Cyborgs and the future of the human spirit
This article reports on the influence of an important... more Cyborgs and the future of the human spirit
This article reports on the influence of an important project of our time, the creation of thinking machines or cyborgs, on the essence of human spirituality. The popular work of Kurzweil was used as a starting point. Kurzweil believes that the cyborgs or man-machine hybrids will not only be a simulation of human cognition but also of consciousness and spirituality. In fact, it will be more than a simulation; it will enhance and alter consciousness and spirituality in a radical, unfathomable way. The basis of Kurzweil’s argument is his law of accelerating returns, which predicts such a progress in technology that, if an algorithm for the working of the brain can be formulated, it will be possible to develop software emulating the conscious brain. In this way, current limitations experienced by human beings, including mortality, will be overcome. This assumption was investigated from an anthropological view using Janicaud’s concepts. The cyborg is seen as an illustration of people’s innate desire to overcome the human condition. Humanity is characterised by a constant struggle to find a balance between the superhuman and the inhuman as the extreme states of human spirituality. This also characterises human liberty – humans are free to choose. Given this characterisation of humanity, the nature of the cyborg as superhuman is then considered. Different possibilities are sketched: the superhuman who will exercise the pure will to power (awakening the inhuman) or a person with a complete naïve freedom. The future is not easy to predict. Janicaud considers the view of the cyborg as superhuman to be a myth. The real danger facing humanity is the inhuman. The growth and progress of technology do not guarantee moral progress. Currently, technology seems to create a sharp divide between a privileged few and the rest. The two world wars in the previous century illustrated ways in which technology could be used to commit cold-blooded barbaric acts on a mass scale. In addition, biotechnology and other technological innovations could give rise to new forms of violence which can effectively be spread by new media. The inhuman is a place from where it is difficult to return.
The challenge of our time is to carry the responsibility of our freedom in such a way that we can defend ourselves against our inhumanity but so that we could also open up to the radical creativity and strangeness of superhumans lying dormant in us. It is clear that now, more than ever before, human spirituality needs to be as alive and rich as possible to rise to the challenge. However, the belief in technology as utopia enslaves the human spirit. We forget that we are the creators of technology and fabricate excuses for moral and intellectual abdications. Furthermore, the assumption that cognition can be mechanised or formalised leads to the disembodiment of intelligence and thought. Humans are placed outside of the world to which they belong. We become estranged from ourselves and each other. The human spirit seems to be wounded by the prevailing metaphors of disembodiment and mechanisation accompanying technological dominance. This article contributes to the call for the struggle for the re-enchantment of the human spirit. It is imperative that thinkers and innovators – leaders – create new metaphors to provide richer descriptions of humanity. Social sciences, studying the human condition for centuries, might contribute valuable ideas. Technology can be used in this struggle but only if human beings understand their own paradoxical nature as well as that of technology. The fortified spirit is one that accepts its mortality and fragility but takes responsibility for its freedom. In this way, meaning is re-introduced in the lives of human beings.
The use of mobile technologies to facilitate learning has emerged as an area of its own and refer... more The use of mobile technologies to facilitate learning has emerged as an area of its own and referred to as mobile learning. Ericsson initiated a project called ‘Connect to Learn’ (C2L), where a mobile learning solution focused on introducing creativity and interactivity into the classrooms of South Africa using various mobile technologies and applications, was developed. Ericsson has employed this solution in various schools in and around Johannesburg, South Africa. This research study focuses on investigating the user acceptance (teachers and learners) of utilizing tablets (MobiPads) in the learning of mathematics in classrooms participating in the C2L project. The tablets are not owned by the learners and are not used by learners in an informal environment outside of school boundaries. The tablets therefore have restricted mobility and the study contributes by exploring user acceptance of semi-mobile learning. It is shown that learners values the mobility feature of the devices, even though it is limited. However, what proves to be essential for acceptance of mobile mathematics learning is the content, its relevance to real-life situations, providing capability to explore and the mapping of the content to the curriculum.
