Transhumanism is an increasingly popular movement, which tries to modify humans and give them new capabilities using bioengineering, implants, artificial intelligence (AI), and other novel technologies. Some forms of transhumanism can be harmful for individuals or society. Often technology developers do not see or think about the underlying philosophies and worldviews behind the ideas, which may cause unintended serious risks or have impossible goals. We give a multidisciplinary overview of tran…
Read moreTranshumanism is an increasingly popular movement, which tries to modify humans and give them new capabilities using bioengineering, implants, artificial intelligence (AI), and other novel technologies. Some forms of transhumanism can be harmful for individuals or society. Often technology developers do not see or think about the underlying philosophies and worldviews behind the ideas, which may cause unintended serious risks or have impossible goals. We give a multidisciplinary overview of transhumanism and discuss its core ideas of superhumans and immortality. We explore the underlying philosophies and worldviews of transhumanism, how it interacts with various philosophies, give some specific examples of their implications, discuss the religious elements of it, and point out that the feasibility and risks of many transhumanist goals depend on the correctness of the underlying worldviews. We give some practical viewpoints, historical background, and ethical insights for the developers and practitioners in various related fields. Everything hinges on worldview.
