death is a monumental occurrence, but to Socrates and to me the existence of the soul in life is also monumental. The soul is the source of moral decisions, of compassion, of love, none of which can be factored into the cyborg's program. True, some sort of utilitarian or pragmatic formula for decision-making can be included in that program, but the dynamic, spontaneous, sometimes gloriously irrational decisions made and actions taken by the human being in moral crisis cannot be duplicated in a machine. The cyborg lacks the soul which serves as the centerpiece of Socrates' philosophy from Phaedo:
But then, O my friends, . . . if the soul is really immortal, what care should be taken of her, not only in the portion of time which is called life, but of eternity! And the danger of neglecting her from this point of view does indeed appear to be awful. . . . Inasmuch as the soul is manifestly immortal, there is no release or salvation from evil except the attainment of the highest v
...