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The Values of Transhumanism

Fluffy

Fluffy

A fool
As some of you may have noticed, my religion on RF is transhumanism. I personally consider it as more of a secular philosophy but I think it has much in common with a religious belief system. Although I have posted about it before, I would like to put up more informational posts in the future so that I may explain my beliefs further whilst opening them up to your criticism. This thread will discuss my proposed analysis of the skeleton of transhumanist values provided by Nick Bostrom

The Values of Transhumanism​
On the WTA website (World Transhumanism Association), Nick Bostrom suggests that the following values are important to the transhumanist. I'd like to take the time to discuss these values in greater detail.​

Core Value
* Having the opportunity to explore the transhuman and posthuman realms​
Basic Conditions
* Global security
* Technological progress
* Wide access
Derivative Values
* Nothing wrong about “tampering with nature”; the idea of hubris rejected
* Individual choice in use of enhancement technologies; morphological freedom
* Peace, international cooperation, anti-proliferation of WMDs
* Improving understanding (encouraging research and public debate; critical thinking; open-mindedness, scientific inquiry; open discussion of the future)
* Getting smarter (individually; collectively; and develop machine intelligence)
* Philosophical fallibilism; willingness to reexamine assumptions as we go along
* Pragmatism; engineering- and entrepreneur-spirit; science
* Diversity (species, races, religious creeds, sexual orientations, life styles, etc.)
* Caring about the well-being of all sentience
* Saving lives (life-extension, anti-aging research, and cryogenics)

The Core Value
For a transhumanist, this is certainly the core value but it does not exist in isolation. Whilst, it is both central and integral in defining transhumanism, its importance is derived solely from its benefits. It is a means to an end and not the end, itself.

By “transhuman and posthuman realms”, Bostrom is referring to those areas of experience from which humans are currently cut off. He argues, as do all transhumanists, that it is imperative that humanity utilise science to first become transhuman and then posthuman in order to not only expand our physical limitations but also those placed upon us by our human brain. This is not merely an increase in intelligence and understanding but an adaptation to perception itself. In this way we might hope to overcome the human condition.

It should be noted that all other adaptations, physical and mental, are also important values and are covered in the derivative values section. However, I agree with Bostrom that they are of secondary importance to becoming posthuman and gaining the expansion in experience that comes with that.

The Basic Conditions
Technological Progress
Technological progress is perhaps the prime condition necessary for the transhumanist ideals to be made reality. A key event in this area will be the Singularity, the point at which we create an A.I. capable of creating even more intelligent A.I.'s. This will result in an exponential increase in technological advancement. Our focus at the moment, as far as this condition is concerned, should be furthering science to the point where the Singularity is possible. At the moment, we don't have a great idea about how the Singularity will come about but by attempting to secure greater funding for science and by lobbying institutions to focus their research on more relevant areas, the conditions necessary for the Singularity can be brought about more quickly.

Global Security
Global security is a secondary but necessary condition for technological progress. Bostrom largely talks about it in terms of existential risks (i.e. events that would cause humanity to become extinct). However, I feel that global security is also necessary in order to destroy the bottomless pits that are defence budgets. The securer the planet, the less we need to spend on weaponry and military personnel. This would afford us a huge increase in funds that could then be allocated to science.

Wide Access
Wide access is the term that Bostrom uses to refer to the idea of transhumanist advances being made available to as many people as possible. The most compelling argument which he offers, I feel, is that this will then likely result in the furthering of scientific progress (abetting technological advancement). If we limit the spread of scientific ideas and technology then this will make these advances less relevant to more people, preventing many from utilising such advances productively. Additionally, wide access would be absolutely necessary to prevent a ruling elite from developing. Although Bostrom does not advocate it, I feel that in light of these factors, combating, or at least undermining, the concept of intellectual property will be a necessary precursor to absolute freedom of information. This will then naturally result in wide access. On a topical note, this provides greater motivation for ensuring that net neutrality is preserved and, perhaps, the encouragement of net anonymity.

