https://doi.org/10.67147/literariness.v1si1.025
From Apprehension to Assurance: The Evolution of Posthumanism in Science Fiction
MINCY MATHEW
Research Scholar
Sree Sankara College, Kalady
Affiliated to MG University
Abstract: Post-humanism is a philosophical and cultural movement that seeks to challenge and expand the traditional concept of what it means to be human. This paper analyses how the exploration of post-humanism in science fiction literature has evolved from scepticism to optimism. Earlier science fiction texts viewed concepts such as Artificial Intelligence, Human Augmentation, Virtual Reality, and Mind Uploading with apprehension and concern. However, contemporary science fiction texts are far more open to new ideas, and there is a blurring of boundaries between the human and the non-human. This article aims to exemplify this transition through the famous works, I, Robot by Isaac Asimov and Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan, written half a century apart. This evolution reflects society’s growing acceptance and integration of technology into daily life. This transition is analysed through the theoretical perspectives of scholars such as N. Katherine Hayles and Rosi Braidotti.
Keywords: Post-humanism, Artificial Intelligence, Human Augmentation, Technology, Virtual Reality
Read full paper PDF