In the Year 2525...

 

I love science and technology.  It helps keep our teeth white, and our roots not gray, 😉 along with many other niceties.  But on a more serious note, it also can provide us with “replacement parts,” like new knees and artificial hearts to pump our blood (see photo above).

The day may come when medical technology advances to the point of artificial eyeballs, exoskeletons, instantaneous knowledge of something through a program download to one’s brain, and who knows what else!  I’m thinking beyond “The Bionic Woman/Six Million Dollar Man” here.

When I came across this question on the internet, one simple analogy they gave was: What if you take something simple like an ax.  You replace its head, and then replace its handle?  Is it still an ax?  It looks like an ax, it works like an ax, but it is not the “original” ax.  Now substitute the word "human" for "ax."  See where I’m going?

Of course, we’re venturing off into left field here, comparing something complex, like a human, to an ax.  But let's think deeper here; i.e., major overhaul, conjuring up visions of a "Data" from Star Trek, to the "HAL9000" from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

So, this leads us to my question: At what point is a technologically-enhanced human not a human anymore?  What exactly does it take to still be considered human?  What is the specific criteria, in your opinion?  Give as much detail as you can.

(by Primoridal “albeit still human-ish” Soup) 😁