How We Became Posthuman

How We Became Posthuman traces the emergence of posthuman ideas through cybernetics, information theory, and artificial life research in the latter half of the 20th century. The book examines key historical moments and scientific developments that transformed how humans understand consciousness, embodiment, and information. Hayles analyzes the works of researchers and theorists who shaped modern concepts of human-machine interaction and information processing. She presents detailed case studies of scientific texts and literary works that demonstrate the evolution of posthuman thought, from early cybernetics to contemporary artificial life simulations. The narrative follows parallel developments in computer science, biology, physics, and literature to show how different fields contributed to current posthuman perspectives. Through this historical and cultural analysis, Hayles raises fundamental questions about what it means to be human in an era of intelligent machines and disembodied information. The book offers a critical framework for understanding how technology shapes human identity and consciousness. Its examination of the boundaries between human and machine remains relevant to ongoing debates about artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and the future of human evolution.

Readers appreciate Hayles' thorough analysis of cybernetics history and her questioning of common assumptions about consciousness, embodiment, and information. Several reviews highlight her clear explanation of complex theoretical concepts. Positive reviews note the book's interdisciplinary approach connecting literature, technology, and philosophy. A Goodreads reviewer praised how "Hayles shows the parallel development of cybernetics alongside postmodern fiction." Common criticisms focus on dense academic language and abstract theoretical discussions that can be difficult to follow. Multiple readers mentioned struggling with the literary analysis sections. One Amazon reviewer noted: "The writing style is unnecessarily complex and the arguments could be made more accessible." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (523 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (52 ratings) Google Books: 4/5 (198 ratings) The most frequent recommendation is to read the introduction and first two chapters, which many found more engaging than later sections focused on literary criticism.

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🔹 N. Katherine Hayles wrote this influential 1999 book while serving as a professor at both UCLA and Duke University, combining her unique background in chemistry and literature to bridge the gap between science and humanities. 🔹 The book traces how the concept of information lost its "body" - shifting from a material, physical understanding to an abstract, disembodied one - through key developments in cybernetics from the 1940s to 1990s. 🔹 Hayles challenges noted futurist Hans Moravec's vision of downloading human consciousness into computers, arguing that consciousness is fundamentally embodied and cannot be separated from physical experience. 🔹 The work examines three major "waves" of cybernetics through literary works like William Gibson's Neuromancer and Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, showing how science fiction both shaped and reflected changing views of human-machine relationships. 🔹 The book won the René Wellek Prize for the best book in literary theory, becoming one of the first major academic works to seriously examine the cultural and philosophical implications of posthumanism and virtual reality.