The Future Body

Abstract

This chapter seeks to provide an examination of the body in relation to modern world religions, with a focus on advanced technological input to human form and function. Whereas advances in bionics, cybernetic, and nanotechnological body modifications allow for enhancements to physical and mental function which exceed biological species-based norms and have similarly given rise to customization of body forms, this chapter argues that examinations of the future body in relation to religion must recognize several key points to maintain relevance in the current discourse. It also offers a methodology for both religious and secular approaches in assessing an advanced technology’s ethical impact upon the human body. Key points of discussion include defining “natural” vs. “artificial” body modifications and “enhancement” vs. “treatment,” the reality of exceeding biological norms through advanced technological devices, and the spectrum of modifications (conventional and extreme) in the postmodern world. Gradations in suggested categories such as privacy, power, implantability, and permanency contribute to assessing the religious and moral implications of specific advanced body modifications and a tradition’s relationship with proponents of human betterment through technological integration, such as transhumanists or futurist groups.