What they say. . .

Often referring to themselves as “H+” (Human Plus), the Transhumanists are an eclectic group of individuals united in their conviction that biological evolution can take living creatures only so far. Humanity’s continued evolutionary progress, they believe, now depends on each of us wresting the reins of our common destiny from the turgid grip of Mother Nature and taking conscious control of the process ourselves—using every conceivable technological tool at our disposal. Inspired by Julian Huxley’s 1957 essay “Transhumanism,” which coined the term, the Transhumanists revere traditional humanistic values and beliefs (such as atheism) but are critical of humanists for not appreciating the radical ways in which emerging technologies are changing the very definition of what it means to be human.

According to Transhumanist pioneer Max More, these scientific advances include (but are not limited to) “neuroscience and neuropharmacology, life extension, nanotechnology, artificial ultraintelligence, and space habitation.” By enhancing our bodies, our minds, and our sociocultural environments with such “techno-utopian” tools, the Transhumanists believe that humanity will create for itself a whole new order of meaning and purpose—a world unified in an unrelenting surge of progress and possibility. “As humanism freed us from the chains of superstition, let transhumanism free us from our biological chains,” beseeches author Simon Young. And where will such freedom ultimately lead? Thinkers such as Ray Kurzweil and Frank Tipler suggest that the logical endpoint of human evolution is the complete mastery of all matter and energy in the universe.

What it means. . .

Yawning in the face of the Neo-Darwinists and just about every other breed of evolutionary theorist, the Transhumanists are here to take matters into their own hands. Brimming with insatiable optimism and more than a little faith in the power of science to cure all that ails our world, they are likely to inspire as many parts hope and wonder as caution and concern. Materialists to the core, they are frequently criticized for barely batting an eye at the ethical concerns surrounding topics like human cloning, biological immortality, and accelerating technological development. They counter such concerns with the assertion that transcending limitations is what being alive is all about. In the words of artificial brain designer Hugo de Garis, “The prospect of building godlike creatures fills me with a sense of religious awe that goes to the very depth of my soul and motivates me powerfully to continue, despite the possible horrible negative consequences.”

“Although version 2.0 of the human body is an ongoing grand project that will ultimately result in the radical upgrading of all our physical and mental systems, we will implement it one small, benign step at a time.”

Ray Kurzweil