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2012

Life Expansion: Toward an Artistic, Design-Based Theory of the Transhuman / Posthuman

Vita-More, Natasha

http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/1182 University of Plymouth

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This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognize that its copyright rests with its author and that no quotation from the thesis and no information derived from it may be published without the author’s prior consent.

1

Life Expansion: Toward an Artistic, Design-Based Theory of the Transhuman / Posthuman

by

NATASHA VITA-MORE

A thesis submitted to the University of Plymouth in partial fulfillment for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

School of Art & Media
Faculty of Arts

April 2012

2

Natasha Vita-More Life Expansion: Toward an Artistic, Design-Based Theory of the Transhuman /
Posthuman

The thesis’ study of life expansion proposes a framework for artistic, design-based approaches concerned with prolonging human life and sustaining personal identity. To delineate the topic: life expansion means increasing the length of time a person is alive and diversifying the matter in which a person exists. For human life, the length of time is bounded by a single century and its matter is tied to biology. Life expansion is located in the domain of human enhancement, distinctly linked to technological interfaces with biology.
The thesis identifies human-computer interaction and the potential of emerging and speculative technologies as seeding the promulgation of human enhancement that approach life expansion. In doing so, the thesis constructs an inquiry into historical and current attempts to append human physiology and intervene with its mortality. By encountering emerging and speculative technologies for prolonging life and sustaining personal identity as possible media for artistic, design-based approaches to human enhancement, a new axis is sought that identifies the transhuman and posthuman as conceptual paradigms for life expansion.
The thesis asks: What are the required conditions that enable artistic, design-based approaches to human enhancement that explicitly pursue extending human life? This question centers on the potential of the study’s proposed enhancement technologies in their relationship to life, death, and the human condition. Notably, the thesis investigates artistic approaches, as distinct from those of the natural sciences, and the borders that need to be mediated between them.
The study navigates between the domains of life extension, art and design, technology, and philosophy in forming the framework for a theory of life expansion. The critical approach seeks to uncover invisible borders between these interconnecting forces by bringing to light issues of sustaining life and personal identity, ethical concerns, including morphological freedom and extinction risk. Such issues relate to the thesis’ interest in life expansion and the use emerging and speculative technologies.

3
The study takes on a triad approach in its investigation: qualitative interviews with experts of the emerging and speculative technologies; field studies encountering research centers of such technologies; and an artistic, autopoietic process that explores the heuristics of life expansion. This investigation forms an integrative view of the human use of technology and its melioristic aim. The outcome of the research is a theoretical framework for further research in artistic approaches to life expansion.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents….............................................................................................................. 5 List of Figures ….................................................................................................................. 8 List of Abbreviations..…...................................................................................................... 10 Acknowledgement …...........................................................................................................12 Author’s Declaration.…........................................................................................................13

PART I
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………16
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8

Scope of the Thesis....................................................................................... 16 Thesis Terminology...................................................................................... 18 Thesis Question ............................................................................................ 19 Conditions of the thesis problem.................................................................. 20 Statement of the thesis problem ................................................................... 21 Investigating the thesis problem................................................................... 22 Methodology and Objectives........................................................................ 24 Explanation of Chapters ............................................................................... 25

PART II
CHAPTER 2: APPENDED MORTAL………………………………………………….30
2.1

Decomposition and Regeneration................................................................. 30 2.1.1 Life and the Living......................................................................... 32 2.1.2

2.1.3 2.1.4
Transmutation................................................................................. 37 2.1.2.1 Science of Alchemy............................................................ 38 Death’s Criteria .............................................................................. 40 2.1.3.1 Criteria Explained............................................................... 41 Death’s Possible Futures ................................................................ 44 2.1.4.1 Digital, In-Between, Optional ............................................ 46

2.2 2.3

Desirability and Feasibility .......................................................................... 49 2.2.1 2.2.2 2.2.3
Cybernetics..................................................................................... 52 Human Cyborg ............................................................................... 57 Prosthetics ...................................................................................... 59
Autonomy and Connectivity ........................................................................ 65 2.3.1 Diachronic and Autopoietic Self .................................................... 66 2.3.2 2.3.3 2.3.4
Soft Self.......................................................................................... 67 Expanded Self................................................................................. 70 Telematic Self................................................................................. 71