E-Learning can be described as instruction that is delivered using computer and communication tec... more E-Learning can be described as instruction that is delivered using computer and communication technology, and its potential to liberate learners from the limitations of other forms of learning is uniformly acknowledged. However, there is surprisingly high resistance to e-Learning in corporate training environments. The purpose of this study is to examine the literature on factors that may contribute to this resistance, also in South Africa. We present the corporate e-Learning environment as an activity system and analyse existing adoption literature using the six elements of Activity Theory. In this way, a holistic understanding is obtained of contributing factors towards adoption of e-Learning in corporate environments.
Expatriate research has indicated that expatriate adjustment is a complex problem given that fact... more Expatriate research has indicated that expatriate adjustment is a complex problem given that factors such as the influence of the spouse, cultural training/understanding, fluency in the host language and personality or emotional readiness of the expatriate are key. Considering these challenges in a culturally diverse environment such as Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) provides a setting for an interesting study. The on-going PhD study concerning how expatriates use the Internet to adapt to KSA has proposed a theoretical model derived by following Glaser’s Grounded Theory Methodology (GTM). This paper will report on a specific aspect of this proposed model namely the substantive category “degree of isolation” that references the expatriates the most. In line with the principles of the GTM extant literature were surveyed when the proposed theory reached maturity. This paper describes how the theory of Sense of Community (SOC) was chosen and applied to explain how expatriates, living in compounds in KSA, make sense of the degree of isolation experienced as it addressed the multifaceted nature of isolation as defined by this study.
There is general consensus that South Africa experiences moral degeneration. This paper describes... more There is general consensus that South Africa experiences moral degeneration. This paper describes an assignment done by first year Information Systems (IS) students at the University of Pretoria in which they had to present ways to address the moral regeneration of the South African society. The purpose of the assignment was to make students aware of the moral degeneration problem and to allow them to use the skills and e-skills they gained on the course to come up with suggestions on how to solve the problem. They used creativity techniques to do this and they had to involve Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in addressing the problem. From the analysis done it is evident that students perceive poor living conditions and a lack of education to be the principle causes of the crisis. Their suggestions to solve the problem were directed towards the provision of social support and education. They perceive ICT to assist in providing such solutions of which, true to their generation, social networking was identified as a technology with a lot of potential.
During the 2010 SAICSIT conference (http://hufee.meraka.org.za/Hufeesite/saicsit-2010) a half-day... more During the 2010 SAICSIT conference (http://hufee.meraka.org.za/Hufeesite/saicsit-2010) a half-day Enterprise Architecture Workshop was hosted where the purpose was to investigate: 1. the current status of teaching offerings in Enterprise Architecture in South Africa 2. future opportunities for developing Enterprise Architecture as research field.
This article provides an alternative view to questions of technological inclusion and exclusion i... more This article provides an alternative view to questions of technological inclusion and exclusion in sub-Saharan Africa via an analysis of the South African governmental discourse on indigenous knowledge systems (IKS). The concept of 'selective exclusion' (SE) is developed in relation to the digital divide, highlighting that technology is not always perceived as neutral or universally beneficial, but rather is negotiated in relation to specific socio-political contexts and alternative systems of knowledge. The concept of SE highlights the following: (a) 'Western' rationality and technology can be perceived as threats to indigenous identity and knowledge and as a result treated circumspectly; (b) nevertheless the 'Western' domain is seen as promising economic benefits, which need to be accessed; (c) therefore, the 'Western' domain and its associated technologies are selectively excluded; (d) the existence of a digital divide is not necessarily seen as negative as it offers protection against globalisation; and (e) the agency of indigenous individuals and communities is considered central and the ability to appropriate technology in relation to this is stressed.
The viability of business data mining in the sports environment: cricket match analysis as applic... more The viability of business data mining in the sports environment: cricket match analysis as application.
