Body, biometrics and identity

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Philosophy of Technology
• Ethics

Background:

• Biometric technologies are increasingly used for identification, likened to transforming the human body into a passport or password.
• The aphorism highlights a potential duality between the self and the body, prompting philosophical inquiry into identity.
• Historical identification systems reveal complex entanglements with economic, political, and symbolic structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically examine the implications of biometrics beyond superficial technological assessments.
• To explore the philosophical and socio-political dimensions of biometric identification.
• To re-evaluate the ethical and political concerns surrounding biometrics by considering deeper contextual factors.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical analysis of the self-body relationship in the context of identification.
• Historical review of identification systems and their socio-economic and political underpinnings.
• Critical discourse analysis of common arguments surrounding biometric ethics.

Main Results:

• Biometric identification is not merely a technical process but is deeply embedded in socio-economic and political systems.
• The common ethical concerns about biometrics may overlook the more significant implications of identity construction and embodiment.
• The relationship between the self, the body, and identification is complex and multifaceted, challenging simplistic views.

Conclusions:

• Biometric identification necessitates a deeper understanding of identity, embodiment, and the socio-political contexts in which they operate.
• Ethical and political concerns regarding biometrics require a re-evaluation that moves beyond technical functionalities to systemic implications.
• The human body as a biometric identifier raises fundamental questions about personhood and societal control.