2.4

Conclusion.................................................................................................... 73

CHAPTER 3: TRANSFORMATIVE BODY...………………………………………….75

3.1 Decomposition and Regeneration ................................................................ 76
3.1.1 3.1.2
Cyborg and Transhuman ................................................................ 77 Human Enhancement ..................................................................... 83 3.1.2.1 Origination—Cybernetics and Biomedical Genetics ......... 86 3.1.2.2 Species-Typical .................................................................. 92

5
3.1.2.3 Therapeutic and Selective .................................................. 95 Tools of Enhancement: NBIC and Emerging .................................... and Speculative Media (ESM) ....................................................... 99
3.1.3

3.2 3.3

Desirability and Feasibility .......................................................................... 99 3.2.1 Transformers and Transformations .............................................. 100 Autonomy and Connectivity ...................................................................... 103 3.3.1 Plasticity ....................................................................................... 103

CHAPTER 4: EXPANDED PERSON………………………………………………….109
4.1

Decomposition and Regeneration .............................................................. 111 4.1.1 4.1.2
Memory ........................................................................................ 111 Embodied and Disembodied ........................................................ 113 4.1.2.1 Redefining Body............................................................... 123

4.2

Desire and Feasibility................................................................................. 124 4.2.1 4.2.2
Patterns of Illusion........................................................................ 125 Imitation ....................................................................................... 127

4.3 4.4

Autonomy and Connectivity ...................................................................... 131 4.3.1 Continuous Person........................................................................ 132 Conclusion.................................................................................................. 136

CHAPTER 5: CONTESTED CULTURE …………………………………………….139
5.1

5.2 5.3

Decomposition and Regeneration .............................................................. 142 5.1.1 5.1.2 5.1.3 5.1.4
Humanism .................................................................................... 144 Transhumanism ............................................................................ 148 Posthumanism .............................................................................. 154 Four Artistic Works...................................................................... 161
Desirability and Feasibility ........................................................................ 163 5.2.1 Art and Propaganda...................................................................... 166 5.2.2 Morphology and Freedom............................................................ 169
5.2.2.1 Morphological Freedom................................................... 170 5.2.2.2 Risks ................................................................................. 171
Conclusion.................................................................................................. 176

PART III
EMPIRICAL RESEARCH, QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION:……………………… INTERVIEWING, FIELD STUDY & AUTOPOIETIC WORK ……………………179

CHAPTER 6: NANOTECHNOLOGY, BIOTECHNOLOGY, INFORMATION………
TECHNOLOGY & COGNITIVE / NEUROSCIENCE (NBIC)……...187
6.1

Decomposition & Regeneration: Investigatory Study of Biotechnology for Life Extension .....................................................................................194 6.1.1 Field Study: SENS........................................................................ 200 6.1.2 6.1.3 6.1.4
Field Study: BioTime ................................................................... 201 Field Study: Halcyon Molecular .................................................. 202 ESM: Regenerative Media ........................................................... 203 6.1.4.1 Bioart Approach ............................................................... 204 6.1.4.2 Regenerative Media or Bioart .......................................... 211

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6.2 6.3 6.4

Desirability & Feasibility: Investigatory Study of Nanotechnology for Life Extension / Expansion................................................................. 214

  • 6.2.1
  • ESM: Nanorobots......................................................................... 217

Autonomy & Connectivity: Investigatory Study of Information Technology and Cognitive and Neuroscience for Life Expansion............ 219 6.3.1 ESM: Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)................................. 223 Conclusion.................................................................................................. 231

CHAPTER 7: AUTOPOIESIS: AN ARTISTIC, …………………………………………
DESIGN-BASED PRACTICE…………………………………………233
7.1

Human+ Somatic / Cognitive Design Project ............................................ 242 7.1.1 Bone Density ................................................................................ 245 7.1.2 Muscular Hypertrophy ................................................................. 248 7.1.3 7.1.4 7.1.5 7.1.6 7.1.7 7.1.8
Skin Resurfacing .......................................................................... 251 Artificial Lens ............................................................................. 254 DNA breakout .............................................................................. 255 Brain Plasticity ............................................................................. 258 Lifenaut: Mindfile ........................................................................ 260 Cryonics........................................................................................ 263

