The Dystopia of William Gibson's Neuromancer Essay

As humans, there are many aspects that separate and distinguish us from other animals. However, I believe the most valuable distinction is our ability to create meaningful relationships. Whether these relationships are friendships, marriages or any other union of two people, this connection is the basis of our humanity. Through relationships were able to share knowledge, discuss ideas, and better ourselves through the enlightenment of others.

“It’s starting to look as if the most shameful tradition of Western civilization is our need to deny we are animals” (Barbara Kingsolver 10). In “High Tide In Tucson”, the author Kingsolver proposes a counter-narrative that human should recognize themselves as animals. In “

The ways in which characters communicate and interact with one another are redefined in William Gibson?s Neuromancer. An all-encompassing web of intrigue, the Net enables humans and non-humans to access and to communicate an infinite amount of data across time and space. Medical implants open another door on virtual communications. Non-living entities such as artificial intelligences and the Dixie Flatline construct overcome the physical barriers of communication. With the implementation of these new communications technologies, the physical and virtual realities of the society waver and meld into one another, resulting in an alienating cyber culture where this new reality of

An essential aspect of humanity that enables us to separate ourselves from the rest of the animal kingdom has been there from the start, this aspect is language. As we have evolved, so has our language. Being able to communicate in a more complex manner than other species has enabled us to perceive the world in a new light and with a more collective mindset. Therefore, we have become a species that is able to see things just from hearing people speak about them. That is not the full extent of our ability, as we are able to see with much more than just an auditory or visual input.

Before reading this book, I would have answered this question using a much more philosophical viewpoint. I would have said that being human allows us to experience nuances of life and change the world in ways other animals cannot. However, after reading Your Inner Fish, I’d have to say that as humans, we shouldn’t believe that our species should be deified in the animal kingdom as a group more advanced than others. The current state of human beings is a product of evolution from a common ancestor, and as such we can find similarities between people and other creatures, as well as determine where in our bodies we are not the most sophisticated animals evolutionarily.

Case, as a young virtual "cowboy," disdains the pleasures of the flesh, craving only the more total escape of the matrix--an escape from his bodily existence or "the meat." When this escape from reality is denied him, Case feels more fully the limitations and hopelessness of the world in which he lives and perceives his physical reality as a trap: "Case fell into the prison of his own flesh." (6) Denied the escape of the matrix, the escape for which he lives, Case turns to drugs in an attempt to create a fast unreal existence for himself that approximates the rush he receives from the matrix: "Get just wasted enough--and it was possible to see Ninsei as a field of data, the way the matrix had once reminded him of proteins linking" (16). Case uses the drugs to blind himself to the realities of his world, the dead perilous world that is Ninsei, the lack of hope or direction in his life, and his own terror and self-loathing. Case ensconces himself in a distorted protective reality, a "portable bombshelter built of booze and ups" (21). Without the escape from the flesh that the matrix had once offered him, Case seems to be without any motivation to survive and indeed seems intent on his own self-destruction. When the matrix as an avenue of escape becomes available to Case once more, it is like a consummation of desire, more powerful than sex: "he was

Neuromancer, written by William Gibson in 1984, is a novel well ahead of its time. The book predicted many concepts about the internet and cyberspace that exist today. Neuromancer, of the prophetic genre, is a novel that accurately describes and predicts what will happen in the future. Characteristics of the prophetic novel include: dystopian societies, technologies, and progressive thinking. Neuromancer is considered a prophetic novel because it contains many aspects distinct to its genre, such as unique characters, futuristic settings, introspective themes, complex plots, dark atmospheres, and resistant tones. Although the prophetic genre may not appeal to everyone, it certainly is a genre with fresh ideas and innovative thinking.

