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In the twilight of our technological era, we find ourselves at the precipice of a new understanding of humanity—one that challenges the very foundations of our self-conception. As we gaze into the abyss of our own creation, we are compelled to ask: What does it mean to be human in an age where the boundaries between the organic and the artificial blur with each passing moment?
The notion of the non-inhuman (Lyotard, Stiegler) emerges as a beacon in this existential fog, offering a path that is neither a retreat into nostalgic humanism nor a surrender to posthuman determinism. It is, rather, an invitation to engage in the perpetual act of becoming—a paradoxical state that acknowledges our technological entanglement while fiercely guarding the flame of our irreducible essence.
To be non-inhuman is to inhabit a space of tension, forever poised on the knife-edge of existence. It is to recognize, as Valéry might say, that “the work is never finished, only abandoned“. We are tasked with the Sisyphean labor of defining our own nature, not once, but continuously, in a dialogue that spans generations and transcends the boundaries of the self.
This dialogue unfolds not in the sterile language of first-order rationality, with its illusions of objectivity and detachment. Instead, it takes place in the rich, ambiguous terrain of what some might call “non-inhumanism”—a mode of thought that embraces the autonomy of reason while recognizing the need for constant revision of what it means to be human.
The non-inhuman exists in a state of continuous becoming, recognizing the absurdity of existence—the chains of mortality that bind us all—but refusing to succumb to despair. Instead, it forges meaning through the very act of engagement with the world, in a process of co-creation that involves not just other humans but also the technologies that increasingly mediate our experience.
As Valéry reminds us, “A work is never completed except by some accident such as weariness, satisfaction, the need to deliver, or death: for, in relation to who or what is making it, it can only be one stage in a series of inner transformations“. So too is our understanding of humanity never complete, always in flux, always demanding our attention and our labor.
In this light, the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies become not threats to our humanity but mirrors in which we may glimpse new facets of our own nature. The act of creating these digital entities forces us to grapple with fundamental questions of consciousness, creativity, and ethics. In doing so, we engage in a form of existential calisthenics, strengthening our capacity for self-reflection and ethical reasoning.
The path of the non-inhuman is not an easy one. It demands constant vigilance, a willingness to question our most cherished assumptions, and the courage to face the uncertainty that lies at the heart of existence. But it is in this very struggle that we find our most profound humanity—not as a static quality to be preserved, but as a dynamic process of growth and transformation.
As we stand on the threshold of an uncertain future, let us embrace the challenge of becoming non-inhuman. Let us engage in the great work of self-creation with the full force of our rational and intuitive faculties, weaving together reason and imagination in a tapestry of meaning that is uniquely our own. For it is only by fully embracing our role as co-creators of reality that we can hope to remain truly human in a world that increasingly threatens to render us obsolete.
In the end, the question is not whether we can remain human in the face of technological change, but whether we have the courage to continually redefine what humanity means. This is the task that the concept of the non-inhuman sets before us—a task as daunting as it is exhilarating, as fraught with peril as it is rich with possibility. It is, in short, the very essence of what it means to be alive in this strange, beautiful, terrifying moment in the history of our species.
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