In the current digital age, the proliferation of connected technologies profoundly redefines our interactions, social structures, and perceptions of fundamental concepts such as death. Throughout history, awareness and reflection on mortality have profoundly shaped human social and cognitive development, extending beyond humans to observable behaviors in animals, bacteria, and even plants. In this way, death is both an intrinsic biological reality, tied to entropy and renewal, and a profound sub…
Read moreIn the current digital age, the proliferation of connected technologies profoundly redefines our interactions, social structures, and perceptions of fundamental concepts such as death. Throughout history, awareness and reflection on mortality have profoundly shaped human social and cognitive development, extending beyond humans to observable behaviors in animals, bacteria, and even plants. In this way, death is both an intrinsic biological reality, tied to entropy and renewal, and a profound subject of inquiry into existence, consciousness, and identity. Thus, this volume approaches death not as a singular entity but as a multifaceted phenomenon, an enigma that evokes both horror and hope. Furthermore, recent advances in robotics and artificial intelligence introduce unprecedented dimensions to this discourse, with a special emphasis on the complex ethical and philosophical challenges emerging as these technologies take on traditionally human roles. With all this in mind, this volume explores questions about the ontological status of artificial entities, their potential self-awareness, and whether their termination constitutes an authentic form of death. The essays collected here represent a pioneering interdisciplinary exploration that brings together philosophical, cultural, ethical, and technological perspectives. As the first work of its kind, the book intends to enrich academic discourse and foster critical reflection on the evolving nature of death in a technology-mediated society.
