The Spectre of Death in Don DeLillo’s Zero K

Scientific paper - Preliminary note / Short communication

• Title (croatian): Sablast smrti u DeLillovu romanu Zero K
• Author: Lovro Furjanić https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9520-5559
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract (english)

This paper offers a basic overview of the transhumanist movement, particularly its approach to ageing. The transhumanist philosophy of ageing strives both towards prolonging the human life and removing the ill effects of ageing. Special emphasis will be put on cryopreservation, which is a currently relevant and functional, albeit controversial, method of suspending death. A group of traditional issues regarding cryonic technology, such as its biological feasibility, will be evaluated. Following the detailed theoretical investigation, Don DeLillo’s Zero K will be analyzed based on the philosophical background of the transhumanist movement, the evaluation of the desirability of cryonic technology, and its rendering of ageing and death. Zero K subtly brings to attention the economic background of this complex technical process, which is often a blind spot in discussions regarding the positive and negative aspects of cryonics. Transhumanism espouses the wide availability of human enhancement methods, but Zero K draws attention to wealth as the demarcation line between those who can choose to enjoy the benefits of technology and those who remain excluded regardless of their choice. In this context, Zero K confronts the potential of cryopreservation with reality and draws attention to points of tension within the transhumanist approach to ageing.

Abstract (croatian)

Ovaj članak nudi osnovni pregled transhumanističkog pokreta s posebnim naglaskom na transhumanistički pristup starenju. Transhumanistička filozofija starenja teži produženju ljudskog života i uklanjanju negativnih posljedica starenja. Krioprezervacija, koja je neovisno o kontroverznosti trenutačno relevantna i funkcionalna metoda zaustavljanja smrti bit će posebno naglašena. Tekst sadrži procjenu skupine tradicionalnih problema s krioničkom tehnologijom, poput njezine biološke izvedivosti. To će detaljno teorijsko promišljanje pratiti analiza DeLillova romana Zero K na temelju filozofske podloge transhumanističkog pokreta, procjene poželjnosti krioničke tehnologije i prikaza starenja i smrti u romanu. Roman suptilno privlači pozornost ekonomskoj pozadini ovog složenog tehničkog procesa, koja je često slijepa pjega u diskusijama o pozitivnim i negativnim aspektima krionike. Transhumanizam se zalaže za široku dostupnost metoda poboljšanja čovjeka, ali Zero K privlači pozornost bogatstvu kao demarkacijskoj liniji između onih koji mogu izabrati da uživaju u dobrobitima tehnologije i onih koji ostaju isključeni neovisno o vlastitom izboru. U tom kontekstu DeLillov roman suočava mogućnost krioprezervacije sa stvarnošću i privlači pozornost točkama tenzije unutar transhumanističkog pristupa starenju.

• Keywords (english): transhumanism, cryonics, Don DeLillo, Zero K, ageing
• Keywords (croatian): transhumanizam, krionika, Don DeLillo, Zero K, starenje
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Preliminary note / Short communication
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Anafora : Časopis za znanost o književnosti
• Numbering: vol. VI, no. 2, p. 512
• p-ISSN: 1849-2339
• e-ISSN: 2459-5160
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.29162/ANAFORA.v6i2.10
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:655669
• Publication: 2019
• Document URL: https://hrcak.srce.hr/231343
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2020-02-27 10:44:27