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Abstract Altered Carbon

This paper analyzes identity and legacy in Richard K. Morgan's Altered Carbon, highlighting the effects of body-swapping technology on personal identity and familial relationships in a stratified society. It discusses how immortality alters emotional connections and transforms legacy into a pursuit of power, particularly among the wealthy elite. The work critiques the commodification of human bodies and consciousness, raising important ethical questions about agency and social inequality.

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Ajit Yadav
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31 views1 page

Abstract Altered Carbon

This paper analyzes identity and legacy in Richard K. Morgan's Altered Carbon, highlighting the effects of body-swapping technology on personal identity and familial relationships in a stratified society. It discusses how immortality alters emotional connections and transforms legacy into a pursuit of power, particularly among the wealthy elite. The work critiques the commodification of human bodies and consciousness, raising important ethical questions about agency and social inequality.

Uploaded by

Ajit Yadav
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Identity and Legacy: Familial Ties in a Technologically Altered Society in Richard K.

Morgan’s Altered Carbon

Abstract

Keywords : Identity, legacy, body-swapping technology, cortical stacks, transhumanism,


familial ties, immortality, inequality, commodification, cyberpunk, Richard K. Morgan,
Altered Carbon

This paper examines the themes of identity and legacy in Richard K. Morgan’s Altered
Carbon, focusing on the impact of body-swapping technology within a technologically
advanced and socially stratified society. The novel presents a world where human
consciousness can be stored in "cortical stacks" and transferred into new bodies or "sleeves,"
challenging the traditional association between physical form and personal identity. This
technological innovation raises complex questions about the nature of selfhood: How stable is
identity when it can shift between different bodies? How do individuals maintain continuity
when memory and physical experience are no longer tied to a single form?

In addition to the philosophical dilemmas, the novel explores the reconfiguration of familial
ties and legacy in a world where death is no longer inevitable. The possibility of immortality
leads to emotional detachment across generations, as individuals outlive their original
families, diluting the significance of relationships and inheritance. Legacy is transformed
from a biological concept into an endless pursuit of power, with wealthy elites, known as
Meths, leveraging immortality to maintain influence over time. Their ability to perpetually
upgrade or replace bodies highlights the intersection of technology, class, and control,
creating new forms of inequality.

This paper argues that Altered Carbon not only reflects anxieties about identity in an
increasingly digital and transhumanist world but also critiques the commodification of human
bodies and consciousness. The novel reveals the social and ethical dilemmas of a future
where human experience is fragmented and manipulated by technology, raising essential
questions about agency, justice, and the limits of human connection.

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