Bodioid: philosophical reflections on the hybrid of bodies and artefacts towards post-human

Abstract

The advent of the post-human era has blurred the boundary between the body and artefacts. Further, external materials and information are more deeply integrated into the body, making emerging technology a key driving force for shaping post-human existence and promoting bodily evolution. Based on this, this study analyses the transformation process of three technological forms, namely tools, machines, and cyborgs, and reveals the construction of bodies and artefacts. From the phenomenological perspective, the essences of body and artefact existences are reflected upon, and the 'existence is construction' viewpoint is proposed. Furthermore, a technological design concept, 'bodioid', is proposed to meticulously depict the characteristics of integrating similarities and differences towards unity between the body and artefacts, based on the theoretical foundation of technology mediation and the materialization of morality. Finally, through analogizing the organizational form of language, the two key forms and specific mechanisms of bodioid construction, namely extension and mirroring, are indicated. With this in mind, the post-human existence landscape is discussed with the objective of providing theoretical insights into the study of the underlying philosophical principles of technological design.