Minimal Self and Bio-Machine Hybrid Technology: A Contribution to the Phenomenology of Technology Incorporation

This article contributes to the ongoing research on the minimal self. This is the most elementary form of individual identity, rooted in fundamental bodily structures and schemas. The article will examine the topic of minimal selfhood from a phenomenological perspective, with a particular focus on the incorporation of technology. Some types of technology, such as prosthetics, are experienced by the user as an integral component of her or his own body. The question of whether there is a phenomenologically relevant relationship between the incorporation of a machine and minimal selfhood is particularly pertinent in the context of a new generation of incorporable machines, known as bio-machine hybrid technology. The technology benefits from notable advances in digital modeling of bodily signals, as well as research on bio-integrated materials. This article examines the relationship between bio-machine hybrid technology and the minimal self, discussing a case study in the field of biomimetic visual prosthetics.