Cyborgs and the future of the human spirit
This article reports on the influence of an important... more Cyborgs and the future of the human spirit
This article reports on the influence of an important project of our time, the creation of thinking machines or cyborgs, on the essence of human spirituality. The popular work of Kurzweil was used as a starting point. Kurzweil believes that the cyborgs or man-machine hybrids will not only be a simulation of human cognition but also of consciousness and spirituality. In fact, it will be more than a simulation; it will enhance and alter consciousness and spirituality in a radical, unfathomable way. The basis of Kurzweil’s argument is his law of accelerating returns, which predicts such a progress in technology that, if an algorithm for the working of the brain can be formulated, it will be possible to develop software emulating the conscious brain. In this way, current limitations experienced by human beings, including mortality, will be overcome. This assumption was investigated from an anthropological view using Janicaud’s concepts. The cyborg is seen as an illustration of people’s innate desire to overcome the human condition. Humanity is characterised by a constant struggle to find a balance between the superhuman and the inhuman as the extreme states of human spirituality. This also characterises human liberty – humans are free to choose. Given this characterisation of humanity, the nature of the cyborg as superhuman is then considered. Different possibilities are sketched: the superhuman who will exercise the pure will to power (awakening the inhuman) or a person with a complete naïve freedom. The future is not easy to predict. Janicaud considers the view of the cyborg as superhuman to be a myth. The real danger facing humanity is the inhuman. The growth and progress of technology do not guarantee moral progress. Currently, technology seems to create a sharp divide between a privileged few and the rest. The two world wars in the previous century illustrated ways in which technology could be used to commit cold-blooded barbaric acts on a mass scale. In addition, biotechnology and other technological innovations could give rise to new forms of violence which can effectively be spread by new media. The inhuman is a place from where it is difficult to return.
The challenge of our time is to carry the responsibility of our freedom in such a way that we can defend ourselves against our inhumanity but so that we could also open up to the radical creativity and strangeness of superhumans lying dormant in us. It is clear that now, more than ever before, human spirituality needs to be as alive and rich as possible to rise to the challenge. However, the belief in technology as utopia enslaves the human spirit. We forget that we are the creators of technology and fabricate excuses for moral and intellectual abdications. Furthermore, the assumption that cognition can be mechanised or formalised leads to the disembodiment of intelligence and thought. Humans are placed outside of the world to which they belong. We become estranged from ourselves and each other. The human spirit seems to be wounded by the prevailing metaphors of disembodiment and mechanisation accompanying technological dominance. This article contributes to the call for the struggle for the re-enchantment of the human spirit. It is imperative that thinkers and innovators – leaders – create new metaphors to provide richer descriptions of humanity. Social sciences, studying the human condition for centuries, might contribute valuable ideas. Technology can be used in this struggle but only if human beings understand their own paradoxical nature as well as that of technology. The fortified spirit is one that accepts its mortality and fragility but takes responsibility for its freedom. In this way, meaning is re-introduced in the lives of human beings.
The use of mobile technologies to facilitate learning has emerged as an area of its own and refer... more The use of mobile technologies to facilitate learning has emerged as an area of its own and referred to as mobile learning. Ericsson initiated a project called ‘Connect to Learn’ (C2L), where a mobile learning solution focused on introducing creativity and interactivity into the classrooms of South Africa using various mobile technologies and applications, was developed. Ericsson has employed this solution in various schools in and around Johannesburg, South Africa. This research study focuses on investigating the user acceptance (teachers and learners) of utilizing tablets (MobiPads) in the learning of mathematics in classrooms participating in the C2L project. The tablets are not owned by the learners and are not used by learners in an informal environment outside of school boundaries. The tablets therefore have restricted mobility and the study contributes by exploring user acceptance of semi-mobile learning. It is shown that learners values the mobility feature of the devices, even though it is limited. However, what proves to be essential for acceptance of mobile mathematics learning is the content, its relevance to real-life situations, providing capability to explore and the mapping of the content to the curriculum.
