Mind and machine: can computing re-frame our idea of the self? From the article:

Brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies like Neuralink symbolise a new era in the intertwining of the human brain and machines, asking us to reconsider our intuitions about identity, the self and personal responsibility. In the near-term, the technology promises many benefits for people like [Noland] Arbaugh, but the applications could go further. The company’s long-term vision is to make such implants available to the general population to augment and enhance their abilities too. If a machine can perform acts once reserved for the cerebral matter inside our skulls, should it be considered an extension of the human mind, or something separate?….

This [the need to distinguish between imagination and intention] raises some serious concerns, such as whether a person using a brain implant to augment their abilities can gain executive control over their BCI-integrated actions. While human brains and bodies already produce plenty of involuntary actions, from sneezes to clumsiness to pupil dilation, could implant-controlled actions feel alien? Might the implant seem like a parasitic intruder gnawing away at the sanctity of a person’s volition?….

Brain implants like Arbaugh’s have undoubtedly opened a new door for philosophical discussions about the border between mind and machine. The debate over action and agency has traditionally circled around the skin and skull boundary of identity. However, with brain implants, this boundary has become malleable – and that means the self may extend further into technology than ever before. 

For posts on transhumanism, see here.