Transhumanism and Singularity: A Comparative Analysis of a Radical Perspective in Contemporary Works

Year 2019, , 39 - 49, 22.01.2019

Timuçin Buğra Edman

https://doi.org/10.21547/jss.446662

Cited By: 2

Abstract

A new literary tendency of the 21^st century
has reached a certain level where it encapsulates both the past and future of
humans. We call this tendency ‘transhumanism’, and it endeavors to combine science and technology through
the filtration of fantastic elements of literature to amalgamate the entity of
man and the ideas of singularity and immortality. The choice of three contemporary
novels, namely Brave New World, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and
The Transhumanist Wager brings a
consolidation towards the initiated movement of transhumanism in literature.
Therefore, in principal, the first aim of this article is to present how the
basic logic of transhumanism embodied in the selected contemporary works. For
this reason, a transhumanist analysis of works will be applied on them after an
explanation of the different perceptions of transhumanism since it is a fresh
approach. A secondary objective of this text is to redeem the idea of
singularity and immortality in the 21^st century to demonstrate the
journey of this ever-lasting desire. The continuation of this longing from
ancient times to our own is not something astonishing, but the way this desire
maintains and manifests itself through science and literature is worth
mentioning.

Keywords

Tranhumanism, Singularity, Immortality, Virtual Reality

Transhümanizm ve Tekillik: Çağdaş Eserlerde Radikal Bir Perspektifin Karşılaştırmalı Analizi

Abstract

21. yüzyılın yeni
bir edebi eğilimi, insanların hem geçmişini hem de geleceğini içine alan
belirli bir düzeye ulaştı. Biz buna “transhümanizm” eğilimi diyoruz ve
transhümanizm, insanın varlığını, tekillik ve ölümsüzlük fikirlerini
birleştirmek için bilim ve teknolojiyi edebiyatın fantastik unsurlarının
filtrelenmesi yoluyla birleştirmeye gayret eder. Üç çağdaş romanın seçimi, yani
Cesur Yeni Dünya, Androidler Eletrikli Koyun Düşler Mi?,
ve Transhümanist Bahis,
transhümanizmin başlatılan hareketine literatürde bir bütünleştirme getiriyor.
Bu nedenle, bu makalenin ilk amacı, seçilmiş çağdaş eserlerde, transhümanizmin
temel mantığının nasıl oluştuğunu ortaya koymaktır. Bu yüzden, yeni bir
yaklaşım olduğu için, transhümanizmin farklı algılarının açıklanmasından sonra,
eserlere transhümanist bir analiz uygulanacaktır. Bu metnin ikincil bir amacı,
21. yüzyıldaki tekillik ve ölümsüzlük fikrinin bedelinin ödenerek bu ebedi
arzunun yolculuğunu sergilemektir.  Bu
özlemin eski çağlardan başlayarak kendi başına devam etmesi şaşırtıcı bir şey
değildir, ancak bu arzunun kendini bilim ve edebiyat aracılığıyla sürdürdüğü ve
tezahür ettiği şeylerden bahsetmek ise kayda değerdir.

Keywords

Transhümanizm, Tekillik, Ölümsüzlük, Sanal Gerçeklik

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