Is Transhumanism a New Face of Bioethics?

Grzegorz Holub

doi:10.7213/1980-5934.32.055.ds04

Abstract

The paper deals with a possible interdependence between bioethics and transhumanism. It seems that nowadays transhumanism is a separate discipline and we can say at most about bioethical aspects of that. However, a more in-depth investigation reveals that transhumanism is a rival of the contemporary bioethics and tends to take control over it. So, this paper tried to prove that this is not a necessity. There are still vital differences between bioethics and transhumanism and they justify keeping the former separate. The main difference concerns the object of investigation: bioethics is about ethical enquiry of the existing, bodily human being, whereas transhumanism is directed toward a future creature called posthuman. Thus, although there are attempts within transhumanism to replace bioethics, they are still two separate fields of investigation and hence the former is not a new and fully-fledged face of the latter.

Highlights

Nowadays transhumanism is a very popular and even fashionable trend in academic and public debates
The main difference concerns the object of investigation: bioethics is about ethical enquiry of the existing, bodily human being, whereas transhumanism is directed toward a future creature called posthuman
When we look at specific ideas of transhumanism, we realize that not all of them have something to do with a contemporary paradigm of bioethics understood as a continuation and prolongation of medical ethics

Summary

Introduction

Nowadays transhumanism is a very popular and even fashionable trend in academic and public debates. These two concepts constitute essential stumbling blocks because of their imprecision and vagueness Transhumanism as such draws on various sources and as a result it is not easy to establish its methodological status. Adherents of this trend usually point to progress and spectacular achievements of various sciences and technologies as genetics, genetic engineering, cell biology, information technology, and others as presuppositions and even starting points for such a more-than-human existence. It is obvious — especially after a critical examination — that transhumanism is densely saturated with non-scientific symbols and presuppositions (philosophical and even scientisitic), which is not acknowledged by its adherents. I will be trying to establish what kind of ethics results from a possible fusion of bioethics and transhumanism and whether this fusion is inevitable

Bioethics as an aspect of Transhumanism

Bioethics as Transhumanism

Ethics of Transhumanism

Bioethics in the Grip of Transhumanism?

Conclusions