When many of us think about Cyborgs we picture Caprica, Battlestar Galatica or Dr. Who, but in reality Cyborg technology is emerging at tremenous rates, making it possible for people to walk again, to see where sight was once not found and even to control technological devices through body-to-device interfacing. Basically, it should come as no surprise that Cyborg rights are starting to make their first real appearances.
Speaking as the Keynote speaker for the IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society, Dr. Roger Clarke from the Australian National University discussed the importance of cyborg rights. Sure much of what Clarke argued was abstract principles for the future, but he also points out that our advances in electromechanical implants make it possible for rights to be violated even today. Take a look at the argument over athletes performing with prosthesis’ and these rights quickly become a reality.
Dr. Clarke argues that even the most basic type of mechanics could end up leading to larger debates, such as South African Sprinter Oscar Pistorius (pictured above), a double amputee who holds paralympic records in the 100, 200 and 400 meter events and is now competing with “able-body” athletes and in some cases winning, winning because of what the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) calls “superior mechanical legs.”
According to ABC Science, Clarke says of the Sprinters fight for rights:
“He is making a claim that he has a right to compete against able-bodied athletes in the same races and, in the event that he comes first, second or third, be awarded the appropriate ribbon or medal. The IAAF is claiming in effect that either, no he doesn’t have that right, or the rights of able-bodied athletes to not have to compete against enhanced humans trumps his rights.”
So where does the balance of rights on both side of the spectrum occur? Are “enhanced athletes” deemed “too enhanced” even if those enhancements come at no ill will from their own actions?
The larger issue then arises, should able-bodies individuals be able to compete in competitions in which they are usually not permitted, perhaps wheel chair races and other para-olympic competitions.
Which mounts even further issues, for example should high-tech cochlear implants be available for people with normal hearing, allowing for “super-human” hearing in the future? Should anyone willing to receive implants of any sort be able to receive those “upgrades” and how will they be defined by the very rights put into place to protect those people who truly had reason for their cyborg-based features?
Clarke gives his opinion on that last question:
“People who are using prostheses to recover lost capabilities will seek to protect their existing rights. People who have lost capabilities but have not yet got the relevant prostheses will seek the right to have them. Enhanced humans will seek additional rights, to go with the additional capabilities that they have.”
Until people start shooting lasers out of their eyes or taking over the world’s computer systems in an attempt to find “The Dr.” in an attempt to destroy the Tardis, thus ending centuries worth of protection against earth, I’m not too worried about rights for this group, right now it’s just a guy with a really cool, strong and lightweight “superior” leg.
