Redefining Identity. Posthumanist Theories in Westworld

Abstract

Since the late 20th century, the posthumanist project of human improvement has been proposing the overcoming of the actual human capacities. Although this possibility may not yet be in practice, these hypotheses have emerged in the genre of science fiction resulting in the collective image of what is considered to be possible, even desirable. Moreover, science fiction experiments with these artificial developments up to the greatest extent and provokes a questioning of the matter. In the present study, the tensions relating to posthumanism in the fictional series Westworld are reviewed. The article focuses particularly on identity, one of the most fluctuating concepts of present day. The analysis reveals the need to approach ‘identity’ from a point of view that shows the special importance of personal experience, both from the corporal and psychological point of view.