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What are 'biohackers' hacking? Identifying motivations and meaning-making frameworks
1The University of Notre Dame Australia-Fremantle Campus, Perth, Western Australia, Australia victoria.lorrimar@nd.edu.au.
Medical Humanities
|June 12, 2025
Summary
Biohacking, a DIY approach to optimizing body and mind, involves remixing science and technology for personalized solutions. This study proposes a model categorizing biohacking into four key strands for further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Science and Technology Studies
- Sociology of the Body
- Digital Health
Background:
- Biohacking represents a contemporary commitment to self-optimization and individuality.
- It involves individuals actively modifying their bodies and minds using technology and scientific knowledge.
- Practices vary significantly based on sociopolitical and cultural contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conceptually analyze the motivations behind biohacking.
- To examine the alignment of biohacking with broader hacker ethos.
- To propose a working model for understanding contemporary biohacking.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis using a Science and Technology Studies (STS) approach.
- Examination of how technology is configured in relation to human bodies.
- Analysis of underlying motivations and meaning-making contexts.
Main Results:
- Biohacking is a diverse practice driven by the desire for self-optimization.
- Biohackers integrate scientific knowledge and technological innovations into personalized solutions.
- A four-strand model is proposed: DIYbio, spiritual augmentation, health and wellness optimization, and technological futurism.
Conclusions:
- Biohacking is a multifaceted phenomenon reflecting broader cultural trends of self-modification.
- The proposed four-strand model provides a framework for future research into biohacking practices.
- Understanding biohacking requires attention to its sociopolitical and individual contexts.
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