Beyond the Boundaries of Current Human Nature: Some Theological and Ethical Reflections on Transhumanism

Abstract

Following a brief overview of the emerging transhumanist vision, Childs turns to a theological and ethical assessment. He recommends that there take place a community‐wide conversation over the prospects of a post‐human future that includes both nerds and theologians along with all stakeholders in a healthy human future. Christians should be guided by the eschatological values that inform love's commitment to the common good. How does the common commitment to justice take concrete shape in public policies governing the mounting advances in science and technology? How does the commitment to life and healing speak to the ethical distinction between the uses of biomedical technology for therapy versus for enhancement?

Disposable Bodies, Disabled Minds, and Christian Hope: Resurrection in Light of Transhumanism and Intellectual Disability

“…First, the current state of medicine and biotechnology betrays stark inequalities that favor those already in affluent and influential positions to the detriment of both minorities (and many majority groups) and the marginalized (Cahill 2005). Second, many of the most vocal advocates of various transhumanist agenda occupy privileged positions themselves, and are not noted for their concern for those who are unable to participate in a post‐industrial, knowledge‐based “creative” economy (Childs 2015, 17; Deane‐Drummond 2015; Imbert 2017; Preece 2021; Playford 2022, 43–44). I cannot see any reasonable prospect for the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in those transhumanist futures: Bostrom (1999, 3.2), for instance, speaks only of the future eradication of disabilities.…”

“…Let me acknowledge from the start that transhumanism is a diverse—even somewhat anarchic—phenomenon with no single, unified agenda (Shatzer 2019; N. Bostrom 2005; N. Bostrom et al., 1999; More and Vita‐More 2013; Childs 2015; Sweet 2015; Thweatt‐Bates 2012). Nonetheless, it has had a significant impact on popular culture.…”

Transhumanism and Health: A Christian Perspective

“…British philosopher and founder of the World Transhumanist Association, David Pearce (1995),argues in The Hedonistic Imperative that pharmacology, genetic engineering, nanotechnology and neurosurgery have the potential to eradicate all forms of unpleasant experience from human and nonhuman life, then suffering will be replaced with ‗gradients of bliss'. Childs (2015) speaks of: ‗Lifelong emotional well-being through re-calibration of the pleasure centers‖ by building on what pharmaceuticals can already do in mood alteration. This would drastically reduce negative emotions in one's life and even eliminate bad memories'.…”

“…Furthermore rapid advances in medical science allow us to stave off death for longer and longer time periods. As Childs (2015) notes, transhumanism offers ‗Vastly extended life‖ through the use of gene therapy, other biological measures that retard aging and biologically engineered nanotechnology, the development of atomic scale machines with the potential to heal and rejuvenate'. Similarly aging is increasingly becoming an engineering problem at the level of the genes.…”

Transhumanismus im Kreuzfeuer der Theologie? Eine Analyse der theologischen Kritik am Transhumanismus

“…Dennoch kann ich mich des Eindrucks nicht erwehren, dass die Technologien, die im Zusammenhang mit TH/AI diskutiert werden, von Seiten der Theologie gerne grundsätzlich als Ausdruck menschlicher Hybris, Sünde oder gar des Dämonischen interpretiert werden (vgl. Peters 2011;Childs 2015). Dazu eine m. E. typische Aussage: Der Rekurs auf bestimmte Attribute des Menschen (Autonomie, Leiblichkeit) und menschlichen Zusammensein (Mitfühlen) ist zwar verständlich.…”