An Analysis of Katherine Hayles' Posthuman Theory: Focusing on Cybernetic Science

Modern science and technology produce phenomena that challenge traditional understandings of humanity. As a result, the attraction to the idea of posthuman subjectivity has been significant. The work of Katherine Hayles has established a tradition of posthuman studies that is concerned with the philosophical nature of posthuman subjectivity. Hayles conceptualizes the human and the posthuman as "perspectives" and asserts that humans become posthuman when they undergo a profound transformation in how they perceive the world. Posthumanism proposes a shift in perspective. However, the idea of a "shift in how humans perceive the world" can be ambiguous. Posthuman theory argues that the shift is not simply a change in a few isolated concepts; it represents a reconfiguration of interconnected notions, from observer, representation, language, context, time, to humanity itself. Without understanding the relationships between these elements, posthuman theory risks being misinterpreted within conventional frameworks.The perceived overlap between posthumanism and postmodernism is one of the sources of confusion. Since posthumanism draws its theoretical foundation from postmodernism, their superficial similarities can lead to misinterpretations. Misinterpreting posthumanism as a variant of antihumanism often leads to neglecting its emphasis on a comprehensive shift in perspective and focusing on superficial features. Hayles's analysis addresses these concerns. In The Cosmic Web (1984), Hayles examines relativity, quantum mechanics, and Gödel's incompleteness theorem in the early 20th century. In Chaos Bound (1990), she explores chaos theory from the mid-20th century. Her seminal work, How We Became Posthuman (1999), extends this by analyzing the cybernetics of the mid-to-late 20th century. Through Hayles's contributions, the distinctive nature of posthuman subjectivity, as opposed to the subjectivity of modernism and the antihumanist subjectivity of postmodernism, has come to the fore. This study traces the development of Hayles's work with a focus on cybernetics. By examining her analysis from earlier to later works, the concept of posthuman subjectivity can be clarified. Hayles's insights can provide clarity for those new to posthuman theory. Through this review, I aim to illuminate the "total perspective shift" in critical posthumanism.