Analysis of Technological Natures - Report Example

• Background

In the use of technology by people, there is often a misunderstanding as to how much humans can influence technology as well as how much effect technology has on their lives. Technology’s influence on nature mainly involves coming up with new ideas that have an impact on nature and hence innovations that may not have been anticipated. One of the clear uses of technology on nature is justified by the hybrids that scientists have been able to build. In addition, there has been utilization of technology to enhance human beings and Donna Haraway takes the view that technology uses humans as much as humans use technology. There is an undeniable important connection between humans and their indulgence in technology. It is hence important to understand how technology manipulates nature and the involvement of ethics especially when dealing with biotechnology.Introduction and definition of techno-nature

In the current world, techno nature emerges as a serious issue that demands enormous attention. Aiming to fathom the true meaning of techno nature begs clear understanding of both technology and nature and how they merge to result in the control and protection of nature. Technology is concerned with applicability of knowledge for the sake of practical reasons. Conversely, nature deals with the physical world such as plants and animals as opposed to what humans have come up to make. Techno nature therefore strives to bring the two variant aspects of nature and technology together with an aim of enhancing nature. As a result, techno nature deals with both human and non-human factors to achieve its objectives. In biotechnology however, it is vivid that the technology is mostly concerned with living part of nature that constitutes of plants of animals.

Based on the concept of techno nature and assessing how technology and nature relate, the issue of a cyborg society emerges. According to Brazal and Abraham (2014, p. 35), a cyborg is a result of technologically enhancing human beings in order to survive in an increasingly extreme environment. Technological enhancements may in various ways, both big and small such use of spectacles to aid in vision, use of drugs as a resolve for diseases, pacemaker implants and also use of mobile phones, which has become quite rampant in the recent past (Brazal & Abraham, 2014, p. 35). Syborg bodies can be in very different forms varying due to its intended use such as the need for normal body functioning. Syborg bodies may also differ depending on the extent of technological enhancements used on them. The things that make people cyborgs in the modern world are mostly the use of technological devices such as the telephones and computers, which have greatly affected humans over the past few decades. The technology has evolved to become a very significant part of the everyday human life and hence it is hard to separate the human world from that of technology. The experience of living in a cyborg world has made be unaware of technology’s influence on their lives, as it has inculcation into almost all aspects of life including health. It is further important that humans get to understand the role that technology plays in their lives as well as on the social organization. In spite of technology’s implications, humans should be in a position to manipulate the organization of the society. Donna Haraway’s claim about technology in relation to one techno-nature

An insight in techno natures drives the issue towards Donna Haraway’s incentives about technology and the social organizations. According to Haraway, a cyborg is a hybrid that is neither fully organic nor fully mechanical but rather a combination of the two (Thweatt-Bates, 2013). According to Thweatt-Bates (2013), there are three breached boundaries that have resulted from the cyborg, which are that between humans and animals, organisms and machines and physical and nonphysical. Focusing on the breach between humans and animals, Haraway claims that the main motivator for that breach is the continued research that is inclined towards biotechnology and hence the effect especially on humans. Haraway continues to take the notion that new technology challenges feminism and socialism because it initiates new networks that destabilize the naturally united groups (Yaszek, 2013, p. 11). It is therefore upon that argument that she introduces the Cyborg Manifesto that is an ironic political myth that seeks to keep to feminism and socialism and go ahead to account for the new technological advancements. She further continues to explain that the insight into the relationship between the biological and mechanical systems might have played a role in affecting the social systems (Yaszek, 2013, p. 12). Donna Haraway through most of his work is not wholly inclined towards any side as far as the emergence of new technologies is concerned. She considers all the aspects of technology and social systems as interconnected in the prevalent world and hence it is challenging for each of to be apart from the other. However, she also takes the view that there is a lot that happens around the world that does not necessarily revolve around technology. The role of technology in the manipulation and generation of new natures

In the technological and cyborg world, that people live in currently, technology is the major player in creation of new natures as well as modification of the already existing ones. Biotechnology specifically has been steadfast in that approach. It shows that there is now a more close relationship between human and non-human aspects of life. From its definition, biotechnology makes utilization of living organisms and enhances their cellular and biomollecular processes aiming to come up with technologies as well as products that better lives. Sharon (2013, p. 175), seeks to provide a better understanding of biotechnology by assessing assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) and how they relate to the concept of nature. Use of technology on nature is a form of re-naturalization that endeavors to bring about a form of flexibility that comes with use of technology by the users in matters relating to nature, parenthood and biogenetic relatedness (Sharon, 2013, p. 175). Scientists through biotechnology have been able to generate hybrids that are more capable of surviving some harsh conditions, which further continues to prove the necessity of biotechnology besides some scholars thinking that some of the practices are not ethical. Therefore, biotechnology produces organisms that entail rather novel traits for instance; the golden rice is one development that entails heightened levels of vitamin A as well as protein levels as opposed to other types. Most of the efforts made through biotechnology are aim at the improvement of health in a global perspective, novel organisms as well as production of enough foods for populations and hence it is an important aspect of nature in the current world. It is therefore critical that the society appreciates the role technology and strive to understand its impacts on the people. However, the unending debate on how the emerging enhancement technologies play out between dystopic and liberal post-humanism is a move for and against the spread of technology (Sharon, 2013, p. 176).Assumptions about what is natural, permissible or ethical in nature in Technological natures