E-Learning can be described as instruction that is delivered using computer and communication tec... more E-Learning can be described as instruction that is delivered using computer and communication technology, and its potential to liberate learners from the limitations of other forms of learning is uniformly acknowledged. However, there is surprisingly high resistance to e-Learning in corporate training environments. The purpose of this study is to examine the literature on factors that may contribute to this resistance, also in South Africa. We present the corporate e-Learning environment as an activity system and analyse existing adoption literature using the six elements of Activity Theory. In this way, a holistic understanding is obtained of contributing factors towards adoption of e-Learning in corporate environments.
Expatriate research has indicated that expatriate adjustment is a complex problem given that fact... more Expatriate research has indicated that expatriate adjustment is a complex problem given that factors such as the influence of the spouse, cultural training/understanding, fluency in the host language and personality or emotional readiness of the expatriate are key. Considering these challenges in a culturally diverse environment such as Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) provides a setting for an interesting study. The on-going PhD study concerning how expatriates use the Internet to adapt to KSA has proposed a theoretical model derived by following Glaser’s Grounded Theory Methodology (GTM). This paper will report on a specific aspect of this proposed model namely the substantive category “degree of isolation” that references the expatriates the most. In line with the principles of the GTM extant literature were surveyed when the proposed theory reached maturity. This paper describes how the theory of Sense of Community (SOC) was chosen and applied to explain how expatriates, living in compounds in KSA, make sense of the degree of isolation experienced as it addressed the multifaceted nature of isolation as defined by this study.
There is general consensus that South Africa experiences moral degeneration. This paper describes... more There is general consensus that South Africa experiences moral degeneration. This paper describes an assignment done by first year Information Systems (IS) students at the University of Pretoria in which they had to present ways to address the moral regeneration of the South African society. The purpose of the assignment was to make students aware of the moral degeneration problem and to allow them to use the skills and e-skills they gained on the course to come up with suggestions on how to solve the problem. They used creativity techniques to do this and they had to involve Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in addressing the problem. From the analysis done it is evident that students perceive poor living conditions and a lack of education to be the principle causes of the crisis. Their suggestions to solve the problem were directed towards the provision of social support and education. They perceive ICT to assist in providing such solutions of which, true to their generation, social networking was identified as a technology with a lot of potential.
During the 2010 SAICSIT conference (http://hufee.meraka.org.za/Hufeesite/saicsit-2010) a half-day... more During the 2010 SAICSIT conference (http://hufee.meraka.org.za/Hufeesite/saicsit-2010) a half-day Enterprise Architecture Workshop was hosted where the purpose was to investigate: 1. the current status of teaching offerings in Enterprise Architecture in South Africa 2. future opportunities for developing Enterprise Architecture as research field.
This article provides an alternative view to questions of technological inclusion and exclusion i... more This article provides an alternative view to questions of technological inclusion and exclusion in sub-Saharan Africa via an analysis of the South African governmental discourse on indigenous knowledge systems (IKS). The concept of 'selective exclusion' (SE) is developed in relation to the digital divide, highlighting that technology is not always perceived as neutral or universally beneficial, but rather is negotiated in relation to specific socio-political contexts and alternative systems of knowledge. The concept of SE highlights the following: (a) 'Western' rationality and technology can be perceived as threats to indigenous identity and knowledge and as a result treated circumspectly; (b) nevertheless the 'Western' domain is seen as promising economic benefits, which need to be accessed; (c) therefore, the 'Western' domain and its associated technologies are selectively excluded; (d) the existence of a digital divide is not necessarily seen as negative as it offers protection against globalisation; and (e) the agency of indigenous individuals and communities is considered central and the ability to appropriate technology in relation to this is stressed.
