I cannot imagine identifying with any body other than the natural one. I consider my body an integral part of my identity because my passion for sports and other physical activities often involves the use of my body. I would love to be able to run faster or jump higher, but I enjoy working on these things to improve them. It would feel like cheating to have robotic body parts that were not my own to enhance my body. How could I be proud of athleticism and sports ability that I bought rather than working to obtain? I can't even imagine considering some artificial robotic enhancement part of my body. My body is simply the human flesh and bones that I was born with.
One key exception I would consider, however, would be if a person was born with a disability or suffered some injury. I think that an artificial limb or other body part is more than acceptable in that case, and I have naught but the utmost respect for people who do not let these seemingly incapacitating conditions stop them. But other than this condition, it don't see it as morally correct for someone to attempt to enhance their body with artificial robotic parts. And regardless, the reality still remains that no matter how hard humans strive for perfection, we will always fall well short.
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I agree about striving for self improvement. People set health goals for themselves for multiple reasons, such as improving their endurance, improving strength, or just looking for that satisfaction upon achieving a goal. I know I would feel cheated if I worked hard to get a spot on the football team, but then lost my spot to someone who just purchased some robotic body parts. People who work hard want to see results, rather then see it all go down the drain in place of someone who cheated their way to the top.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that artificial body parts should only be acceptable for those with disabilities. There would be no true competition in things like sports because everyone would be perfect and be no more capable than the next person with artificial body parts. That would take the fun out of so many of our more important past times, and would result in changing the world in a way no one thought possible. The natural body really is the only true body. If people weren't flawed we would loose our basic drive for anything.
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