Exploring the Concept of Transhumanism

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Transhumanism
In this paper, I will argue in favor of transhumanism as presented by Nick Bostrom in his paper “Human Genetic Engineering: A Transhumanist Perspective.” To do so, I will present a definition of two key terms, namely transhumanism and post-human, and then present Bostrom’s argument. I will also present one possible objection to Bostrom’s argument, which is that any alterations on human beings will result in eradication of an entire race. This objection fails because it is based on the assumption that it is wrong to alter humans, yet it is possible that human beings will still evolve. I will also provide my own reasons for supporting transhumanism.
Definitions
Transhumanism is, as defined by Bostrom (1), a movement that focuses on enhancing human capabilities using the opportunities presented by current and future technologies. The idea is to ensure that human beings are able to live beyond their current biological limitations based on the belief that there is more room for human evolution. According to Bostrom (1), human beings can use science and technology to improve their emotional, intellectual and physical conditions. In addition, Bostrom posits that human beings can live beyond their current limitations through social, institutional and economic design changes, coupled with the use of psychological techniques.
All these approaches will eventually lead to the creation of post-humans. Post-humans, in this case, refer to those beings that will be created through transhumanism to possess greater capabilities than those possessed by current human beings (Bostrom 1). These capabilities include longevity, that is, post-humans will be able to live longer, have improved mental and physical abilities, improved immunity and resistance to diseases, and an improved ability to take control over our lives in terms of choices and fate (Bostrom 2). With these expected changes, it seems that post-humans are the next stage of human evolution, given that it will include beings that are better than human beings in all aspects of life.
Bostrom’s Argument for Transhumanism
Bostrom argues that it is worth exploring the idea of post-humans because it is only through exploration that we can actually understand what the future holds. Exploration will allow us to find out all the possibilities and the kind of lives post-humans will lead. His basic argument is that in our current state as human beings, we lack the capacity to understand what it would be like to be post-human (2). As such, we should not assume that our current human condition is the best and final stage of human evolution. He compares this scenario with chimpanzees, who lack the ability to understand what it feels like to be human, given that chimpanzees are would possibly share the same capabilities as human beings if they were enhanced. Therefore, it is probable that when we explore the possibility of post-humans, we will actually discover opportunities and experiences we never thought possible. In fact, in his argument, Bostrom suggests that exploring post-human beings does not mean that we are going to let go of our current values, because post-human values can al...