Man, in the eyes of another man, is always incomplete. Fault is met with the resilience and strength to constantly forward as a species, creating and implementing the biggest and best factors of human life into individual traits. With its innovative and flourishing ideas, the study of transhumanism propels mankind into the biological role it was born to inhabit, and eventually, exceed. Transhumanism is the controversial field of philosophical science that strives to further the “ideal” human through scientific and technological development.
Transhumanists believe that the current human condition is far inferior to its theoretical potential, leaving room for gradual and constant upgrades in the emotional, physical, and mental human experience. In result, these optimistic ideas lead to the creation of the “posthuman”, or the next-generation being. In reaching the posthuman goal, man will hypothetically be able to learn, develop, and regenerate at an increased and advanced capacity. 1 The establishment of “Human 2. ” will cause the Earth to not only undergo massive biological change, but a complete change of human nature, and the death and demise that surrounds it. 1,2 Instead, this pessimistic and morbid viewpoint is flipped into one of positivity, and a lust for the greater good of contemporary beings; defined by the success, yet moral ambiguity, of a species outdoing itself. One major focal point of transhumanism is the expansion of life expectancy, or longevity.
Oxford Professor, Nick Bostrom, explains that in longevity studies, anti-aging and disease elimination technologies increase not only lifespan, but “healthspan”, or the ability to “…grow older without aging”. 3 Man’s crisp idea of youth could be attained through the science of reverse-aging, which is achieved through the revolutionary concept of gene therapy. In gene therapy, genes can “…be designed to either block undesirable disease-encouraging genes or introduce new ones that slow down and even reverse aging processes”. The lengthening of life expectancy, in addition, focuses on the expiration of death causes.
Ray Kurzweil, accredited futurist author and inventor, explains that with the total elimination of trivial death causes, humans will be introduced to a lifespan of five hundred to one thousand years. 5 This process removes uncertainty from the concept of death; giving humans the longest and most vital time possible on Earth. Death is given on the terms of man, not an accident or the feeble weakness of disease. Increased longevity gives man control over life; a safety net in a world of ambivalence.
Without structure, there is no defined existence within life. The actual “framework” of man’s ascension as a species comes from technological inputs, such as those of nanobots, a popular convention in the transhumanist practices. Nanobots are molecular-sized robots, which can be coded to function in any biological need, from the healing of wounds to the repair of dying cells. These minuscule nanobots can also take refuge in the brain, displaying another portion of transhumanistic ideas: increased super intelligence.
Kurzweil explains that through the use of molecular intelligence aids, “Machine intelligence will improve its own abilities in a feedback cycle that unaided human intelligence will not be able to follow. ”5 The time it takes for artificial intelligence, such as computers, to evolve, is drastically shrinking, while our mental capacity is growing; making for a period of exponential growth where growth time shortens and intelligence between man and machine syncs. 4 This period may be referred to by transhumanists as “technological singularity”, or a time of constant self-replacing innovation between artificial and biological intellect.
This displays transhumanism as a “bigger picture” science; more invested in long-term rather than instant development, accounting for the success of future humans, or in this case, prototypes. According to Bostrom, this symbiotic super intelligence would further mankind in its most important fields; creation of art, emotional reasoning, and applied problem-solving. 3 By syncing man with machine, the development of a near-genius society will be created, with the boost that mankind needs in order to meet its own prerequisites.
The official Transhumanist Declaration explains the “…possibility of broadening human potential by overcoming aging, cognitive shortcomings, involuntary suffering, and our confinement to planet Earth”. 1 Although a precarious practice, the modification and constant development of human nature is what keeps society functioning as a unit. Transhumanism flows with the certitude of innovation and the close bond between creator and creation. Such as man reinvents the modern Prometheus, the strongest counterpart will only be created from the strongest inventor; the ambition of mankind itself.
