Wajnerman Paz, Abel and Villalobos, Mario and Fuentes, Jorge I. (2025) Autopoietic Bodily Integrity: A Biological Approach to Hybrid Minds. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Recent cases of forced explantation of neurotechnologies seem to be grounded on a naturalist conception of the body as an entity that cannot have a non-biological object as a proper part. However, this conception has been challenged by functional approaches, according to which if an artifact robustly contributes to the function of a body, it is part of it and should be legally treated as such.

Bublitz (2022) argues that a series of problems would result from revising the law to accommodate a functional view and, for this reason, naturalism is the best option. We claim that it is unacceptable to endorse naturalism for purely pragmatic reasons while recognizing that it is theoretically groundless.

We argue that contemporary versions of Autopoietic Theory can be used to provide a theoretically sound naturalistic view. We articulate a criterion for the attribution of degrees of bodiliness to any given object, depending on how closely it is related to autopoiesis, and then specify a threshold that defines the degree required to be a part of the body. Crucially, according to our view, only a very restricted set of devices can become body parts, which significantly mitigates the legal problems of body/device hybridization.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Wajnerman Paz, Abel abelwajnerman@gmail.com 0000-0003-1551-527X Villalobos, Mario mario.kirmayr@gmail.com 0000-0003-0567-2888 Fuentes, Jorge I. jfuenm@uc.cl 0009-0000-1414-2315
Keywords:	bodily integrity; mental integrity; hybridization; autopoietic theory; neuroethics
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology Specific Sciences > Neuroscience > Cognitive Neuroscience Specific Sciences > Computation/Information General Issues > Ethical Issues General Issues > Science and Policy General Issues > Technology
Depositing User:	Dr Jorge I. Fuentes
Date Deposited:	04 Dec 2025 12:23
Last Modified:	04 Dec 2025 12:23
Item ID:	27344
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Biology Specific Sciences > Neuroscience > Cognitive Neuroscience Specific Sciences > Computation/Information General Issues > Ethical Issues General Issues > Science and Policy General Issues > Technology
Date:	2025
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/27344

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