A Review of Liger and Tigon Based on Posthuman Bodies Theory

Wendi Wang

doi:10.54254/2753-7048/2025.20761

Research Article

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Published on 8 February 2025

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Wang,W. (2025). A Review of Liger and Tigon Based on Posthuman Bodies Theory. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,81,132-139.

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A Review of Liger and Tigon Based on Posthuman Bodies Theory

Wendi Wang *^,1,

¹ Australian National University

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/2025.20761

Abstract

Human society is moving toward a posthuman era as theories by scholars such as Rosi Braidotti, Donna Haraway, and Keith Ansell Pearson gain attention. Meanwhile, hybrid creatures such as Ligers and Tigons captivate public interest. However, no study has connected these hybrids to posthuman body theories. This literature review examines how Liger and Tigon articulate or challenge these theories, reflecting humanity's transition to the posthuman era. The research argues that these human-engineered hybrids break species binaries yet reflect human exceptionalism, as they serve human interests and demonstrate humanity’s control over nature. However, while Liger and Tigon support theories of biotechnological vitalism and human enhancement, their genetic defects and health issues reveal the limitations of human intervention. Liger and Tigon indicate that the posthuman vision of using biotechnology to enhance the body has limitations. Although biotechnology can overcome biological constraints to a certain extent, it does not constantly enhance the body but can even hurt it. Additionally, although these hybrids blur the boundaries between nature and culture, public attitudes towards them reflect the persistence of the nature-culture binary. People still regard Liger and Tigon as human property despite their representation of the interaction between humans and animals in shaping identities, which contradicts Haraway's theory of equality between humans and companion species. Ultimately, this review argues that while Liger and Tigon break species boundaries, they also highlight human exceptionalism, suggesting that the collapse of the species binary does not necessarily lead to equal relationships between humans and other creatures.

Keywords

Posthuman bodies, Hybrid creatures, Human enhancement, Nature-culture binary, Companion species

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References

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Cite this article

Wang,W. (2025). A Review of Liger and Tigon Based on Posthuman Bodies Theory. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,81,132-139.

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Volume title: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Social Psychology and Humanity Studies

Conference website: https://2025.icsphs.org

ISBN：978-1-83558-883-3(Print) / 978-1-83558-884-0(Online)

Conference date: 14 February 2025

Editor：Kurt Buhring

Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media

Volume number: Vol.81

ISSN：2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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