Teleportation, cyborgs and the posthuman ideology

This paper is concerned with a set of phenomena that lies at the intersection of popular culture, genetics, cybertechnology, nanotechnology, biotechnology and other advanced technologies, bio-ethics, science speculation, science fiction, mythology, the New Age Movement, cults, commerce and globalization. At the centre is a radical technophilia that finds representative expression in posthumanism, an Internet-based social movement driven by an extreme scientific utopianism. This set of phenomena constitutes an articulated cultural response to a number of underlying economic, technological and social dynamics that are together transforming the world, and particularly developed societies as they are incorporated into a global system of 'digital capitalism'. This paper first describes posthumanism and transhumanism. It then explores two key notions, teleportation and cyborgs, that receive extensive attention in mainstream media and serve as exemplars of this scientistic ideology, locating them both in cultural history and contemporary popular culture. The paper argues that posthumanism and associated phenomena are best seen as an ideological interpellation of humanity into an increasingly dominant scientific and technological order based on the cultural and scientific ascendancy of the 'Informational Paradigm' identified by Katherine Hayles in her inquiry into 'How we became posthuman'

Globalization, Neo-Humanism and Religious Diversity

This paper proposes that the challenge of religious diversity must be seen in terms of globalization and the emergence of the postmetaphysical challenge within the crisis of humanist culture of the West. After outlining the dynamics of globalization and their implications for understanding cultural and religious diversity, the paper outlines the weaknesses of the dominant approach to religious diversity and sketches a new postmetaphysical perspective. This approach has two components: (1) a deconstructive stream, which emphasizes difference and deferral as disruptive forces in the ongoing discourse on diversity and the construction of religious identities; and, (2) the paradigm of desire, which emphasizes the dimensions of corporeality, desire and transgression in religious commitment. Overall, the postmetaphysical perspective suggests that religious diversity may best be comprehended via the encounter of religions in the here-and-now of concrete life-world situations. This reorientation can be conceptualized in terms of a shift from an ontotheological perspective to an ethical one

Global and Jihad and the Battle for the Soul of Islam

The violence of the present global crisis tends to obscure another battle that is presently underway within Islam, one "for the soul of the world's Muslims" (Schwartz, 2002:163). While the primary focus of much current research concerns the threat of the Islamist call to 'Global Jihad', these movements are also seeking to impose a purified Islam universally across the Muslim world. They are targeting popular forms of Islam, Sufi mysticism, and the many diverse forms of traditional Islam that have existed for centuries across the globe. Given the significance of these religious phenomena, and especially Sufism, this is a battle with major implications for the future of Islam and the religious history of the world. This paper describes and assesses this situation and identifies some implications for the contemporary study of Islam

Transformation of cytogenetically normal chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia to an acute myeloid leukaemia and the emergence of a novel +13,+15 double trisomy resulting in an adverse outcome

A 58-year-old man was admitted with symptoms of lethargy and easy bruising for four months duration. Peripheral blood (PB) analysis revealed a white blood cell count (WBC) of 15.9 × 109/l with monocytes 5.4 × 109/l. Bone marrow (BM) was hypercellular with 15% blasts, monocytosis and trilineage dysplasia. Conventional cytogenetic analysis (G-banding) detected an apparently normal male karyotype (46,XY). A diagnosis of chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML) was made. After 3 years, PB analysis revealed a WBC count of 22 × 109/l and a predominance of blasts. BM aspirate analysis also revealed 89% myeloid blasts and G-banding detected the emergence of an abnormal clone harbouring an extra copy of chromosomes 13 and 15. A diagnosis of disease transformation to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) was made. Post chemotherapy BM aspirate was very hypocellular and the abnormal +13,+15 clone was still present suggesting primary refractory disease. A second course of chemotherapy was only administered for 24 hours due to complications. The abnormal +13,+15 clone was still present and it was decided that no further treatment apart from palliative care could be offered. The patient died 11 weeks later, five months after AML transformation. This is the first description of a cytogenetically normal CMML patient transforming to AML with the emergence of a unique +13, +15 double trisomy resulting in an adverse outcome

Traditionalism in Australia: An Overview

This article provides an overview of the history of Traditionalism in Australia over the past 50 years, outlining its principle teachings, identifying and discussing key figures and their work and concluding with an assessment of the implications for Traditionalism of globalisation and the rise of the Internet, on which it has a significant presence

Foucault, Religion and Governmentality

Michel Foucault's analysis of governmentality and biopolitics has had a major impact on current theories of the state and public policy, especially in areas relating to corporeality, the body and the self (Gordon and Miller 1991; Ransom 1997; Moss 1998). This essay discusses these concepts in the context of Foucault's later work on religion, showing how vital this work was for this type of analysis. It proceeds by reviewing some notable recent contributions to the understanding of Foucault and religion, noting their strengths but also seeking to redress a subtle bias in their work towards an over-emphasis of the social constructionist and discourse-analytic reading of Foucault's position. An alternative reading is offered that foregrounds the notion of 'limit experiences' in this area of Foucault's work and stresses the scope and power of his critique of the role religion plays in the emergence of contemporary forms of governmentality. It develops this argument in connection with a consideration of Foucault's unpublished fourth volume of his History of Sexuality, 'Confessions of the Flesh', and a review of relevant Foucaultian concepts

Reflexive Spirituality and Metanoia in High Modernity

This paper explores a significant recent departure in the sociology of religion, the theory of 'reflexive spirituality'. This notion addresses problems of meaninglessness arising from the domination of rationality in modern society, where overarching systems of belief are fractured and fundamental trust and a sense of ontological security are threatened. Reflexive spirituality is a suggestive and fertile conception that suggests many avenues of analysis into contemporary spirituality. However, it also has weaknesses, which this paper addresses, principally by introducing the notion of metanoia and emphasizing the crucial role that it has to play in spiritual experience and the implications this has for the expert-systems within which religion and spirituality are increasingly appropriated in high modernity

Comparative MIC evaluation of a generic ceftriaxone by broth microdilution on clinically relevant isolates from an academic hospital complex in South Africa

We evaluated the in vitro microbiological efficacy of a generic ceftriaxone product against several clinically significant organisms collected from sterile sites. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each was determined simultaneously with the reference and the generic ceftriaxone product. Comparative analysis of MICs between the two products for each isolate was performed using both categorical (interpretive) agreement and essential (actual MIC value) agreement. A total of 260 isolates were tested. Overall, there was categorical agreement of 98.9% and essential agreement of 95.8%. The categorical agreement for all isolates (96.7 - 100%) accorded with international standards, as no very major errors were seen and the major error rate was less than 3%. Of the 90 isolates of E. coli (40), Klebsiella spp. (40) and Salmonella spp. (10), 87.6% had an MIC less than or equal to 0.12 mg/l. The generic ceftriaxone product showed equivalent efficacy by MIC determination to the reference formulation. Ceftriaxone remains a viable and useful antimicrobial agent against a variety of clinically relevant organisms in our setting.S Afr Med J 2012;102:102-103