<Continued in second post due to word length>
 
Fluffy

Fluffy

A fool
The Derivative Values
Rejecting Hubris
I think that Bostrom is right to phrase this as hubris since the attempt to cast &#8220;tampering with nature&#8221; as wrong is almost entirely religious in nature. I hope that this is obvious and doesn't need a great deal of explanation. However, I feel that it is important to note, and I'm sure Bostrom would agree, that this is not an essential feature of religion and that many religions should and will embrace transhumanism. At the moment, the only group I know of that has a transhumanist society is the Latter Day Saints but their example proves that transhumanism and religion are not at odds. Indeed it would be desirable to encourage other religions to view transhumanism in favourable terms as this could greatly aid in the attempt to secure the condition of global security.​

Morphological Freedom​
As a pacifist and believer in absolute democracy, I feel that the importance of this value cannot be stressed enough. There is something especially violent and intrusive about forcing transhumanist advances upon those who do not want it. I would go further and suggest that if and when transhumanism becomes more mainstream, it will be imperative not to ridicule those who disagree with the movement or utilise peer pressure in gaining converts. Earlier I spoke of the danger of a ruling elite due to a lack of wide access. If wide access is thwarted by a lack of desire to become posthuman then I feel this value will become of prime importance as, if it is retained, it will prevent such a ruling elite from forming.​

Peace, International Cooperation, Anti-Proliferation of WMDs​
Peace and anti-proliferation are obviously vital for global security, as discussed above and whilst international cooperation is also important in this role, it will be necessary for wide access as well. I feel that we will progress naturally towards these aims as long as technological advancement occurs at a sufficient rate. For example, advanced communication systems, universal translators, direct democracies, all of these advancements would help these aims become a reality.​

Improving Understanding​
This is something that we can promote right now. The education system is, in many senses, not focussed on improving understanding but on increasing knowledge. Additionally, there is little attempt to provide the wide access that this value requires. Those who are disinterested or who find the system difficult are often ignored or alienated. The education system should be overhauled so that this focus is corrected whilst a greater attempt is made to reach out to those who slip through the cracks. To some extent this is happening already but it lacks direction and so could be happening much faster. This value is also necessary for morphological freedom since otherwise a person may fail to attain the critical thinking needed to consider their options.​

Getting Smarter​
Whilst education is obviously important here as well, this will only come about as the result of technological advancement. It is actually entirely wrapped up within that condition as with greater intelligence comes greater advancement resulting in the Singularity mentioned earlier.​

Philosophical Fallibilism​
Without going into too much detail on a proper scientific method, fallibilism is required to uphold the considerations of falsification and plural theories. Furthermore, it requires of us to focus on the evidence and not on what we derive from the evidence, preventing us from formulating unnecessarily unproductive or incorrect representations of reality. In order to prevent the transhumanist from falling prey to these mistakes, we must hold this value universally, even when considering transhumanism, itself.​

Pragmatism and Science​
Regrettably these aren't the household values that they should be. I feel that people underestimate the power of science due to the unconscious acceptance of its gifts without conscious acknowledgement. When others pan science, point out that it was a mere 70 years between the first human flight and the first human footprint on the Moon. Scientific progress is becoming exponentially fast but the majority of people are unaware of this or don't realise what it means.​

Diversity​
Progress happens fastest when it is free. In order to maximise freedom, we must rid ourselves of all prejudice that is not founded in reason. After all, transhumanism is essentially an altruistic pursuit since those who advocate it today are unlikely to realise any of its benefits. I feel that there are two attitudes that need to be cultivated but which aren't sufficiently considered by those who wish to encourage diversity and counter intolerance. Firstly, the attitude of blindness towards irrelevance can be attained by treated those differences which are irrelevant as normal until our minds accept them as normal (self conditioning). Secondly, the attitude of acceptance towards that which we disagree can be attained by encouraging greater disagreement within ourselves through philosophical fallibilism.​

Altruism​
As I've already stated, altruism is necessary for transhumanism. Nobody who pursues transhumanism today will feel its most significant benefits. The motivation comes from the desire for such benefits to be experienced by the generations that come after us. This is altruism in its purest form since we will not even have the pleasure of seeing those generations enjoy such benefits nor even know if they ever receive them. I also feel that this should also cause us to re-evaluate how we see ourselves in relation to other animals since the possibility of uplift (coined by David Brin in his Uplift trilogies to refer to non-sentient creatures gaining sentience through science) will becoming greater after sufficient technological advancement.​

Saving Lives​
This takes on an entirely different context within the transhumanist framework. A basic fact necessary to understand the transhumanist position here is that there is no real consensus on the point of death. Whilst cardiac arrest used to be the point of no return, this is now more of a practical limit which allows us to legally cease our attempts to revive somebody. As technology progresses, the point of no return is pushed back further and further and our idea of death becomes more and more meaningless. To the transhumanist, there is little difference between the person who is brain dead and the person in cardiac arrest since, in the light of advancement, the lives of all may be saved.​
 
Fluffy

Fluffy

A fool
Somkid said:
Seems a lot like Buddhism?
Click to expand...

