AI and cosmetic enhancements evoke 'uncanny valley' and philosophical concerns about human obsolescence

The Uncanny Valley in Human Appearance

Recent observations of public figures with cosmetic enhancements, such as John Travolta and Carla Bruni, have evoked a sense of unease, described as looking like 'approximations of themselves'. This feeling aligns with the 'uncanny valley' concept, originally described by robotics professor Masahiro Mori in 1970. Mori observed that robots designed to be highly human-like often caused discomfort rather than trust.

Origins of the Uncanny Valley

The 'uncanny valley' phenomenon suggests that features that are 'off' in near-human entities, such as glossy skin or frozen expressions, can resemble signs of disease or death, triggering a sense of danger or revulsion. While a failure for humanoid robots, the article questions what it signifies when this sensation is provoked by human appearance.

Philosophical Precedents: Anders' 'Obsolescence of the Human'

The discussion extends to philosopher Günther Anders' 1956 work, 'The Obsolescence of the Human'. Anders, Hannah Arendt's first husband, argued that technological advancement would foster a new form of human self-contempt. He posited that humans, confronted with the perfection of mass-produced goods, would regret their 'bodily clumsiness' and 'corporeal imprecision', feeling ashamed of their natural origins compared to carefully designed products.

Aspiration to Resemble Technology

Anders further predicted that intimidated humans would not resist the objects that humiliated them. Instead, they would aspire to resemble these objects, seeking to become less human and more like standardized, optimized, and 'put together' products. The article suggests that contemporary trends, including cosmetic enhancements and potentially AI's influence, might indicate a realization of Anders' dystopian vision.