Transhumanism Essay Example. Can We Make Our Body Better?

Humans have always been captivated by the ability to enhance humanity. Our desire to exceed our capabilities has always been a constant factor in the fate of humanity. According to the dictionary, transhumanism is the  belief or theory that the human race can evolve beyond its current physical and mental limitations, especially by means of science and technology. Transhumanist and scientist are trying to evolve the human race by means of science and technology. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Victor is obsessed with creating life or death by means of science. Transhumanism is dealing with idea that death could be prevented with science and technology.

The human race has always been searching for ways to escape death and to become like “gods”, and most of all to see how much they could evolve by science and technological means. The author, Nick Bostrom states, “the human desire to acquire new capacities is as ancient as our species itself” Transhumanism is… (Bostrom). The work of transhumanism has been displayed in many ancient cultures such as the Greeks. In the story of “Icarus and Daedalus”, “the gods are repeatedly challenged, quite successfully by Daedalus, the clever engineer and artist, who uses non-magical means to extend human capabilities” In the Greek tale of Daedalus and Icarus, Daedalus tries to create wings to fly, but in the end this task ends up failing.

In the mid-15 century, people were starting to think for themselves, that maybe they could possibly shape themselves. The author Nick Bostrom states, “A landmark of the period is Giovanni Pico della Miranda’s creation of the Dignity of Man (1486), which proclaims that man does not have a ready-made form and is responsible for shaping himself: ‘We have made you a creature neither of heaven nor of earth, neither mortal or immortal in order that you may, as the free and proud shaper of your own being, fashion yourself in the form you may prefer’(Bostrom). Humans started thinking for themselves about their own being, and here comes this idea that you could “shape yourself”, and it would plague mankind for centuries.

There are many positive aspects of the transhumanist argument. It has contributed to many of the medical advances of today. The author, Nick Bostrom, states, “Another contribution of transhumanism is prosthetic limbs. They have been development as a direct offshoot of technological advancements  for those who have undergone any kind of bodily amputation.” The other pro-argument of transhumanism is that this field of studies can help humans evolve. Nick Bostrom states, “A world of eternal life, superhuman strength, complete eradication of diseases and highly advanced mental facilities is what transhumanism seems to be offering.” The pro-transhumanism argument seems to be offering a world of possibilities for human enhancement, but we won’t know until scientist actually do procedures.

Transhumanism also has many people that disagree with its beliefs. Some argue that, transhumanism can cause the way humans view society, and change it drastically. The author, Joseph Lee, states, “By similar reasoning, there will be fewer opportunities within the community undergoing ethnocide, thus increasing social advantages.” The author, Joseph Lee, also states, “Now, imagine the world of transhumanism and a minority group of unenhanced human beings, akin to how technology excludes those without it...Where the transhumanism is the new “normal”, and unenhanced humanity becomes a “disability”. ” Transhumanism raises many concerns as to how society will change when it is put in place.

In the novel Frankenstein, Victor is trying to create life. In transhumanism, scientists are trying to prevent death by science and technological means. The author, Mary Shelley, states, “To examine the causes of life, we must first have recourse to death.” Mary Shelley also states,”I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet.” Transhumanism gives you the idea that creating life is not necessary, when you can “live forever” with its technologies. It also gives you the idea that society could except the enhancement of a human being, just not the creation of a human being or creature. 

Questions about transhumanism still come up in today’s society. Could humanity actually be enhanced by science and technological means? That’s a question scientist and transhumanist are trying to answer. Transhumanism really makes you think about how the human race could evolve in the next hundred years by scientific and technological means. Transhumanism has many negative and positive aspects, and there are many arguments today about how transhumanism will affect society.