It exhibits slight variations due to climate, environment, and so forth; but it is a species by itself, and cannot be confounded with any other,” (Lowest Animal, Twain). What can attract the attention of any reader is when Twain states, “ it is a species by itself .”(Twain) meaning that the human race can in most instances provide and survive for themselves and not only can we walk on two feet but we can talk. It relates to the topic because we are very unique compared to the average animal, we may not have more than two legs,fins, or can fly, but we have an intelligence unlike any

In spite of species differences between humans and animals, we have the common capacity to experience life. Philosopher Tom Regan spoke in his argument for animal rights:

We have seen countless examples by Carl Safina in Beyond Words, of animals exhibiting many of the previously thought human characteristics. Starting from the great mammals, such as elephants, whales, chimpanzees, and wolves, down to the smallest birds and fish, we have seen their intellect, emotions, compassion, need for companionship and family. The cognitive and emotional overlap between humans and nonhuman animals is evident through Safina’s first hand observations of animals in the wild, in ways that exhibit theory of mind, conscience thought, self-awareness and deception; all previously thought to be only human qualities. We are equal in many ways and we humans need to take the responsibility to correct what we have created. In many cases, WE have taken away the dignified existence all animals deserve. There are many obstacles that must be overcome; physical, economic and political to name just a few. But justice – a moral principle and basic right of equality of treatment, in equal circumstances, receiving what you deserve, needs to cross over the species boundary in the nonhuman animal kingdom. This is not only imperative for the survival of animals, but for the human race

Reading Mark Twain observation from his experiments has opened my eyes in seeing human differently. There is clearly a difference between human behavior and animal behavior. Humans think they are superior when it comes to animals. Maybe it because humans can speak. Unfortunately, this is not the case, animals were here long before man was here making them the higher

The book “Neuromancer” was written in 1984 and it has blown away the thought barriers with the author’s technology implementation. It was written by a well-known author that goes by the name of William Gibson. In the book we find ourselves in a futuristic Japan where arcades, hacking, drugs, sex, violence, splicing, and technology has taken over. This is not the Japan we know today, or is it?

The fundamental question that has been around for centuries is this aspect of “What it Means To Be Human?. What are the defining characteristics that make us different from animals?. There are so many different features and theories that can be used to answer this particular question. Humans are such complex beings; they consist of emotions, diverse behaviours and physical characteristics. Humans are a distinct species that differ from others species in the world. It can be difficult to pinpoint this difference because humans allow their emotions to ultimately make their decisions. Humans act based on a variety of factors that are learned or inherited through genetics. The real question is how much of our genetics effect our thinking and decision

For years evolutionary biologists have studied the development of animals and humans side by side. They have no doubt that certain species of animals, like apes, parallel anatomically with humans. While this is the case scientifically, the ages of literature frame mankind as being something more than animal. Famous philosophers and poets toyed with the idea of what truly sets human behavior apart from animalistic behavior by presenting the idea that animalistic behavior is prominently propelled by appetites and desires. The ability to overcome these appetitive tendencies and to think with reason distinguishes human from animal. Once humans are able to balance the soul with reason, they can live virtuously. This ability to become a virtuous

In the past, animals were assumed to have no real intelligence. They were thought of as mindless beasts that only survived purely on instinct. However, by studying animals people have discovered that animals are not mindless beasts. They are complex life forms. Animals are capable of understanding their environment like humans do and using it in ways that would ultimately benefit them. In the article Personhood, Animals, And The Law, “an animal forms some sort of representation of their environment. As a result of instinct, learning, and in the case of some animals, intelligent thought, objects in the animal’s environment are represented as desirable or aversive in specific ways: as something to eat, or to flee from, or to mate with, or to take care of” (Korsgaard). Animals categorize information in their memories in order to assess what could potentially harm or benefit them within their own environment. This could be considered as rational thought. Rationality is the “the ability to choose intelligently between options or to solve problems by taking thought” (Korsgaard). If animals are able to categorize information and distinguish between what is going to hurt or benefit them, then they will make conscious decisions that will end up benefiting themselves. People do the same thing. People categorize objects in our environment and give them certain qualities and objectives. People understand that certain things will help us live better, and that other things