Chapter 12: Cyborg TheoryAnd Learning

Building on the premise that humans are “natural born cyborgs” with an innate ability to interface naturally with technology, this chapter describes the evolution of the human cyborg. It draws on the history, theory, and philosophy of cybernetics to explore the psychodynamics of the integration of organism and machine. The chapter argues that theorists in this field of enquiry are correct when they assert that we are a lot further down the road to becoming cyborgs than we may be willing to concede. The implications of this for the future of education are discussed and the conclusion is that not only do human minds have an adaptability and plasticity, enabling students to interface with any technology that is useful to their purpose, but also that these students actually establish themselves as learning cyborgs through a symbiotic relationship with technology that blurs traditional distinctions.