Book

Religion and Transhumanism: The Unknown Future of Human Enhancement

2019

Synopsis

Should technology be used to improve human faculties such as cognition and longevity? This thought-provoking dialogue between "transhumanism" and religion examines enhancement technologies that could radically alter the human species.

"Transhumanism" or "human enhancement" is an intellectual and cultural movement that advocates the use of emerging technologies to change human traits. Although they may sound like science fiction, the possibilities suggested by transhumanism are very real, and the questions they raise have no easy answers. If these enhancements―especially major ones like the indefinite extension of healthy human life―become widely available, they would arguably have a more radical impact on humankind than any other development in history.

This book comprises essays that explore transhumanism and the issues that surround it, addressing numerous fascinating questions posed by scholars of religion from various traditions. How will "immortality" or extreme longevity change our religious beliefs and practices? How might pharmaceuticals enhance spiritual experiences? Will "post-human" technologies be available to all persons, or will a superior "post-human race" arise to dominate the human species? The discussions are as intriguing as the future they suggest.

Introduces some of the hardest and most pressing issues that will determine the future of the human race.

Examines current scholarly questions and thoughts about transhumanism.

Asks new questions relative to the intersection of human enhancement and religion.

Explores what it means to be human in a technologically changing world.

Suggested Reading

Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond To The Redesigned Human Of The Future

Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond to the Redesigned Human of the Future by James Hughes explores the ethical, political, and societal implications of emerging biotechnologies that could radically alter human capabilities. Hughes, a bioethicist and transhumanist, argues that techn...

Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution

Francis Fukuyama’s Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution explores the profound ethical, political, and social implications of advancements in biotechnology. In this work, Fukuyama argues that developments in genetic engineering, neuropharmacology, and life-extension tech...

We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By continuing to browse, you accept our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.