After reading this interview, we can realize that Bertolt have increased a new form of technology. As we observe, he's using on himself one of these gimmicks : a bionic man. As the world evolves, Bertolt thinks that this technology will be extremely benefit for human being. By giving the example of the robot he has created, we can actually realize that this man could create a part of a real clone. The last sentence of the journalist has to be seen as very significant due to the fact that he's considering Bertolt as a robot before as a human. From his point of view, Bertolt is going through a process which takes him away from his human nature to lead him to a new bionic appearance. 

We could understand it as an alert message or a fascinating point of view to know that we are evolving to a new conception of ourselves : if we had a bionic part in our bodies, we would certainly find lots of benefits due to the fact they compensate for our defaults and they give us such benefits. But can we only focus on this aspect ?

Bertoldt lost his hand and had to replace it to live properly but in a way, it doesn't seem bad in his point of view, as he experiences and participates to the advances in the field of  bionic limbs. 

Furthermore he evokes the profits to be derived of that new potential market which would be huge, like in the aesthetich surgery domain : if someone offered you the possibility to be an upgraded version of yourself, would you refuse it ?

This is an eternal debate that inevitably leads us to ethical and philosophical issues. 

Indeed what makes us human ?

Our  bodies made out of flesh and blood,  given by nature ? Or do we have to leave that behind and evolve, do we have to make a scary step forward in the unknown, as we always have done in order to survive ?

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• • Anonyme

    Mercredi 6 Avril 2016 à 16:48

    I totally agree with you

"It's fascinating to think how much of you is bionic befor you stop being human as well"

This is actually a logical paradox, wich humanity have been wondering about since the dawn of times.

The Ship of Theseus illustrates this idea : if you have a ship, and then you end up replacing all the wood, and awhile later you replace all the sails, and finally you replace al the hooks.

Is it still the same ship ? Or a new ship ? What makes something truly original ?

 

If a man has a arm replaced by a bionic device, he would still be himself. If all his limbs would also be replaced, he would still be himself. So at what point will he no longer be himself ?

Almost all of you cells have been replaced since birth. But does it mean you're not "yourself" ?

But it's not the earthly body that defines a human. Every memory, every encounter, every single thought somehow comes to forge one's each character trait, each opinion, each way of thinking ; and how one reacts to those experiences : this is what defines a individual as a whole.

in my opinion , I think that the journalist underline the  fact that some people will take these bionic limbs as esthetic needs so they will use it as plastic surgery. Nonetheless the main objective of the bionic limb relates to medicine and not esthetic. So they would become inhuman or artificial and leave things the nature gave them whereas they don't particulary need it.  It's dangerous because people can have capacity that they shouldn't have and go overboard. So the benefits of medical progress can be called into question.

Bertoldt is using the bionic hand for his own advantage

i mean if you have problems or disease in some part of your body and you know that you can be healed by using this new technology, i think that most of us would agree to it. It won't make us any less human, it will just replace the part of our body that doesn't work anymore so that  we can be normal again. moreover we can also upgrade ourself and it's not really a bad idea for most of the people.

 

 

The last sentence of the interview is really unclear, there are no precisions. What does it means to be human? Is he talking about the physical appearance of human or about the mind of human? If it is about the appearance, only the fact to have a bionic spare makes you a bionic human. Whereas, the mind of human is more difficult to define. What is to behave and to think like a human? For example, Bertolt has a bionic hand which has capacities that a human body doesn't. He is a bionic human in appearance, but, is he still human? Maybe, the journalist wants to talk about the human capacities. Being human is a set of many things like appearance, mind, behavior, thoughts. Someone who has killed somebody, is he human? And if it was for a good reason? Someone who has no feelings, is he human? What is the definition of human?

I think that we can underline the fact that bionic man catch up with the human body. It's  potentialy a big market because in certains societies it's already accepted to alter a healthy body in order to increase its aesthetic appearance and these new technologies have the same concept but in this case for functionality. However, if someone has a bionic limb, he can contract side effects of the invention and then, this project is also around ethical questions.

In my point of view you can't stop being human just cause you changed some parts of your body. This is not the body that makes you human or not, for me it's the thoughts. If it only remains as an organic part your head, and your body is fully bionic, I think you are still human because you always think as a human and always have feelings as a human. However, the frontier between being a human or not is really unclear, it is impossible to say at what precise time you become a robot. So I think there will be an endless debate with people saying changing your body make you stop being human and the others saying you are still human even if you change parts of your body.

