Philosophical Opinion
Here's My Attempt to Answer Hard Questions on Transhumanism with a Unique Angle.
Transhumanism should aim to enhance our natural capabilities rather than create new types of humans.
Introduction and Context
New ideas about transhumanism excite me as they bring hope to humanity, especially to disadvantaged people. I wrote several articles about the topic. I keep investigating and reading new ideas written by other thought leaders. It is impossible to reach a consensus, but we can make ethical progress with an open mind.
Today, I enjoyed reading an article by Alejandro Betancourt titled Transhumanism: The Transformation of the Human Race. Should It Matter to You? Changing what it means to be human.
The title looks great; however, the subtitle seems problematic as it conflicts with my definition and perspectives of transhumanism.
Even though some communities aim to change the natural characteristics of a human being using technological and scientific breakthroughs, in my opinion, this aspect of transhumanism does not look like a viable option from an ethical perspective.
However, my opinion is not black and white, and it has context for this point of view. Therefore, I want to explain my perspectives by re-framing the subtitle in Alejandro’s article, which seems reasonable for some transhumanists. I have a different view on the point of the subtitle.
First of all, we need to understand and define the meaning of “changing a human to what”. Irrefutably, human beings naturally change.
Our bodies constantly change. Some cells die, and new cells come to life. We can grow muscles via exercise, gain or lose fat with lifestyle changes, and create new neural pathways in the brain. So, our biology is in constant evolution.
With new knowledge, our thoughts, emotions, and behavior change too. Even our DNA changes as we age. Epigenetics is a new scientific discipline showing our genes can be turned on and off based on lifestyle and environmental factors. However, we don’t know the precise role that epigenetic factors play in aging and death.
So, we agree that human beings are not constant. The bodies we had when we were seven years old and seventy years old are entirely different. Likewise, the thoughts, emotions, and behavior we depict at younger ages dramatically change as we get older.
But some constants never change. For example, the number of hands, legs, fingers, eyes, or other organs do not change even though they decay as we age. In addition, our skin and eye colors do not alter naturally. So, we will not lose fingers or gain fingers as we age and cannot naturally turn from a black-skinned person to a white-skinned person. Looking at variables and constants can give us valuable insights into our nature.
Even though one side of my brain says we shouldn’t interfere with human organs, the other side says we can look at specific conditions and make an informed decision. For example, wouldn’t it be great to give vision to a blind person, sound to a deaf person, and function limbs to ALS-diseased patients? Are there ethical concerns about extending the capabilities of disabled people? Not in my humble opinion. Everyone desires quality and joyful life.
So, my point is giving these capabilities to human beings who need them to have a quality life should not be seen as changing what is human. You may argue the point from a theoretical angle, but in my opinion, these individuals are still human beings with new capabilities. If we are against this idea, then we should also be against medical operations for deadly diseases or difficult life situations caused by accidents.
My Answers to Interesting Questions about Transhumanism
Back to Alejandro’s article asking six interesting questions that nicely pushed on my intellectual buttons:
“What are your thoughts on this topic? Do you consider yourself a transhumanist? Do you believe that transhumanism is already taking place? Would you refuse medical treatment if you become ill? If you choose to extend your life through technology. Does that make you a transhuman? What happens to us when we become transhumans?”
As a thought leader in the field, I felt compelled and obliged to answer these questions within my capacity. So, here is my attempt to answer each question briefly, sharing my perspectives.
1 — What are your thoughts on this topic?
People can answer this question based on their perceptions, including numerous factors such as lifestyle, culture, philosophical beliefs, goals, and desires.
I don’t think there will ever be unanimous agreement on transhumanism, even though people’s opinions change. Responses may end up on the side of the majority, such as those who support the idea and those who don’t. And I believe some will always be indeterminate.
So, reaching a consensus on transhumanism does not look possible. However, I prefer exploring and changing my mind in a different direction as I learn more.
2 — Do you consider yourself a transhumanist?
I usually don’t like being labeled by philosophies; however, using my own definition of going above and beyond by enhancing our capabilities naturally, I’d consider myself a transhumanist. However, turning human beings into cyborgs and uploading the human brain to machines does not resonate with me, even though I respect those who desire it.
Interestingly earlier today, I came across a small survey on a transhumanism community on Reddit. The researcher asked:
“You have six months left to live and are offered brain uploading. Which of the following options would you choose?”
Interestingly, out of 527 votes, 373 of them responded as they would take the offer. Only 60 people rejected the hypothetical offer. As you can see, my vote was “I’m unsure”, as I wanted to keep an open mind since the scenario was complex for me to make a definite yes or no decision.
3 — “Do you believe that transhumanism is already taking place?”
The simple answer is yes, both for my definition and the ideas that do not resonate with me. Some people naturally increase their capabilities.
For example, by changing my lifestyle, I healed several debilitating diseases without operation or other medical interventions. I shared my experience of fixing a dozen of entangled conditions in various articles.
I also know that some people are already leveraging biotechnology for anti-aging. Cosmetic operations are examples of this. I provided a holistic view to biohacking in this article.
4 — “Would you refuse medical treatment if you become ill?”
I personally would not refuse medical treatment for any illness. However, I always consider lifestyle changes first if my issues can be addressed without medical intervention. I believe many people would follow this logic too.
5 — “If you choose to extend your life through technology. Does that make you a transhuman?”
Many longevity enthusiasts are using biotechnology to extend their lives, but they do not necessarily call themselves transhumans. Some might use this term. I don’t call myself a transhuman, but I don’t mind being called a transhumanist or a sensible biohacker. This question depends on the context.
6 — “What happens to us when we become transhumans?”
If we naturally become transhumans, I believe our quality of life can increase. Thus the world might be a better place to live in.
For example, we think more transparently and precisely and make better decisions when we improve our cognitive flexibility. And when we strengthen our emotional maturity, we can have more empathy and compassion for humanity.
When we address our physical and mental diseases, we can be more productive, contributing to the growth of the economy. In addition, we can reduce healthcare costs.
Conclusion
I came across many concerns about transhumanism. The biggest concern is that wealthy people may always exploit technological breakthroughs by giving no chance to the poor. This is a valid concern.
However, we know from history that with the progress of technology, in a short time, anyone can benefit from them. For example, several years ago, the Internet and mobile phones were unavailable in third-world countries, but nowadays, people from those countries use these tools to make their living and connect with others.
The benefits of technology and science for human life cannot be denied or underestimated. But, of course, technology tools are double-edged swords. For example, I shared my concerns about uncontrolled artificial super-intelligence in this story.
By following rules of ethics and law, we can overcome these concerns. I believe that ethics and law have a critical role in using transhumanistic ideas. I also believe our spiritual focus can also play an important role.
Many thanks to Alejandro for inspiring me to write this article. I hope my thoughts can encourage my readers to think about this exciting topic and produce new perspectives. Learning from each other is a valuable and fun process. I look forward to your comments.
Thank you for reading my perspectives.
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About the Author
I am a technologist, postdoctoral researcher, author of several books, editor, and digital marketing strategist with four decades of industry experience.
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