7.2

Speculation on ESM: Affordance Theory.................................................. 267

PART IV
CHAPTER 8:CONCLUSION ………………………………………………………….271
8.1 8.2

Summary of Findings ................................................................................. 271 Methodological Aspects............................................................................. 275 8.2.1 8.2.2
Implications of Findings............................................................... 275 Limitations of Findings ................................................................ 277
8.2.3 Original Contribution to Knowledge............................................ 278 Future Directions and Further Research..................................................... 279

8.3

7

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Figure 2: Figure 3: Figure 4: Figure 5: Figure 6: Figure 7: Figure 8:
“Life Expansion Research” Natasha Vita-More, 2012. “NBIC+ and ESM.” Natasha Vita- More, 2012. “Human Enhancement.” Natasha Vita-More, 2012. “Triad Methodology.” Natasha Vita-More, 2011. “ESM.” Natasha Vita-More, 2011. “Blast, 1” Adolph Gottlieb, 1957. “Biotechnology Interviews.” Natasha Vita-More, 2011. “The opening page of Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities written within a 6 mm square at 25nm line width using electron beam lithography circa 1985” (Courtesy of R. Fabian W. Pease, Stanford Univ.)

  • Figure 9:
  • “Nanocells”. Robert Freitas, E-spaces (n.d.); “Pentacene of 5 carbon rings

(atoms)” (Credit: Science/AAS)

  • Figure 10:
  • “Human Brain” (Fred Hossier/Getty Images); “Brain Scan MRI and chip”

Natasha Vita-More, 2009.

Figure 11: Figure 12: Figure 13: Figure 14: Figure 15: Figure 16: Figure 17: Figure 18:
“ESM Intervention.” Natasha Vita-More, 2009. “ESM: Transhuman / Posthuman.” Natasha Vita-More, 2011. “Bone Density.” Natasha Vita-More, 2010. “Cervical Spine X-ray.” Natasha Vita-More, 2010. “Bone analysis.” Natasha Vita-More, 2011. “Muscle Regeneration.” Natasha Vita-More, 2010. “Nutrition Guide.” Natasha Vita-More, 2008. “Routine 1.” Natasha Vita-More, 2008.
Figure 19: Figure 20: Figure 21:
“Skin Resurfacing.” Natasha Vita-More, 2011. “Walkabout: 6 species.” Natasha Vita-More, 2009. “Artificial Lens.” Natasha Vita-More, 2011.

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Figure 22: Figure 23:
“DNA Breakout.” Natasha Vita-More, 2009. “Guide for collecting specimen.” 2012 (Credit: Personal Genome Services®).

Figure 24: Figure 25: Figure 26: Figure 27: Figure 28: Figure 29:
“Inside of actual specimen kit.” 2012. “Email exchange.” Natasha Vita-More, 2012. “Genetic Data.” 2012 © Natasha Vita-More. “MRI Scan.” Natasha Vita-More, 2012. “Texting at Neurosensory Clinic.” Natasha Vita-More, 2011. “Screen shot of Mindfile Avatar.” Natasha Vita-More, 2012.
Figure 30: Figure 31: Figure 32: Figure 33: Figure 34: Figure 35: Figure 36:
“Screen shot of adding digital data.” Natasha Vita-More, 2012. “Mapping personal data.” Natasha Vita-More, 2012. “Field Study Alcor Life Extension Foundation.” Natasha Vita-More, 2011. “Alcor Facilities.” (Credit: Alcor Life Extension Foundation). “Cryonics Bracelet.” Natasha Vita-More, 1991. “Whole Body Prosthetic.” Natasha Vita-More, 2011. “Primo Posthuman.” Natasha Vita-More, 1997, 2011.

