topic in lecture, classmates take turn to present us a very thorough presentation in tutorial lesson. The discussions in class is really an excellent platform for us to express our thoughts and somehow once or twice I expressed my opinion in class which I rarely do so in the past. The atmosphere of learning is really important and I have to say that asking students to comment or post evaluation online is quite effective in order to make student like me to be more into the unit. And about the unit, I think it covers really well on a wide aspect and motivates me to think deeply in the relation or connection between human and technology. I’ve especially learnt a lot more on values and privacy, and I think under this digital age, I will keep exploring on this topic in my daily life.
A reflective post by Ava
Am I a cyborg?
Whether I am a cyborg or not, if I strictly follow the definition suggested by Donna Haraway, well, I am not, definitely not! At least, besides the braces in my mouth, you can hardly ever find any machine in my body. In general, I am not a “hybrid of machine and organism”. But, as we continuously discuss in this unit, the concept of cyborg seems can be re-defined regarding the case of JenniCAM, virtual community and posthuman for example. Well, then I forced to admit that I am a cyborg! Not that I can’t live without technology, but I can’t break away from machines. In fact, Hayles voiced out most people’s view. Technology, in a way, changes our bodily experience. Just like the existence of smartphone, both schedule and contact list are “memorized” inside its memory card, but not human brain. I guess many of us once lost the smartphone and turned out that, we are “cleared”! No friends, no meetings, no mind! Only body is left. It illustrates that human are now “customized” by machines, maybe say in this way, we are “customized” by machines which are “customized” by us. Finally, as a matter of fact, I, as a human, involve myself in this complex relationship. I guess, “Am I a cyborg” would no longer a core question to this unit in the future, but “Am I a human” instead!
How did the blog work for me?
To any fresh students who first hear the term “cyborg”, this blog would definitely provide a brilliant platform for UWA students to discuss cyborgs. It is quite interesting to hand in assignments on the weblog and in a way gather all students’ analysis for review. However, the most effective function of the weblog, I guess, is that it makes me reinforce my feeling that I am unable to escape from the complex relationship between machines and eventually forced to recognize myself as a cyborg!
Evaluation of the unit
Honestly speaking, what is cyborg? Why I am asked whether I am a cyborg? They are the questions I raised up after my first lesson. It is because I am asking something which I take for granted for nearly more than 10 years. It is quite shocked when I was told maybe I am a cyborg just because I create an online identity in forum. However, after the introduction of Donna Haraway, Katherine Hayles and Kate Moss (cover page of unit guide), I admit that there’s a close relationship between machines and me, and it is worth to study it academically and critically. Before I become a slave of machines, I should first understand the correlation between us in this digital age. Self.Net undoubtedly gave me time for reflection.
Self-reflection and evaluation by Renile
Am I a cyborg?
It is definitely yes! Before studying this subject, I have no idea of what is a cyborg. According to Dr. Donna Haraway, Cyborg is referring to a cybernetic organism which is a hybrid of machine and organism. After exploring much more in lesson, I can announce to the world that I am a cyborg. Since I was a high school student, I could not separate with the internet --- the amazing digital world. Even still now, I cannot live without my iphone or computer. I do my shopping online, I communicate with my friends online, I watch television online, I order KFC online and I even learn online. Once my mum scolded me that if I lived with my computer I would died. Until then, I finally come to questioning myself whether I am living in a real world or digital world. Sometimes, I cannot tell what is real and what is unreal. As the things we did in the digital world is closely related with the real world. For instance, you order food in the digital world. Then after an hour later, the food will really be arrived to your home in the real world. And I think the tie between it is so amazing.
Besides, it seems that as technology becomes more advanced, we are more addicted to and cannot get rid of technology. That is why David Tomas believed that “cyborg represents a radical vision of what it means to be human in the late 20th century”. Furthermore, I think that on one hand, technology can facilitate our life but on the other hand it looks like we rely too much on it. Hence, it makes me wondering about whether human beings really take control of the technology or is the technology takes control of us? Does technology actually do more good or harm to us? Though these questions are really hard to answer but as a self net students these really worth discussing.
Evaluation of the weblog
As the unit is related to technology and I think it is such a match, fun and new idea to use weblog as an aid to the course. Also, I have never thought of using a weblog as a mean to share and discuss our opinions on certain topics with an academic purpose. As it is a weblog, it provides a more relax and free atmosphere for us to express our opinion in which it is so different from the traditional one. Thus we are more willing to voice ourselves more in this way. But if the weblog is not for the purpose of marking, I think it will be more meaningful to create a weblog.
Evaluation of the Unit
I enjoy and learn so much in this unit. The topic of “cyborg” is so new to me and I am glad to explore more about it. Besides, this unit provides me a lot of angles to perceive our identity in this digital world from different aspects. Also, after studying this unit, it makes me come to contemplate more about the relationship of human and technology. As we are already soaked into the digital world, we seldom come to realize our relationship with technology. Studying this unit is exactly a good timing for us to confront with it. Therefore, I enjoy the lesson very much.
It is definitely yes! Before studying this subject, I have no idea of what is a cyborg. According to Dr. Donna Haraway, Cyborg is referring to a cybernetic organism which is a hybrid of machine and organism. After exploring much more in lesson, I can announce to the world that I am a cyborg. Since I was a high school student, I could not separate with the internet --- the amazing digital world. Even still now, I cannot live without my iphone or computer. I do my shopping online, I communicate with my friends online, I watch television online, I order KFC online and I even learn online. Once my mum scolded me that if I lived with my computer I would died. Until then, I finally come to questioning myself whether I am living in a real world or digital world. Sometimes, I cannot tell what is real and what is unreal. As the things we did in the digital world is closely related with the real world. For instance, you order food in the digital world. Then after an hour later, the food will really be arrived to your home in the real world. And I think the tie between it is so amazing.
Besides, it seems that as technology becomes more advanced, we are more addicted to and cannot get rid of technology. That is why David Tomas believed that “cyborg represents a radical vision of what it means to be human in the late 20th century”. Furthermore, I think that on one hand, technology can facilitate our life but on the other hand it looks like we rely too much on it. Hence, it makes me wondering about whether human beings really take control of the technology or is the technology takes control of us? Does technology actually do more good or harm to us? Though these questions are really hard to answer but as a self net students these really worth discussing.
Evaluation of the weblog
As the unit is related to technology and I think it is such a match, fun and new idea to use weblog as an aid to the course. Also, I have never thought of using a weblog as a mean to share and discuss our opinions on certain topics with an academic purpose. As it is a weblog, it provides a more relax and free atmosphere for us to express our opinion in which it is so different from the traditional one. Thus we are more willing to voice ourselves more in this way. But if the weblog is not for the purpose of marking, I think it will be more meaningful to create a weblog.
Evaluation of the Unit
I enjoy and learn so much in this unit. The topic of “cyborg” is so new to me and I am glad to explore more about it. Besides, this unit provides me a lot of angles to perceive our identity in this digital world from different aspects. Also, after studying this unit, it makes me come to contemplate more about the relationship of human and technology. As we are already soaked into the digital world, we seldom come to realize our relationship with technology. Studying this unit is exactly a good timing for us to confront with it. Therefore, I enjoy the lesson very much.
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