Transhumanism Sounds Terrifying.

I’m not keen. Not one bit.

I didn’t really think about transhumanism much until about 24 hours ago. It didn’t take very long to recognise the terrifying dystopia it represents.

Great. Just as I was getting used to AI, I have yet another apocalyptic technology to worry about.

After all, what is a transhuman technology? What differentiates a transhuman technology from any other, more established technology. Let’s start with a definition and see where it takes us.

Transhumanism is an intellectual and cultural movement that advocates for the use of technology and science to enhance human physical and cognitive abilities, with the ultimate goal of improving and potentially transforming the human condition.

This can include a range of enhancements such as extending lifespan, improving physical and mental capacities, and even potentially merging humans with machines.

Okay, so lets test this definition by considering a human physical capacity, transform it with technology and then determine if we arrive at a transhuman.

Consider the fastest that you can run, and increase it.

If I built an automobile and used it to travel at 100 miles per hour, I will have considerably enhanced my speed. Have I become transhuman?

Apparently not.

A car may indeed increase my speed but is classified as a tool or machine rather than an enhancement of human abilities in the context of transhumanism.

Transhumanism specifically focuses upon enhancing human capabilities through direct integration with technology. This usually involves altering or augmenting the human body and mind rather than relying upon external tools.

This alteration might involve the integration of artificial and biological systems into my body, such as prosthetics or implants. We might employ some interface between my brain and digital computing to control the mechanism or to enhance mental functions.

But a simple lever, push button or steering wheel already offers an interface between my brain and the mechanism. Why does a steering wheel not confer upon me transhuman status?