TECHNOLOGY AND ETHICAL DILEMMAS IN SEQUOIA NAGAMATSU’S HOW HIGH WE GO IN THE DARK
Keywords:
Ethical Dilemmas, Global Crises, Hans Jonas, Responsibility, Sequoia Nagamatsu, Speculative Fiction, TechnologyAbstract
Sequoia Nagamatsu’s How High We Go in the Dark offers a speculative yet intimate portrayal of how technological interventions in moments of global crisis create complex ethical challenges. The study examines how experimental technologies influence perceptions of life, death, and survival, while reshaping cultural, social, and individual values. It aims to analyze moral dilemmas emerging from life-extending and grief-alleviating innovations, assess the consequences of such interventions, and explore their broader societal impact. Using qualitative textual analysis through close reading and thematic interpretation, the research applies Hans Jonas’s The Imperative of Responsibility, which stresses moral foresight in technological advancement. The work is significant for its contribution to literary ethics, showing how speculative fiction engages with pressing bioethical debates. The findings highlight the necessity of balancing human survival with dignity, cultural continuity, and responsible innovation.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Dr Uzma Shakoor, Qumber Ali Khan, Javeria Saleem (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
