On the Dignity of the Transhuman
Abstract
This article presents the concept of human dignity in a situation where human beings are subjected to technological transformations through the use of new converging technologies: genetics, robotics, nanophysics, and computer science. In the transhumanist project, this technological intervention should replace biological evolution, which they regard as too slow to drive a technobiological evolution. As a result, so-called natural humans are expected to transform into increasingly sophisticated stages of transhumans. Improvement along this evolutionary path consists in the systematic removal of biological deficits, not only in order to restore health standards but ultimately to transcend all psycho-bio-physical limitations of natural humans. The research conducted in this article will be based on selected papers by well-known representatives of transhumanism. Texts addressing the issue of transhuman dignity are analyzed from three perspectives of dignity: ontic, social, and psychological. The results of the analysis indicate a programmatic neglect of the first and second perspectives of dignity by transhumanists. The position of moderate bioconservatives is being discussed. They believe that depriving humans of control over their own behavior and, at the same time, responsibility for it, allows for all sorts of technobiological manipulation of various organisms, up to and including complete species transformation or annihilation. The research conducted leads to the conclusion that mainstream transhumanism (uncritically bioprogressive) fails to address the issue of transhuman dignity. This is due to the extreme naturalism of transhumanism combined with a utilitarian valuation of technologically enhanced beings.
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