A Study Of Simulacra In William Gibson’s Cyberpunk Fiction

Since the second half of the 20 th century,the rapid development of information technology,biotechnology,cybernetics and other disciplines even makes us feel that the near future depicted in cyberpunk novels may come tomorrow,and humans have begun to have to think about how to face the future.Gibson’s cyberpunk novel depicts a world of simulacra.The objects generated by technology are forming a system that operates autonomously and is free from human control.The relationship between subject and object becomes fuzzy and inverted,and post-human subjectivity is worthy of investigation.This thesis selects Baudrillard’s simulacra as the entry point.Starting from the theory of simulacra,the simulacra in Gibson cyberpunk novels is systematically combed and researched from the perspective of subject and object.The first part of the introduction briefly introduces cyberpunk genres and Gibson’s cyberpunk novels,and clarifies the research significance of this article.The second part briefly summarizes the research status of Gibson cyberpunk novels at home and abroad.The first chapter is the combing and interpretation of the simulacra theory.The first section cuts into the problem of representation in Western philosophy,combing through the changes and development of the concept of simulacra from Plato to postmodern philosophy.The second section mainly explains Baudrillard’s simulacra theory.He constructed a complete philosophical thinking system through the concept of simulacra.He summarized human history as the development process of simulacra,and further extended the concept of simulacra to the modern information society,and began to think and criticize.Furthermore,this essay discusses the "Space Simulacra" in Gibson’s novels in the follow chapter.One is the virtual reality of the real nature in order to maintain the environment where the human body relies,mainly in the form of various ecological buildings,bionic animals and other landscapes.The other is a virtual reality space composed of cyberspace,virtual experience machines and other technologies,which is a virtual space independent of reality.Objects produce landscapes and simulacrums all the time,pursuing "super-realism" in order to complete their Les Strategies Fatales.Last but not least,the last chapter discusses the "Human Simulacra" concept in Gibson’s novels,which mainly include post-human concepts such as cyber,artificial intelligence(robots),and human cloning.The concept of Cyborg blurs the subject image of liberal humanism.Artificial intelligence is becoming beyond human beings,and even wants to replace human beings.In Gibson’s writings,these human simulacrums are practicing what Baudrillard calls the "Les Strategies Fatales ".They pose a threat to human existence,and they want to destroy humans and eliminate the subject.But in the coldness and cruelty of technology,Gibson retained hope for the post-human subject and reminded us of the importance of returning to the physical and material world.Using Baudrillard’s simulacra to analyze Gibson’s cyberpunk novels,the first purpose is to effectively combine his critical postmodern theory with cyberpunk genre.The second purpose is to stimulate the imagination and creativity of readers of cyberpunk novels,and to face the opportunities and challenges brought by the ongoing technological revolution.