Human Enhancement Technologies and Our Merger with Machines

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will be devoted to papers that discuss some of the myriad challenges resulting from continuing technological enhancement of human sensory, motor, and cognitive abilities.  The very question of what it means to be human (from a philosophical, legal, and evolutionary perspective) warrants serious discussion. In our view, a cross-disciplinary approach within the fields of philosophy, engineering, computer science, law, and social science is critical as more, and more powerful, technology is attached to and implanted within the human body. Concepts of ‘body’, ‘morality’, ‘ethics’, ‘reality’, ‘experience’, ‘consciousness‘, and ‘rights’ all are candidates for re-examination. We invite papers from contributors on a diverse set of topics (such as the keywords listed below), with the overarching focus being how the use of enhancement technologies is challenging the notion of what it means to be human from a moral, ethical, and legal rights perspective. We look forward to your submissions and to working with you on this important topic.

Prof. Dr. Woodrow Barfield
Prof. Dr. Sayoko Blodgett-Ford
Guest Editors

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