I was under the impression that Buddhists believed that enlightenment was attainable already. We believe that an enlightenment of sorts can only be reached after becoming posthuman. However, I certainly feel that Buddhism and transhumanism are extremely compatible.
 
Smoke

Smoke

Done here.
I always wondered what Transhumanism was. Generally, I like what you've posted so far; my main quibble is that I don't want to be schiavoed. If I get to that point, let me go.
 
Fluffy

Fluffy

A fool
Midnight Blue said:
I always wondered what Transhumanism was. Generally, I like what you've posted so far; my main quibble is that I don't want to be schiavoed. If I get to that point, let me go.
Click to expand...

Don't worry you are protected under morphological freedom.

Of course the transhumanist ideal would be when our rights need not be dependent on the values of others but when our right to life and right to die is dependent upon nothing but our own wishes. At the moment, we have no right to die, the most basic right, due to this not being the case.
 
gnomon

gnomon

Well-Known Member
Interesting.

It's a bit too late at night for me to comment further. I checked out Bostrom's website and will look into it some more during the more enlightening hours.
 
rojse

rojse

RF Addict
I have studied transhumanism quite a bit, but had not made the connection with your title.

My question is how do you think that achieving the goals of actually transforming humans themselves will be achieved, and how long into the future do you see this as occuring?
 
E

eudaimonia

Fellowship of Reason
Fluffy said:
Altruism



As I've already stated, altruism is necessary for transhumanism. Nobody who pursues transhumanism today will feel its most significant benefits. The motivation comes from the desire for such benefits to be experienced by the generations that come after us. This is altruism in its purest form since we will not even have the pleasure of seeing those generations enjoy such benefits nor even know if they ever receive them. I also feel that this should also cause us to re-evaluate how we see ourselves in relation to other animals since the possibility of uplift (coined by David Brin in his Uplift trilogies to refer to non-sentient creatures gaining sentience through science) will becoming greater after sufficient technological advancement.
Click to expand...


Altruism? This seems like window-dressing more than anything necessary to transhumanism. I think the Extropian Transhumanists would probably disagree on this point as well.

See The Extropian Principles Version 3.0: A Transhumanist Declaration, by Max More.



eudaimonia,

Mark​
 
Fluffy

Fluffy

A fool
Heya eudaimonia,
I find it to be necessary. However, as I highlight under philosophical fallibilism, a plurality of theories is desirable even within the transhumanist framework which I propose.

Heya rojse,
On becoming trans-, posthuman: I believe that whilst moderate human enhancement can occur without it, the Singularity will be a key factor in creating a true posthuman. After this point, it is very difficult to speculate on what the world will be like but before then, human enhancement will occur in principle due to advancements in biology.

I feel that the first enhancements will occur due to alterations of the genes in the egg/sperm. At a slightly later day, I believe that cybernetics will provide a temporary supply for the demand for such enhancements in those already alive but eventually cybernetics will be rejected in favour of nanotechnology.

It seems many transhumanists believe that the Singularity will occur independent of us. Whilst I think this is a possibility, I find it more likely that we turn our intelligence artificial instead due to the many difficulties in replicating even human intelligence artificially with metal and plastic.

On when this will happen: It is difficult to say because we are not only not aware of how to do all of these things but we are also not aware of any difficulties that might be lurking around the corner.

However, if the 3 base conditions continue along their current trends then I feel that the Singularity could occur within 500 years. This is quite conservative amongst transhumanists, however, and many who are far more knowledgeable about the science than I predict much shorter years. For example, I have seen 2045 as a suggested date but whether this is just wishful thinking or not, I have no idea.

Personally, I have not given the question of when much thought since I don't believe I will live to see it. The only time frame I wish to work within is "as soon as possible".
 
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