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

  • AI
  • = artificial intelligence

  • = artificial life
  • AL

AGI = artificial general intelligence AR = augmented reality CLIA = Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments DIYbio= Do it yourself bio DNA = deoxyribonucleic acid DXA = dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry

  • ES
  • = emerging and speculative

ESM = emerging and speculative media ESDM = emerging and speculative design media FACT = Foundation for Art and Creative Technology

  • FtF
  • = face to face

HCI = human-computer interaction HRT = hormone replacement therapy IMM = Institute for Molecular Manufacturing

  • iPS
  • = induced pluripotent stem cells

MNT = molecular nanotechnology MRI = magnetic resonance imaging NBIC = nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology cognitive/neuroscience NBIC+= NBIC plus robotics, prosthetics and cryonics PRI = Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy RNA = regenerative media, nanorobots, artificial general intelligence SENS = Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence

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Figure 1. “Life Expansion Research” © Natasha Vita-More.

To my extended family and animal companions To the sand in my toes and the clouds in the sky
To the mountains of Telluride.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to acknowledge the Planetary Collegium as having given me a unique freedom of expression within the parameters of academic scholarship and rigor. I heartedly give thanks to my academic supervisor Professor Roy Ascott for his boundless inspiration and consummate guidance throughout the course of my research at the Planetary Collegium. I also give thanks to my second supervisor Michael Punt for his highly valued critiques. I thank my colleague Laura Beloff for her clever analysis and meaningful discussions. I thank Mike Phillips and all my colleagues at the Planetary Collegium for their continued and valued observations of my research updates and critical questioning that was challenging and enlightening. A special thanks to Les Roka for his editorial comments.
I appreciate the generosity of those who I interviewed who were generous enough to meet with me in person or via telephone, email, Skype, and Second life for the thesis research study. In alphabetical order they are: Michael Andregg, Sonia Arrison, Aubrey de Grey, Eric Drexler, Greg Fahy, Robert Freitas, Jr., Ben Goertzel, Ayisha Khanna, Neil Jacobstein, Randal Koene, Raymond Kurzweil, Marvin Minsky, Hans Moravec, Max More, Mike Perry, Martine Rothblatt, Anders Sandberg, Hal Sternberg, Gregory Stock, Vernor Vinge, and Michael West, and the laboratories I traveled to for field study: BioTime, SENS, Halcyon Molecular and Alcor Life Extension Foundation. I would like to thank experts and colleagues within the domains of wearable technology, robotics, body art, and bioart. In alphabetical order they are: Suzanne Anker, Dmitry Bulatov, Lowry Burgess, Sean Cubitt, Joe Davis, David Hanson, Jens Hauser, Eduardo Kac, David Kremers, Marta de Menezes, Leonel Moura, Melentie Padilovski, Stelarc, Ionat Zurr, and Kevin Warwick.
On a personal note, I would like to thank my mother Winifred Drake Clark for her life-long support and encouragement. My sincerest thanks to Max More whose love and kindness have been my nourishment during the writing of this dissertation. Lastly, to my dog Oscar who has been a constant companion and joy.

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AUTHOR’S DECLARATION

At no time during the registration for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy has the author been registered for any other University award. The research contained herein is the sole work of the author. The methodological strategy of interviews, field studies, and case studies, was conceptualized by the author and all aspect of this research has been steered by and accomplished by the author.
During the time frame of the author’s research, the author attended the required composite sessions of the Planetary Collegium, as listed below.

Composite sessions attended:

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    Mark Your Calendars Today! BioStasis 2000 June of the Year 2000 ave you ever considered Asilomar Conference Center Hwriting for publication? If not, let me warn you that it Northern California can be a masochistic pursuit. The simultaneous advent of the word processor and the onset of the Initial List Post-Literate Era have flooded every market with manuscripts, of Speakers: while severely diluting the aver- age quality of work. Most editors can’t keep up with the tsunami of amateurish submissions washing Eric Drexler, over their desks every day. They don’t have time to strain out the Ph.D. writers with potential, offer them personal advice, and help them to Ralph Merkle, develop their talents. The typical response is to search for familiar Ph.D. names and check cover letters for impressive credits, but shove ev- Robert Newport, ery other manuscript right back into its accompanying SASE. M.D. Despite these depressing ob- servations, please don’t give up hope! There are still venues where Watch the Alcor Phoenix as the beginning writer can go for details unfold! editorial attention and reader rec- Artwork by Tim Hubley ognition. Look to the small press — it won’t catapult you to the wealth and celebrity you wish, but it will give you a reason to practice, and it may even intro- duce you to an editor who will chat about your submissions. Where do you find this “small press?” The latest edition of Writ- ers’ Market will give you several possibilities, but let me suggest a more obvious and immediate place to start sending your work: Cryonics Magazine! 2 Cryonics • 1st Qtr, 1999 Letters to the Editor RE: “Hamburger Helpers” by Charles Platt, in his/her interest to go this route if the “Cryonics” magazine, 4th Quarter greater cost of insurance is more than offset Sincerely, 1998 by lower dues.
  • Optimization of Human Somatic Cells Cryopreservation Protocols by Polyethylene Glycols

