Meaning of Life
May 18, 2004Does life have a meaning? If we were created by a powerful God, would that give our lives meaning?
Transhumanism
Sarah Kahn
18 July 2017
One part philosophy, two parts futurist—this is the essence of Transhumanism.
A far-out movement that began in the 1990s and has steadily grown thanks to social media, Transhumanism is centered on the ethos that “the human species in its current form does not represent the end of our development but rather a comparatively early phase.”
Transhumanists are made up of technologists, futurists, and life-extensionists who seek to use science and technology to improve the human condition. Zoltan Istvan, a leader in the Transhumanist movement, wrote that their main objective is to conquer human mortality, perhaps by 2045.
It may not be ludicrous to believe that science and technology can be leveraged to better human life. However, what may be ludicrous is the thought that improving human life necessarily involves the eradication of death. One might argue that living forever would render life meaningless.
So, what is the connection between life, death and meaning? How can science and technology be leveraged responsibly and reflectively to promote human flourishing?
Curious about the particulars of the Transhumanist position? Check out Zoltan Istvan’s 2014 article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zoltan-istvan/a-new-generation-of-trans_b_4921319.html.
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Related Shows
Meaning of Life
May 18, 2004Does life have a meaning? If we were created by a powerful God, would that give our lives meaning?
The Lure of Immortality
Dec 07, 2014Would you want to live forever? It's a tempting notion that has been explored and imagined for centuries.
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Sep 27, 2015Some futurists believe we are not far from a time when technology and medicine will be so advanced that humans need no longer die of old age or other natural causes.
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Nov 01, 2015Imagine that the world will end in thirty days. Would your life have meaning anymore? Would anyone’s?
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Why do some people have a strange desire to do weird things for no (good) reason? There's something fascinating about kids who eat laundry soap as part of a “challenge,” or people who deliberately... Read more
Making a better world would be a great thing—but do we need philosophers to help us do that? Famously (or infamously), not all philosophers have been such great people. So are they the folks we... Read more
In her time—the 4th century CE—Hypatia was one of the most famous philosophers in Alexandria, and indeed in the ancient world. She studied and taught mathematics,... Read more
Mexican philosophy is full of fascinating ideas, from Mexica ("Aztec") and Mayan thought to Sor Juana’s feminism and Emilio Uranga’s existentialism... Read more
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Comments (2)
Harold G. Neuman
Tuesday, July 25, 2017 -- 12:21 PM
Random thoughts:Random thoughts: Conquering human mortality seems about as likely as either proving (or disproving) that time and space are the same.
Life, death and meaning are merely parts of the total human experience. Meaning, itself, changes with the advance of human consciousness. Science and technology will not in and of themselves promote human flourishing until it is fully realized that they have the potential to do just the opposite. Living forever would not "render life meaningless", it would only serve to further the problem of finite resources.
transhuman
Sunday, February 7, 2021 -- 4:01 PM
Hello Sarah, I would like otHello Sarah, I would like ot make a few comments on your post. Social media is not the driving force behind transhumanism in turning the philsophy into a world movement. The driving force is comprised of the hard work of seminal thinkers who pooled their works as a foundation for developing the worldview. The viability of transhumanism stands on the shoulders of these thinkers. Technology and science have always been used to overcome the odds humanity has faced since we became homo sapiens. The ethos is not that humans are at a comparitively early phase. The fact is that humans have and will continue to evolve. Your post seems to be a promotion of Zoltan Istvan, whose contributions to the movement are not new; however, he is a valued participant. His interpretation of transhumanism is normal, as many align with transhumanism for specific reasons. However, his claims of immortality are not those of transhumansim, as the philosophy does not use that term largely because it is tied to pseudo-science and hope rather than evidence-based desire and accountability. Instead: longevity, indefinite lifespans, etc. are used.