SF적 상상력을 통한 포스트휴먼 시대의 성찰 — 하오징팡(郝景芳)의 ≪인간의 피안(人之彼岸)≫을 중심으로

Abstract

Since entering the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution, we in modern society have been experiencing unprecedented qualitative changes in the utilization of information and the convenience of human life. The development of advanced technology has triggered the transition from the “human” to the “posthuman,” as technology has ceased to be a mere tool and has become a fundamental condition that transforms human life. Against this backdrop, traditional view on human is no longer enough to explain “existence” in general. Given that science fiction should reflect a different form of social change than in the past, it is worth noting that Chinese science fiction has reached a new milestone since the 2000s. This study focuses on Hao Jingfang’s novel MIRROR OF MAN. Published in 2017, MIRROR OF MAN contains a total of six short and medium-length stories, all of which are characterized by artificial intelligence (AI) robots. AI robots are one of the most direct and tangible forms of advanced technology that we encounter in our daily lives. As such, they are one of the most familiar forms of technology, but at the same time, they are also perceived as a threat because of their ability to replace most human activities. This is why robots have been featured in a variety of media, including literature, drama, and movies. They also provide some of the most powerful images to imagine the relationship between humans and non-humans in the posthuman era. Hao Jingfang’s imagination of AI robots in MIRROR OF MAN can be seen as another literary response to these changes. For that reason, this study examines the realistic questions that Hao Jingfang poses to us through AI robots, so that we can find a way to overcome the limitation of science fiction literature that just showcases a fanciful future based on science and technology, and to explore how science fiction literature can play a proactive role in reflecting on human existence.