In the consideration of using technology as pertains to living organisms, it is essential to look into the ethical aspects that are associated with it. Technology might run deep to an extent that compels scientists to consider if going to those lengths would still be permissible an ethical in nature. The issue of ethics mostly arises when considering using human beings for medical research and entails a debate over the years. It is mostly when the research and drug trials stand a chance of affecting the humans physically, mentally, emotionally or even causing genetic disabilities to the victim (Khan, 2014, p. 301). As part of the approach towards bioethics, Tom Beauchamp and James Childress developed a system in the 1970s that was known as principlism that considered the importance of respecting of individual’s autonomy and their decisions. They also considered aiding people as the primary goal, avoiding injuring people as well as justice through distribution of the burdens as well as benefits fairly (Khan, 2014, p. 301). The initial aspects were associated mostly with philosophy. However, things have changed as bioethics currently brings together many areas of study such as law, pharmacy, politics, sociology, biotechnology and genetics. The new medical technology largely has blinded people from understandings their effect. It has therefore triggered the need for sound ethical decisions for bioethicists before undertaking of such diverse issues such as human cloning, utilizing stem cells that are embryonic as well as crops that are genetically engineered. Moreover, implications of ethical issues affect factors in medical care such as utilization tissues or rather organ from an animal, use of virus as vectors, manipulation when it comes to human cells or rather genes and use of human organs (Khan, 2014, p. 302).

Presently, the elevation of biotechnology research has led to the need for opposition of new ethical implications that come up as a result. There is wide of range of issues majorly bioethical concerns that surround the diagnostics as well as treatment developments namely; DNA Finger printing, biometrics, vaccines, surrogacy, gene therapy, embryo screening, embryonic stem cells emanating from a human being, transplantation of an organ as well as human cloning and not forgetting xenotransplantation (Khan, 2014, p. 302). The focus will mostly on human cloning and organ transplantation that have raised many concerns over the past decades. Human cloning involves creation of a genetically similar copy of a human being although it does not necessarily involve the natural processes of fertilization and birth (Khan, 2014, p. 302). Human cloning is either therapeutic cloning whereby cells from adults get utilization for the sake of medicinal purposes or reproductive cloning that involves trying to make a replica of a human being. Replacement cloning is not in actual use as there has not been a significant amount of research put into it though it would consist of both reproductive and therapeutic cloning were it practical. For purposes of ethics, reproductive cloning stands as illegal in many countries. However, therapeutic cloning goes on in some countries although in most of them it occura under strict regulations. Therapeutic cloning is capable of being a mode of treatment as genetically identical cells may serve as treatment for varying diseases. Human cloning is associated with implications of ethics of both socialism and ethics (Khan, 2014, p. 303). As such, it has been important to find means to make bioethical considerations before any form of human cloning occurs. It is crucial as it looks into the interest of the human code of conduct and normal human processes. Conversely, the organ transplantation is permissible by law and hence many people have sold their organs to save other people’s lives. As it is an expensive venture, many have done it with the sole aim of acquiring money rather than having the thought of saving lives in mind. The sensitivity of the issue of selling human organs especially in the black market has demanded a look into the ethics involved. Selling one’s organs for monetary gains is a risky and unethical affair that landed many people in deep regret of their deeds. Human manipulation of nature on microbial and planetary scales in the context biotechnology, animal testing, industrial ecologies and geo-engineering biotechnologyBiotechnology

Biotechnology in most cases has involved humans altering the genes of animals, which is an unnatural process that may raise questions about the ethics in the practice. For some time now, humans have altered the normal processes of animals with an aim of improving the human life by getting solutions to diseases and conditions that humans experience. Since people use animals for food and clothing, it should not be different using them for medicine if the tinkering with their genes to come up with new animals happens with caution and in the right way (Holland & Johnson, 2012, p. 40). It is vital to involve animals in biotechnology in the least ways possible although the extent to which humans can the genetic material is also limited. Animal testing

For most of the experiments in the field of medicine and having an affiliation to biotechnology, scientists have used animals for the testing processes. It is an act of manipulation of nature that most of the time focuses on preserving the ethics of human beings. To-date there entails wide animal testing or experimentation in the development of surgical techniques and immunological processes as well. According to Holland & Johnson (2012, p. 39), some essential processes for human beings would not be possible were it not for the experimentation on animals. Use of animal testing has enabled researchers to make huge improvements in human health. Industrial ecologies and