The viability of business data mining in the sports environment: cricket match analysis as applic... more The viability of business data mining in the sports environment: cricket match analysis as application.
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This article reports on the influence of an important project of our time, the creation of thinking machines or cyborgs, on the essence of human spirituality. The popular work of Kurzweil was used as a starting point. Kurzweil believes that the cyborgs or man-machine hybrids will not only be a simulation of human cognition but also of consciousness and spirituality. In fact, it will be more than a simulation; it will enhance and alter consciousness and spirituality in a radical, unfathomable way. The basis of Kurzweil’s argument is his law of accelerating returns, which predicts such a progress in technology that, if an algorithm for the working of the brain can be formulated, it will be possible to develop software emulating the conscious brain. In this way, current limitations experienced by human beings, including mortality, will be overcome. This assumption was investigated from an anthropological view using Janicaud’s concepts. The cyborg is seen as an illustration of people’s innate desire to overcome the human condition. Humanity is characterised by a constant struggle to find a balance between the superhuman and the inhuman as the extreme states of human spirituality. This also characterises human liberty – humans are free to choose. Given this characterisation of humanity, the nature of the cyborg as superhuman is then considered. Different possibilities are sketched: the superhuman who will exercise the pure will to power (awakening the inhuman) or a person with a complete naïve freedom. The future is not easy to predict. Janicaud considers the view of the cyborg as superhuman to be a myth. The real danger facing humanity is the inhuman. The growth and progress of technology do not guarantee moral progress. Currently, technology seems to create a sharp divide between a privileged few and the rest. The two world wars in the previous century illustrated ways in which technology could be used to commit cold-blooded barbaric acts on a mass scale. In addition, biotechnology and other technological innovations could give rise to new forms of violence which can effectively be spread by new media. The inhuman is a place from where it is difficult to return.
The challenge of our time is to carry the responsibility of our freedom in such a way that we can defend ourselves against our inhumanity but so that we could also open up to the radical creativity and strangeness of superhumans lying dormant in us. It is clear that now, more than ever before, human spirituality needs to be as alive and rich as possible to rise to the challenge. However, the belief in technology as utopia enslaves the human spirit. We forget that we are the creators of technology and fabricate excuses for moral and intellectual abdications. Furthermore, the assumption that cognition can be mechanised or formalised leads to the disembodiment of intelligence and thought. Humans are placed outside of the world to which they belong. We become estranged from ourselves and each other. The human spirit seems to be wounded by the prevailing metaphors of disembodiment and mechanisation accompanying technological dominance. This article contributes to the call for the struggle for the re-enchantment of the human spirit. It is imperative that thinkers and innovators – leaders – create new metaphors to provide richer descriptions of humanity. Social sciences, studying the human condition for centuries, might contribute valuable ideas. Technology can be used in this struggle but only if human beings understand their own paradoxical nature as well as that of technology. The fortified spirit is one that accepts its mortality and fragility but takes responsibility for its freedom. In this way, meaning is re-introduced in the lives of human beings.
1. the current status of teaching offerings in Enterprise Architecture in South Africa
2. future opportunities for developing Enterprise Architecture as research field.
analysis of the South African governmental discourse on indigenous knowledge systems (IKS). The concept of 'selective
exclusion' (SE) is developed in relation to the digital divide, highlighting that technology is not always perceived as neutral
or universally beneficial, but rather is negotiated in relation to specific socio-political contexts and alternative systems of
knowledge. The concept of SE highlights the following: (a) 'Western' rationality and technology can be perceived as
threats to indigenous identity and knowledge and as a result treated circumspectly; (b) nevertheless the 'Western' domain is
seen as promising economic benefits, which need to be accessed; (c) therefore, the 'Western' domain and its associated
technologies are selectively excluded; (d) the existence of a digital divide is not necessarily seen as negative as it offers
protection against globalisation; and (e) the agency of indigenous individuals and communities is considered central and
the ability to appropriate technology in relation to this is stressed.
