New Humans?

Abstract

This chapter focuses on extended cognition, a concept that invites the possibility of extended knowledge—i.e., knowledge that results from the close coupling of agents’ biological and technological equipment. It examines what is minimally required for such forms of technologically extended (and distributed) agents to be sufficiently justified and it asks whether existing and future technologies can allow for such forms of epistemic extension. Critical examination of the relevant literature at the intersection of philosophy of mind and epistemology suggests a positive response. Given this possibility, the chapter finally explores some of the ensuing transformations in the ethical obligations and rights of the resulting socio-technical systems and “new humans.”