Industrial ecology concerns itself with industrial systems by assessing how they affect the environment. Humans have hence made use of a systems approach to clearly understand how the human practices on industrial systems go ahead to affect the ecological processes. Through the systems approach, it is easier to identify and solve the specific issues revolving around the industrial system of operations hence better controllability. An in-depth look into industrial ecology is set to define how humans manipulate nature through the management of activities at the industries such as production and the way in which they deal with the wastes. Wastes from industry have even affected the weather patterns and eventually led to climate change. Geo-engineering

In the course of time, people have changed the ways in which they perceive nature. Geo-engineering is one of the major reasons that have caused a change in perception by viewing the way through which it has enabled humans to manipulate nature. Geo-engineering has also altered the relationship between the society and nature as the view has been different over time. Corner, Parkhill, Pidgeon & Vaughan (2013, p. 938) assert that geo-engineering deals with large-scale technologies, which may counter-act the effects of climate change. It is hence a clear manifestation of human manipulation of nature. It also changes the way by which humans are able to interact with nature. What constitutes the natural, and what the ethical implications of manipulating so-called natural forms may be? 

The human thinking of nature determines how humans perceive the manipulation of nature as well the ethical implications. The human understanding of nature entails close connections with their perception. Culture and people’s personal interaction with the environment largely influences what they think of it. In general, nature is quite important to human beings due to the way they value, protect and benefit from use of the natural environment (Ewert, Mitten & Overholt, 2014, p. 10). The connection between people and nature is a two-way affair as people influence nature as much as nature influences the human life in many ways such as socially, emotionally, evolutionary and even spiritually. In many cases, actions and decisions that humans make are largely due to the effect of nature. The social and physical environments that people live in influence their perceptions. To some extents such influence is extremely eminent and thus requires consideration of a person’ immediate space. Therefore, it is challenging to distinguish between nature and humanity. In their book, Ewert, Mitten & Overholt (2014, p. 12), they explain that the evolution of humans was possible due to evolution of plants through synthesis of sunlight into energy and hence release of energy by photosynthesis. There is therefore the claim that humans would not evolve in an anaerobic environment resulting from the need for oxygen. This hence furthers the argument that nature continues to influence the human being. Most people as a result think of nature as the physical world that includes plants and animals. Their perception of nature influences their ethical belief about its manipulation as well. In relation to humans, people have diverse beliefs of whether issues such as human cloning and animal testing are ethical. Hence, ethical implications on manipulation of nature are highly dependent on the human perceptions. Since biotechnology goes a long way in ensuring that there entails enough foods to feed populations as well as enabling treatment of ailments, it also presents a myriad of concerns. These concerns include:

• • Social concerns
• Whether the new organisms possess any rights
• Whether there requires regulations to control research carried in such field
• The various unwanted consequences that may result from such bio technology
• The people that should actually have access to such technology as well as the manner of allocating scarce resources such as novel treatments
  • Concerns considered extrinsic
• Effects that may sprout from such engineered foods upon humans
• The consequences that introducing such transgenic organisms may occasion to the respective environments
• Whether researches in biotechnology could have limitation and if so the manner that should occur
  • Intrinsic Concerns
• Whether new organisms will change what many consider as normal
• Research that entails intentions not permissible for instance those that may be in the military filed
• Key theoretical approaches to technological natures, namely the concept of the cyborg, geographies of care and monsters

In understanding the main theoretical approaches to technological natures, it is important to have deep insight of the concept of cyborg, geographies of care and monsters. The concept of the cyborg is major approach towards technology and especially in its use towards the humans. A cyborg is a term that includes both cybernetics and organisms, which is a form presentation of machines and organisms. As earlier discussed, cyborgs are a manifestation that arises from technology use of technology to enhance the living organisms. According to Lupton (2015, p. 567), digital technologies currently offer innovative ways of promoting health, improve healthcare delivery and reduce healthcare expenditure. Moreover, use of technology in natures and specifically in the field of medicine has greatly changed from the old ways such as hearing aids and heart pacemakers. Digital technology prevalently incorporates many activities associated with the human body with a goal of improving health conditions of humans. Some scholars have therefore sided with the perspective that all people are cyborgs in one way or the other through the ways in which they interact with technology. The geography of monsters looks at the way scientists have tinkered the genes of animals to create new forms of those most for research (Friese & Marris, 2014). It is an issue that some people deem unethical as the cloned animals’ exhibit abnormalities in spite of being healthy. It calls for the definition of a boundary between nature and technology to conserve the ethics that the diverse cultures uphold.