Exploring Transhumanism: Part 2 – Ethics and the Transhuman

Considering the topic of Transhumanism automatically springs the “ethics committee” into action, and rightly so. Unimpeded technological advance has already gotten humanity into a load of trouble just as much as it has cured many of our woes. Along this line, the World Transhumanist Association is sponsoring their annual conference July 23rd-26th in Chicago. Entitled “Transvision 2007,” the conference will deal with the understanding that Transhumanism is not only a movement toward human betterment, but also a link in the arguments surrounding sustainability, progress, resilience, and social change. As the website noted:

“Do you believe that emerging technology will give society the ability to solve the greatest challenges facing humanity? What’s the biggest priority: longevity therapies, sustainable energy, clean water, a restored environment, or space development?

The World Transhumanist Association is a global non-profit member organization dedicated to the ethical use of technology to expand human capacities. The WTA supports the development of and access to new technologies that enable everyone to enjoy better minds, better bodies and better lives. This philosophy would be negligent without considering a better environment and a better planet in which to live. How can we live better than well if we don’t take action now to solve the greatest challenges facing our world?”

In other words, those who see Transhumanism solely as an attempt to irresponsibly create humans who are genetically altered, live to be 200 years old, and whose brains are connected to the metaverse are missing the bigger picture of the systemic relationship between the various dimensions of human existence and advancement. We cannot successfully deal with the biggest problems facing humanity without also initiating the processes that lead to our aspirational futures as well. In reality, we can’t simply pick and choose which parts of the human existence will be changed by the solutions necessary for global betterment.

Along these lines (is there an echo in here?), Wrye Sententia at IEET recently wrote an article entitled “The Ethics of Imagination: The Space Between Your Ears,” stating that:

“Why do we need an ethics of imagination? Because ethics without imagination is dogma, and imagination without ethics is dangerous. In order to foster human consciousness, we must not only have an intention, but we must also have a capacity to imagine by improving the stalk of understanding, compassion, and indeed, empathy that goes with a socially conscious imagination.

Because I have found, in my personal experience, that a person who has an enhanced ability to empathize, that is to creatively imagine another persons circumstances is a person who engages in more ethical acts, in more conscientious actions and practices regardless of discipline or politics, whatever they may be. That is my plea.”

I intend to blog further about her article in my next post, but let me just say that the way we run and envision the future of our businesses, societies, politics, and technological advances should be governed by this type of “imagination ethics” in which we look not only for external transformation, but also for internal change. Both are needed to move in the right direction.