    Optimization of Human Somatic Cells Cryopreservation Protocols by Polyethylene Glycols

    ОРИГІНАЛЬНІ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ УДК 57.043:547.42:577.1 DOI 10.11603/mcch.2410-681X.2016.v0.i3.6933 O. M. Perepelytsina, A. P. Uhnivenko, D. P. Burlaka, S. V. Bezuhlyi, M. V. Sydorenko INSTITUTE FOR PROBLEMS OF CRYOBIOLOGY AND CRYOMEDICINE NAS UKRAINE, KYIV OPTIMIZATION OF HUMAN SOMATIC CELLS CRYOPRESERVATION PROTOCOLS BY POLYETHYLENE GLYCOLS Using of polyethylene glycol in optimization of human somatic cells of cryopreservation protocols was analyzed. Low molecular weight PEG as vitrification solution supplement exhibited a high cooling speed and provided cell survival in 200 % comparing with control. It allows recommending the use of low molecular weight PEG in vitrification environment for effective cell vitrification protocols. KEY WORDS: cryopreservation, vitrification, polyethylene glycol, cooling rate, cell survival, freezing protocols. INTRODUCTION. Vitrification is the solidification about 0.1–10 °C/sec (roughly 10–1,000 °C/min) are of a liquid brought about not by crystallization but sufficient to achieve vitrification [7]. by an extreme elevation in viscosity during cooling Cryoprotectants, or cryoprotective agents [1]. It is a widely applied alternative to standard slow (CPAs) have been extensively used for vitrification programmable freezing methods for cryopreservation [16, 17]. CPAs are chemicals which prevent cell because of the higher survival rates of cells after damage caused by cryopreservation [8]. Such thawing [2, 3]. Vitrification was first proposed in substances as alcohols, amides, oxides and poly- 1985 by Greg Fahy and William F. Rall [4] as a mers with corresponding functional groups can be method for cryopreserving complex tissues such effective CPAs. These chemicals increase the as whole organs. The motivation for vitrification was viscosity of aqueous solutions, reduce the freezing that conventional freeze preservation invariably point and lower the ice nucleation temperatures of destroyed organs by disrupting sensitive tissue aqueous solutions.
  • Emergence, AI and Intellectual Property

    Emergence, AI and Intellectual Property

    The Emergent1 Property2 Market3 Jon Crowcroft, University of Cambridge, Computer Laboratory Abstract The title of this piece is a somewhat heavy-handed word play. The property market I’m writing about is the market in Intellectual Property, which is broken in so many ways, evidenced by the existence of patent mountains and patent trolls, fighting over how many angles they can fit in the 360 degrees around the head of a pin, rather than actually innovating. (It is well known in creative tech circles that pausing to talk to the IP lawyers would never have led to the discovery of the Internet Protocol). The Emergent Property I’m referring to is the possibility that such a complex system could fairly suddenly exhibit some new behavior. In this article, I speculate that this new behavior could just be that the idea of property ceases to exist. The article is written somewhat derivatively after the 1960s SF style of writers such as Cyril Kornbluth, JG Ballard, and John Brunner. Any resemblance to their very creative output is entirely good luck rather than actual skill. 1 A good example of emergence is described in Stephenson’s Anathem book. Complex systems suddenly exhibit simple, powerful effects, fireflies flashing and synchronizing all together in phase, or a murmuration of starlings being common natural examples. Crystalisation. See also footnote 33. 2 Some people have proposed putting the UK’s Land Registry (the national record of property) on the blockchain. Blockchains, or distributed ledgers, are suitable for storing information you wish to remain immutable, in a decentralized way where you cannot find any single trustworthy third party.