If you could become a cyborg,would you?

Suppose in the future reliable cybernetics become an option.

Would you take them? If so, how extensive would it be?

Personally, if I could get better working versions, I would replace my eyes and my heart. I would be a little leary of implanting my brain with anything, but if it had to be done I'd probably be okay with it.

If there was a way to replace more without looking like a robot, I would probably have more done.

Reliable? Damn skippy I would.

To fail is to be flesh, only metal endures.

Hell to the yeah!

First thing I'd do is my legs, so I never have to worry about being so old I need a wheelchair.

First me legs. Then, the world.

I wouldn't mind it. I could shut myself off when needed and if I have a test, I can just get input from a computer.

More Buscemi at http://forum.reelsociety.com/

Certainly.

Though the modern replacement for the leg below the knee is already superior to an actual leg.

Infinite Tree: an experimental story

I am a cyborg. I have ocular enhancements resting on my nose and a precise timekeeping device stuck to my arm.

Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes! A thousand times YES. Hell, given the chance, I'd replace the whole damn thing with robotics. Probably last longer that way, anyways.

Sadly, it's only better for running. I don't think it's better for day to day walking around.

I'm already really used to my current interface — my original, biological body — so I probably wouldn't replace any components until something stops working properly; adjusting to a new interface is always a nuisance at first. However, if one of my biological components ends up in an unusable or permanently damaged state, I'm not the least averse to replacing it.

My brain contains everything about me that I really care about; the rest is mostly just an I/O system and maintenance. If my brain ends up being the only original component left at some point, that's fine with me.

Also, if certain cybernetics offered a significant advantage over their biological counterparts, I'd consider preemptively making the switch as long as the adjustment time and cost weren't too high. And don't forget simply adding components — think along the lines of a prehensile tail or a mental interface to a computer. (Vim may let me edit text at almost the speed of muscle memory, but that's still significantly slower than thought — and software that requires the mouse is even worse about it.)

Solution: run everywhere. :D

Seriously, though, I'm sure there's some way to balance it out.

Infinite Tree: an experimental story

Why am I the only one who appreciates being a flawed biological creature? I'd never do this, except if a part of my body couldn't, for whatever reason, function any more and I had to replace it. It simply isn't what I am.

The sin of silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.

Yes.

Fight smart, not fair.

Depending reliability and looks(if it's somethign liek Gunther from Deus Ex, no), yeah. Let's see... Eyes, so I can get rid of these glasses. Left leg, to get rid of the pain. Those are pretty much it, don't know if I would do rest of body just for the sake of cybernetics.

It is illusory that a whole cyborg body would be an advantage, apart from a superficial increase in physical attributes. It would be much less reliable and prone to bugs, short circuits and other malfunctions. The human body is a perfect mechanism as it is, and no human creation can beat the perfection that is the natural order.

The sin of silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.

Human body? Perfect?

*insert uncontrolled laughter*

No. Human body is far from perfect. It ages. It catches diseases. It heals very slowly and if you lose a limb, it won't grow back. Heart attacks. Cancer. Our eyes are weak compared to many creatures. We can't run faster that many predators. Do I need to continue? Human body is not perfect, nowhere close even.

edited 12th Dec '11 3:04:17 AM by Mandemo

That is perfect, if we look at the big picture. Humans are a part of the natural cycle, like it or not.

The sin of silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.

On the other hand, flesh is self-repairing. Metal is not. And it is stronger, yeah, but it is a hell of a lot heavier — and frankly, it's not like most people need that much resistance to breaking. I could see metal bodyparts have some military applications, perhaps, but I'd be willing to bet that most civilian-grade cyborg parts (if they will ever be available, of course) will be more along the lines of some special sort of ultratechnological plastic or something.

As for the question... I am not opposed to it, in principle, if it is useful. It really depends on what could be substituted, and why, and on which advantages it offers. Ideally, I'd want some sort of plug-and-play system, only without the "plug" part: basically, just install some sort of interface which allows me to send and receive (encoded, obviously) messages to artificial "body parts" which are otherwise entirely disconnected from my body. Less messy than hacking away, I think.

And of course, I'd have no problems with substituting any internal organ except from the brain, as long as the replacement is advantageous to my continued survival.

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

Perhaps.

I am now known as Flyboy.

Depends very much on how my body would be better for it. I'd have to find out about the risks & cons before going through with it. But eventually yes.

Basically what Carc said, in less words and less strict about the brain part. Brains do detoriate eventually with time too, so I'd eventually want to replace mine. I'd just go about it a lot more conservatively than my other parts.

They already exist: robotic prostetic limbs and pacemakers.

edited 12th Dec '11 4:34:59 AM by Qeise

Laws are made to be broken. You're next, thermodynamics.

Being part of "The Big Picture" or natural cycle does not make us perfect. Perfection is an abstract concept. We are no way perfect. In more than one way, instead of human body having become perfect for something, we made others perfect for human body.

Also, flesh healing: Yes, that is the advantages of flesh when compared to basic metals. However, nanomachines might fix that issue, tough those are years into future. Weight depends entirely on material these cybord parts are made from.

What I see as biggest problem with these is the same discussed in RIFTS rpg: detachment from humanity. Losing sense or taste or whatever, you no longer feel "human". Then again, if perfect way to simulate the feeligns is created it might not be a problem.

It's a complicated and depens entirely what we have, as opposed what could be.

mechanical parts are often weaker and clumsier than organic parts and will probably remain so for quite a while. real life is not science fiction.

As such, i would only get mechanical parts for organic parts i have lost.

Banned entirely for telling FE that he was being rude and not contributing to the discussion. I shall watch down from the goon heavens.

Point. I generally think of "cyborgization" as something that offers an improvement, and not just as a replacement for a damaged part if nothing else is available. But yeah, that's a bit arbitrary.

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.

Depend. Can I shoot laser?

I'm a (socialist) professional writer serializing a WWII alternate history webnovel.

Depends on what you mean with cyborg. I think the classical definition is a (complete) robot body with human brain. I'm unsure about that, but if it got me immortality I'd do it in a heartbeat. Now, "normal" cybernetics (I might be a bit dulled to the concept due to Shadowrun ) - hell yeah I'd get them, if I could afford them. Why not improve everything about you? Especially headware, particularly neuroware...

Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken. Unrelated ME1 Fanfic

Only when they are able to give sensitivity to the vast augmentation. Don't want to be feeling like I'm in a sensory-deprivation tank 24/7.

I see no reason why we should lose our sense of taste, or any other sense. If anything, cyborgization would give us the opportunity to acquire even more senses, in addition to our standard ones.

Wouldn't it be cool to be able to perceive light polarization? Or a massively wider spectrum? Or, if we want to get a little more exotic, to feel electricomagnetic fields and nuclear decay phenomena?

Just think of the opportunities for art that all of this would give us, for example...

But they seem to know where they are going, the ones who walk away from Omelas.