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A Goat’s State of Mind

Thomas Thwaiter’s project A holiday from being human (GoatMan), exemplifies a distinct investigation on normality where technological enhancement aids the exploration into the nature of a goat’s behaviour. This project attempts to experience the condition that is considered normal to a goat, which can be recognized as a non-anthropocentric investigation into normality. Another interesting aspect is that Thwaiter’s emulation of the goat, his exoskeleton, can be perceived as an enhancement, or de-enhancement, of the human body.

References:
http://www.thomasthwaites.com/a-holiday-from-being-human-goatman/

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3 Comments on "A Goat’s State of Mind"

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Sofie Reimer-Walsted
Member
Hi Frederik! Thank you for casting light on a very important part of transhumanism that is the de-enhancement of the human subject in relation to becoming the-other (In this case a goat). This is a field which is sometimes neglected but deserves a thorough investigation since we have seen it present in countless great mythologies like the story of the greek Minotaur or our very own nordic instance of Loke fathering the Fenris wolf and Midgard serpent. It is very interesting to be presented with a modern case regarding us humans trying to relate to animals with technology as a… Read more »
Maja Tingberg Kruse
Member

Hi Frederik!
Thank you for sharing this! Really intriguing project. My first thought after reading your comment was the possibilities of virtual reality in similar investigations into a non-anthropocentric point of view. I wonder how it would change our perception of ourselves and the world if we had the possibility to experience or embody other life forms convincingly. Could that experience make us more likely to take other species into our consideration and care, just like the experience of extreme poverty could make us more generous and caring for other people in need?

Sine Lykke Hansen
Member

Hi Frederik!
My first reaction to this was “weird, why would he do that?!” but I actually think it is quite cool. I mean, it’s been decades since we used abstractions from the bird and build airplanes. People’s first reaction when the Wright brothers started building an airplane was probably something like my first reaction to the GoatMan.

Do you see the goat emulation as an enhancement or de-enhancement of the human body? I cannot decide..

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