Cryonics And Digital Immortality: Ethical Reflection On Communication And Humanity'S Post-Biological Future
Eke, Chigozi (PhD)
Department of Linguistics and Communication Studies, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Keywords: Cryonics, Digital immortality, Ethical Reflection, Communication, Humanity's Post-Biological Future
Abstract
This study examined the cryonics and digital immortality: ethical reflection on communication and humanity's post-biological future. The technological determinism theory was anchored in this study. This study adopted the Interpretivist research philosophy. The research employed a descriptive research design. The population comprised 150 professionals, scholars, and practitioners in the fields of bioethics, communication, and digital technology across major Nigerian universities and research institutions (National Universities Commission [NUC], 2023). A sample size of 30 participants was determined as adequate for qualitative inquiry and was obtained through purposive sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. The collected data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that The study found that cryonics and digital immortality fundamentally challenge traditional notions of human identity and authenticity, raising profound ethical questions about what it means to be human in a post-biological future The study concluded that the cryonics and digital immortality fundamentally redefine human identity and authenticity, indicating that traditional understandings of what it means to be human must evolve in response to these transformative technologies. The study recommended that governments and ethical bodies should develop guidelines and public awareness campaigns to address the evolving definitions of human identity in the context of cryonics and digital immortality
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