The Body of Theseus

“What if we take the Ship of Theseus problem and apply it to the human body? If we replace organic body parts with artificial protheses one by one, at what point would a person cease to be human and instead become machine?”

Greta Su was five years old when her father made his famous speech. That same afternoon, an attack meant for Dr. Su would instead catch Greta in the blast. Though she survived, the damage to her body was extensive, and Dr. Su devoted his life to the repair of his daughter’s body.

Twenty years later, Greta remains the object of her father’s research as he continually improves, upgrades, and iterates upon the mechanical implants and prostheses embedded in her body. Her father’s efforts are because he loves her — of this she has never doubted. All the endless surgeries, testing, and relearning how to use her new limbs are only because he wants what’s best for her.

But as his proposed procedures and modifications become more extensive and more extreme, she is forced to grapple with the cost of his never-ending pursuit of perfection. At what point will he be satisfied with the state of her body as it is? And at what point does Greta cease to be her father’s daughter and instead become his creation?