Machine Patients: Exploring Human-Machine Boundaries through the History of Computer Viruses

This paper explores the evolving dynamics between organic and inorganic systems through the lens of cybernetics, with a focus on the historical development of computer viruses. Through case studies and discourse analysis, this research examines how computer viruses blur the boundaries between human (organic) and machine (inorganic) entities, serving as both technological instance and sociocultural metaphors. Drawing on case studies of notable viruses such as “AIDS,” “I Love You,” and the “Y2K bug,” this study examines how computer viruses transitioned from laboratory concepts to societal risks during the Cold War and the rise of the information society. It highlights the shifting human-machine dynamics that emerged as viruses moved from early scientific theorization to widespread social and economic threats. The concept of “machine patients” emerges as a framework to understand these interactions, where human vulnerability is mapped onto machines, and vice versa. Utilizing cybernetic theory and posthumanism perspectives, the study analyzes the symbolic and material dimensions of computer viruses. It highlights how these entities, as liminal figures between organic and artificial life, challenge notions of agency, control, and vulnerability in sociotechnical systems. Ultimately, the paper aims to deepen our understanding of how cybernetic principles inform the intersection of technology, society, and human experience.