Transhumanism And Human Nature

Kirsten Kimball

Dr. Moore

LS 630

2 December 2014

Transhumanism and Human Nature

The values and goals of transhumanism are implementing science and technology as stepping-stones where humans are stronger, smarter, disease free, and possibly immortal, thus transcending us physically, mentally, and emotionally. Transhumanism is a loosely defined movement that has developed gradually over the past two decades. It is based on the premise that the human species in its current form does not represent the end of our development, but rather a transition phase to becoming posthuman. Max More, a philosopher and futurist, defines transhumanism as “a class of philosophies of life that seek the continuation and acceleration of the evolution of intelligent

The “It’s Not Normal Argument” against transhumanism stresses the difference between therapy and enhancement. Genetic therapy is ethically acceptable because it tries to reestablish “normal” species functioning, whereas enhancement is ethically wrong because it exceeds the “normal” function of the human species. However, what is considered normal changes over time. If one was living five hundred years ago, it is most likely that one would not experience a single societal-shifting technology in one’s lifetime. Today, a forty year old will have lived through the creation of the personal computer, the Internet, the smartphone, and brain implants, to name just a few life-changing technologies. New technology can be scary to many people especially when one’s livelihood is at stake. For example, many industries and jobs have been obliterated or subsumed by the arrival of the digital computer, and it is easy to see why one would be wary of transhumanist technologies that will change the very fabric of human civilization. Some of this new technology is already being used today such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) speeds up reaction times and learning speed by running a very weak electric current through one’s brain. It has already been used by the US military to train

A just allocation of enhancement technology occurs when individuals use their own money to augment themselves; the poor would simply be unfortunate and their rights haven’t been violated because they have no right, no claim, or entitlement to enhancement technology and society has no duty to provide it to them. However, being a citizen of a state and simply wanting enhancements may be all that is required to have a right to enhancement technology depending on the particular conception of justice one