We know that Bertolt has lost his hand and now with the new cutting-edge technology , he is alive. As a matter of course , if the technology could change nowadays a human's hand , tomorrow the technology would create an perfect bionic man who look like a human.  

As a consequence , I think that bionic man can cheer up a person who has lost a part of his body : a leg for example . Thus, the person will see that he is not the only one to have a bionic leg.

Finally , the new conception of a bionic man ( with spare parts of human body) could permit the survival of the human being.

For me, to stay human the part of you which is mécanic must stay under the control of the real human part of you and the descison must Be take with  feelings of a human brain  for exemple Bertlot have all The control of si bionic hand then I can't be considered as a machine just for that. 

The journalist could be referring to the fact that bionic limbs would be a huge ethical issue in the future. These improvments are meant to become a big market , it will be a way to change appearances in a purely esthetic purpose, or even  to improve our natural capacities. I think lot of people will be attracted by this . But indeed , if every human had bionic limbs inside their body. They would still be humans. Nothing will ever change this as long as we still think by ourselves. The image that we have of mankind will evolve at the same time. But being human is not only about the appearance. 

Basically Bertolt's bionic hand is an advantage for him and he makes us understand it.This could be a real advancement for the world with a lot of benefits. But if you change or add something to you body will you not be yourself anymore? (We understand that the journalist thinks  Bertolt is more a robot than a human). So is Bertolt the same as before?

I think he's only talking about the physical appearence because you'll still be yourself no matter what. You can change a lot of things but you'll always be the same mentally.

  And if people can make from their handicap an advantage it would be awesome and they should take this opportunity.They'll be able to enjoy their life like everyone.

 

 

This last sentence underline the question about the humanity. What does it really mean to be a human ? Is it to have two normal legs and arms? Certainly not, a lot of people lost one of their limb and they are still humans. So what? If we have more than 50% of our body that is bionic, are we still a human or are we considered as a robot?
Or is it about the appearance? But for the disfigured person (because of some burn or acid etching), what does that mean?
Maybe, that's to be born from two human parents, however it would mean that if we succed to artificially create human being, do they really will be human?
Well I think we can answer this question only if we had undergo such a procedure.

To see us that as the bionic man is incredible because maintaining everything becomes possible as to be able to surpass the repercussions of an accident as lose an arm, one, a leg, maintaining he is possible of them got back and of the good to keep control of this technology and provide to use him on a daily basis. Nevertheless, it does not dehumanize us? Because we become as a cyborg made by iron pieces. When we lost the members of our body for me to my taste, they are irremediable because we shall always have this sensation with this technology of does not have them to find exactly, somewhere, it is little somewhere as a utopia, because we have the impression to find them but it nevertheless makes us look like a machine to whom we add spare parts.

In my opinion,this bionic technologies could be revolution for reconstructive surgery.It could help people who lost a limb like Bertolt but also for those who need transplantation or transfusion.
However we could imagine that this progress could also be use for change their body althought they don't need to and the realobjective of the bionic limb will be divert.
It aske the question that if we use bionic technologies are we still human? In my opinion being human is not about of what your body is constituted but about thought and thinking as human, the ability of feeling and have opinion about something.

I find the last sentence of the journalisy is pretty interessant. It's obvious that Bertolt's bionic hand is really usefull for him. Nevertheless, this sentence makes us think about the definition of a human being. If in the future, as Bertolt's said, the bionics limbs become a real market, and everybody use this, could we still consider ourselves as human ? Personally, I would say yes, but only if we use this technology when we truely need it, to help handicapped people for example.

I think, the best answer to this sentence is : "what is : being an human ? " !

 

In fact when we see our nowadays way of life, what could say people from the las century ? Maybe they can say that we are not anymore humans because we are spending too much times on electronics devices .... oor something else...

 

It's a really big ethic's problem to solve... What can we do ? Create laws ? Let people do what they want ? Regulate ? Give very high prices ? 

no.

The problem is to know what you will do with your new capacity : help the other ? destroy all ? take the power ? 

All is good and all is bad.

 

The only answer for me is : "what am i doing in this f*****g world ?!?"