A Post-Phenomenological Analysis of Ex Machina and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children through Don Ihde’s Perspective Emphasis on the Concept of “Techno Body”

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 M.A. Student of Art Research, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

2 Professor of Art Research Department,, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

The interplay between art and technology in the contemporary era has paved the way for the development of concepts like the “technobody.” Within this framework, the biological essence of modern humans is put into question, highlighting the need to reassess how humans engage and interact with technology. Therefore, this study relies on Don Ihde’s post-phenomenological perspective as a systematic framework to explore how this concept is represented in the film Ex Machina and the animation Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, and how their similarities and differences can be explained. The findings show that in Ex Machina”, the human world and the technological world merge, presenting the technobody as a form of artificial intelligence that directly interacts with its human counterpart. In Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, however, the posthuman figure appears through its connection with instruments in a cybernetic space where reality and virtuality blend, and the boundaries between human and technology disappear. Both works emphasize the mutual influence and interaction between humans and technology. By mediating human experience, technology transforms the very concept of humanity and broadens the potential for new kinds of experiences, continually redefining what it means to be human.

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References

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Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Volume 19, Issue 52 - Serial Number 52
Articles
52 Autumn 2025
November 2025
Pages 449-470

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