What is transhumanism?
Transhumanism is the idea of using science and technology to raise the abilities of the human body and mind far beyond what they are now and to overcome human limits such as disease, aging and even death. “Trans” means “beyond,” and “human” means human. The word spread through the title of an essay written in 1957 by the British biologist Julian Huxley.
What future does it aim for?
Transhumanist thinking describes futures such as eliminating disease by rewriting genes, becoming a cyborg by replacing parts of the body with machines, enhancing abilities by connecting the brain to computers, and living forever by transferring memories and consciousness to computers. Ray Kurzweil, who proposed the singularity in which AI surpasses human intelligence, is one of the leading figures of this way of thinking.
Technologies becoming reality
It may sound like science fiction, but research is actually progressing on some technologies, such as prosthetic arms and legs, artificial organs, gene therapy and devices that let people operate computers with brain signals. At the same time, ethical problems are being debated, such as inequality arising if only the rich can enhance their abilities, and the loss of what makes us human.
Transhumanism in urban legends
In the world of urban legends and conspiracy theories, it is sometimes told as a story that “a small group of people who rule the world are trying to remake and control humans with technology.” It is also often linked with rumors of the Humalien, said to be human-alien hybrids, and with the dystopian vision of a future in which humans are controlled by AI.