This article reports on the influence of an important project of our time, the creation of thinking machines or cyborgs, on the essence of human spirituality. The popular work of Kurzweil was used as a starting point. Kurzweil believes that the cyborgs or man-machine hybrids will not only be a simulation of human cognition but also of consciousness and spirituality. In fact, it will be more than a simulation; it will enhance and alter consciousness and spirituality in a radical, unfathomable way. The basis of Kurzweil’s argument is his law of accelerating returns, which predicts such a progress in technology that, if an algorithm for the working of the brain can be formulated, it will be possible to develop software emulating the conscious brain. In this way, current limitations experienced by human beings, including mortality, will be overcome. This assumption was investigated from an anthropological view using Janicaud’s concepts. The cyborg is seen as an illustration of people’s innate desire to overcome the human condition. Humanity is characterised by a constant struggle to find a balance between the superhuman and the inhuman as the extreme states of human spirituality. This also characterises human liberty – humans are free to choose. Given this characterisation of humanity, the nature of the cyborg as superhuman is then considered. Different possibilities are sketched: the superhuman who will exercise the pure will to power (awakening the inhuman) or a person with a complete naïve freedom. The future is not easy to predict. Janicaud considers the view of the cyborg as superhuman to be a myth. The real danger facing humanity is the inhuman. The growth and progress of technology do not guarantee moral progress. Currently, technology seems to create a sharp divide between a privileged few and the rest. The two world wars in the previous century illustrated ways in which technology could be used to commit cold-blooded barbaric acts on a mass scale. In addition, biotechnology and other technological innovations could give rise to new forms of violence which can effectively be spread by new media. The inhuman is a place from where it is difficult to return.
The challenge of our time is to carry the responsibility of our freedom in such a way that we can defend ourselves against our inhumanity but so that we could also open up to the radical creativity and strangeness of superhumans lying dormant in us. It is clear that now, more than ever before, human spirituality needs to be as alive and rich as possible to rise to the challenge. However, the belief in technology as utopia enslaves the human spirit. We forget that we are the creators of technology and fabricate excuses for moral and intellectual abdications. Furthermore, the assumption that cognition can be mechanised or formalised leads to the disembodiment of intelligence and thought. Humans are placed outside of the world to which they belong. We become estranged from ourselves and each other. The human spirit seems to be wounded by the prevailing metaphors of disembodiment and mechanisation accompanying technological dominance. This article contributes to the call for the struggle for the re-enchantment of the human spirit. It is imperative that thinkers and innovators – leaders – create new metaphors to provide richer descriptions of humanity. Social sciences, studying the human condition for centuries, might contribute valuable ideas. Technology can be used in this struggle but only if human beings understand their own paradoxical nature as well as that of technology. The fortified spirit is one that accepts its mortality and fragility but takes responsibility for its freedom. In this way, meaning is re-introduced in the lives of human beings.
1. the current status of teaching offerings in Enterprise Architecture in South Africa
2. future opportunities for developing Enterprise Architecture as research field.
analysis of the South African governmental discourse on indigenous knowledge systems (IKS). The concept of 'selective
exclusion' (SE) is developed in relation to the digital divide, highlighting that technology is not always perceived as neutral
or universally beneficial, but rather is negotiated in relation to specific socio-political contexts and alternative systems of
knowledge. The concept of SE highlights the following: (a) 'Western' rationality and technology can be perceived as
threats to indigenous identity and knowledge and as a result treated circumspectly; (b) nevertheless the 'Western' domain is
seen as promising economic benefits, which need to be accessed; (c) therefore, the 'Western' domain and its associated
technologies are selectively excluded; (d) the existence of a digital divide is not necessarily seen as negative as it offers
protection against globalisation; and (e) the agency of indigenous individuals and communities is considered central and
the ability to appropriate technology in relation to this is stressed.