Transhumanism

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2001 NAL

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Biohacker Neil Harbisson

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Transhumanism

Transhumanism is an intellectual movement and philosophical movement that advocates for the transformation of the human condition by developing and making widely available sophisticated technologies to greatly enhance human intellect and physiology. The movement is often associated with the study of the potential benefits and dangers of emerging technologies that could overcome fundamental human limitations, as well as the ethics of using such technologies.

History

The term "transhumanism" was first coined by the biologist Julian Huxley in 1957. Huxley defined it as "man remaining man, but transcending himself, by realizing new possibilities of and for his human nature." The modern transhumanist movement began to take shape in the 1980s with the work of thinkers like FM-2030 and Max More, who founded the Extropy Institute.

Core Concepts

Transhumanism encompasses a variety of concepts and ideas, including:

• Human enhancement: The use of technology to improve human physical and cognitive abilities.
• Life extension: Research and development aimed at significantly extending human lifespan.
• Artificial intelligence: The creation of machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence.
• Mind uploading: The hypothetical process of scanning a physical structure of the brain accurately enough to create an emulation of the mental state.
• Cryonics: The low-temperature preservation of humans who can no longer be sustained by contemporary medicine, with the hope that resuscitation and restoration to full health may be possible in the future.

Ethical Considerations

Transhumanism raises numerous ethical questions, including:

• Bioethics: The study of the ethical issues emerging from advances in biology and medicine.
• Technological singularity: The hypothetical point in time at which technological growth becomes uncontrollable and irreversible, resulting in unforeseeable changes to human civilization.
• Posthumanism: A philosophy that explores the possibilities of life beyond the current human form and condition.

Criticisms

Critics of transhumanism argue that it could lead to increased social inequality, loss of human identity, and unforeseen consequences of advanced technologies. Some notable critics include Francis Fukuyama and Bill McKibben.

Related Pages

• Human enhancement
• Life extension
• Artificial intelligence
• Mind uploading
• Cryonics
• Bioethics
• Technological singularity
• Posthumanism

See Also

• Extropy Institute
• Julian Huxley
• FM-2030
• Max More
• Francis Fukuyama
• Bill McKibben