I spent 15 seconds reading Wikipedia and I saw a lot of vague words about cool things without a coherent message. If you can explain what it means, that’d help. Whatever it is, it needs to be something concrete and testable for us to have a scientific opinion on it, otherwise we’re just talking, which is also fine, but it helps to have specific things to refer to.
I’ve never of heard of it so I had to look it up. Sounds terrifying! Maybe not so much if my arm could transform into a giant Swiss army knife with AK-47 attached (my little brother’s idea of an awesome rifle), but as a normal, non-pimped human, a posthuman would be rather scary.
I think it would be great if people could live without illness and the unfortunate aspects of ageing, but I don’t think it’s so awesome to go implanting all sorts of tech. However, with smartphones becoming such a major part of people’s lives, we’re not so far off making them an actual part of our body.
I think the idea of this bothers me because I can’t imagine these extra capabilities being used for good things. Posthumans would have huge advantages over normal humans and would quite likely drive the un-modified to extinction. Maybe that’s the next stage in human evolution? I think that already technology gives huge advantages to those who are good at using it. This idea just takes it a big leap further.
Transhumanism…umm…I have no idea what this is so I’m going to throw a search into Google. If this leads to spoilers in the upcoming Transformers movie I will be very cross with you.
[reads Wikipedia article]
[asks a bunch of smart people on Twitter]
Well, I can confirm a lack of Transformers spoilers so you’re lucky. I’m not cross.
Though wow at what transhumanism is. I had never heard of it until today.
So let’s see it’s a way of thinking where people use science and technology to reduce inequality, disease and malnutrition. I have not problem with that. When it gets to the part about improving the human body at the individual level with technology, again no problem. People are already doing this.
You can pay for things with an implant under your skin. http://news.cnet.com/2100-1041_3-5111637.html Though I’m not sure how this would work in shops without the technology to read the implant.
But when the thinking of using science and technology to slow down or even eliminate ageing, that is where I start thinking, “Are you kidding me?” because it is starting to sound like a lot of make up ads. In my opinion this is where the use of science to make bold claims like this to enter in the area of pseudoscience, the stuff that pretends to be science by sounding scientific. The science just isn’t there to prevent ageing of an entire living person.
Scientists have managed to stop ageing in a living organ. http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/08/11/2331197.htm But this was the livers of mice. We have a VERY VERY long way to go and this research finding may not necessarily apply to humans.
The only example of a transhuman that I can think is Wolverine from X-men. His bones are bonded with adamantium and he has a natural mutation for exceptional healing. He has a HUGE advantage over regular humans. If aspects of that were brought into reality and real transhumans were around, what happens to everyday people like you and me?
And right now in the world, a lot of people aren’t able to afford basic medical care like getting antibiotics to treat infections. How would these people afford the technology and surgery to improve their bodies or would they just miss out?
So this isn’t really about whether I believe in transhumanism or not because from my very quick 15 minutes of reading of things on the internet, it is a way of thinking and using parts of science in life. There are some parts of it that I have no problem with, and parts that I have problems with.
Overall I don’t have any problems for science being used to improve lives. That’s what scientists do, they research things with the overall aim of improving parts of the world they see a problem in.
Transhumanism? What in the heck is that?
OK – let me look at wikipedia.
[reads]
I spent 15 seconds reading Wikipedia and I saw a lot of vague words about cool things without a coherent message. If you can explain what it means, that’d help. Whatever it is, it needs to be something concrete and testable for us to have a scientific opinion on it, otherwise we’re just talking, which is also fine, but it helps to have specific things to refer to.
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I’ve never of heard of it so I had to look it up. Sounds terrifying! Maybe not so much if my arm could transform into a giant Swiss army knife with AK-47 attached (my little brother’s idea of an awesome rifle), but as a normal, non-pimped human, a posthuman would be rather scary.
I think it would be great if people could live without illness and the unfortunate aspects of ageing, but I don’t think it’s so awesome to go implanting all sorts of tech. However, with smartphones becoming such a major part of people’s lives, we’re not so far off making them an actual part of our body.
I think the idea of this bothers me because I can’t imagine these extra capabilities being used for good things. Posthumans would have huge advantages over normal humans and would quite likely drive the un-modified to extinction. Maybe that’s the next stage in human evolution? I think that already technology gives huge advantages to those who are good at using it. This idea just takes it a big leap further.
0
Transhumanism…umm…I have no idea what this is so I’m going to throw a search into Google. If this leads to spoilers in the upcoming Transformers movie I will be very cross with you.
[reads Wikipedia article]
[asks a bunch of smart people on Twitter]
Well, I can confirm a lack of Transformers spoilers so you’re lucky. I’m not cross.
Though wow at what transhumanism is. I had never heard of it until today.
So let’s see it’s a way of thinking where people use science and technology to reduce inequality, disease and malnutrition. I have not problem with that. When it gets to the part about improving the human body at the individual level with technology, again no problem. People are already doing this.
You can pay for things with an implant under your skin. http://news.cnet.com/2100-1041_3-5111637.html Though I’m not sure how this would work in shops without the technology to read the implant.
A Perth man decided to do away with his keys to the house and implanted a chip to unlock his house. http://www.zdnet.com.au/perth-man-opts-for-microchip-implant-339304154.htm
But when the thinking of using science and technology to slow down or even eliminate ageing, that is where I start thinking, “Are you kidding me?” because it is starting to sound like a lot of make up ads. In my opinion this is where the use of science to make bold claims like this to enter in the area of pseudoscience, the stuff that pretends to be science by sounding scientific. The science just isn’t there to prevent ageing of an entire living person.
Scientists have managed to stop ageing in a living organ. http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/08/11/2331197.htm But this was the livers of mice. We have a VERY VERY long way to go and this research finding may not necessarily apply to humans.
The only example of a transhuman that I can think is Wolverine from X-men. His bones are bonded with adamantium and he has a natural mutation for exceptional healing. He has a HUGE advantage over regular humans. If aspects of that were brought into reality and real transhumans were around, what happens to everyday people like you and me?
And right now in the world, a lot of people aren’t able to afford basic medical care like getting antibiotics to treat infections. How would these people afford the technology and surgery to improve their bodies or would they just miss out?
So this isn’t really about whether I believe in transhumanism or not because from my very quick 15 minutes of reading of things on the internet, it is a way of thinking and using parts of science in life. There are some parts of it that I have no problem with, and parts that I have problems with.
Overall I don’t have any problems for science being used to improve lives. That’s what scientists do, they research things with the overall aim of improving parts of the world they see a problem in.
0
Sorry, until your question, I had not heard of transhumanism. So, pass please.
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