Will Technology Transform What It Means to Be Human?

Many years before the invention of cell phones and the global positioning system, my wife and I took a road trip through rural Vermont. At some point we got lost, and our maps turned out to be useless. We drove up the gravel driveway to a nearby farmhouse and heard the sound of someone splitting logs for firewood.

We introduced ourselves to the farmer, an old and bearded man, and asked for directions. My wife noticed the axe he was using and asked him about its history. He said, “Well, this axe is been in my family since 1860.” We took a closer look at it. My wife remarked that it didn’t look that old. He said, “Well, over the decades, my ancestors replaced the head six times and the handle about a dozen times.” He smiled and we realized he had probably told that story before.

I recalled that incident when I became interested in transhumanism. As a former material scientist, I knew that advances in steel technology over the centuries continually improved the axe. I knew that the current replacement axe head that the farmer showed us kept a sharper and more durable edge than any of its predecessors.

Then I thought about the human body and the advances in the development of replacement limbs and organs. I have a beryllium knee replacement that is more than a decade old. And according to researchers at Stanford University, the human body replaces itself with a new set of cells every seven to ten years. Some of our most important parts are revamped even more rapidly. In this sense, we are just like the axe!

What is Transhumanism?

Transhumanism is the belief that evolution is an ongoing process and that by the use of science and technology, human beings can transcend their current biological and mental limitations to not only extend their lives but to achieve a form of immortality.

The basic precepts of transhumanism are readily interchangeable with those of what has come to be called the technological singularity. That is a projected event smrwhere in the future when the exponential advances in areas such as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering and nano technology will enable us to augment both our minds and bodies to the degree that we become not only superhuman — but immortal.

In his book The Singularity is Near, futurist Ray Kurzweil expanded on this theme claiming that by 2045, “we will experience the greatest technological singularity in the history of mankind: the kind that could, in just a few years, overturn the institutes and pillars of society and completely change the way we view ourselves as human beings.”

If that occurs, my wish list of replacement parts is long. I had a cataract operation about 15 years ago, and the replacement cornea is still functioning. I am eager to have the cataract in my other eye fixed, but what I really want is a “bionic eye.” I would love to have an “eye” that my thoughts could turn into a telescope or microscope.

I want replacement parts that would make me faster, stronger and more intelligent. I would like an implant that would let me surf the internet and access Google simply by thinking. I would like to acquire the ability to play musical instruments without years of practice and allow me to speak hundreds of languages. I want injections of nanobots that will continually locate and eliminate dangerous cancer cells such and repair my telomeres to extend my life. And most importantly, I want to have my mind uploaded into a supercomputer before I die.

The Future of Human Biology

Have we reached the limits of human biology? Our basic biology has remained constant for about 200,000 years. In the near future, humanity may come to realize the opportunities that transhumanism offers.

Neuroscientists can now make a specific memory appear in the brain by highlighting a particular set of neurons and synapses. Once pinpointed, they can be erased without affecting other memories. This may soon become a tool for treating dementia and Alzheimer’s and other neurological disorders.

Futurists predict that we will imbibe “smart pills” that will monitor our health and communicate directly with our doctors. Impaired people will continue to benefit from technological improvements. Eye implants will soon allow blind people to see. A prosthetic already exists that can restore hearing to some deaf people. As organ and limb replacements become more affordable and effective, even fully functional people will opt for replacement body parts that will enhance their strength and abilities.

Will Transhumanism Change What It Means to be Human?

Some critics of transhumanism believe that attempting to overcome human limitations is morally wrong. In his 2003 book Enough: Staying Human in an Engineered Age, Bill McKibben argues that removing the limitations of our age span as well as our cognitive, biological and physical abilities, would destroy the necessary context that gives us meaningful lives.

I disagree with McKibben. The advance of humanity has been fueled since the beginning of time by technological improvements. For example, every primitive tool that our ancestors developed changed the meaning of their lives and enlarged their power to manipulate their environment. I believe that scientific and technological advances enhance the meaning of our lives.

I agree that mitigating suffering from diseases and lengthening the human life span affects the meaning of our lives, but in a positive way. I wish that the pivotal figures in human history- the philosophers, painters, scientists, artists, composers, authors, poets, inventors- had had much more time to express themselves in their fields.

Critics of transhumanism also argue that the changes in human capacities that we see approaching us are qualitatively different from the advances we experience every day in science and technology. They see this as a struggle between humanity and “superhumanity.”

If they are correct, then the big question becomes whether or not we will be able to adapt. Perhaps it is a question, not for us but for our children.

Think about how quickly children adapt to technological advances. I was about 10 years old when we got our first television set. My friends and I used to make fun of our parents, who handed over this device to us because they didn’t understand how to control the picture quality. It was so easy for us!

Today, even young children can operate computers, phones and video games. They treat smartphones as extensions of their brain. Since mastering new technology is second nature to them, perhaps we have not yet reached the pinnacle of human potential. Perhaps it resides in our children and grandchildren.