An illustrated essay on Transhumanism
April 2017
“Happiness is never grand.” states a Controller in
Huxley’s Brave New World, written in 1931 and depicting a future in which
humanity finally experiences
true social order, as all humans are clones conditioned to accomplish
one specific type of tasks and to be always happy. Mankind has eventually fulfilled
its ultimate purpose: happiness. For millennia, it has tried to reach this
state, relying on philosophy, culture, science. For the first time in 1776, it
even became the foundation of a free nation: « the pursuit of Happiness »
is an « unalienable Right ». The pursuit. The path, not the
destination. That is what defines mankind: ambitions, a will to go beyond, and push
any limits. Create works of art, reach the stars, understand life. This is the never-ending
evolution of humanity.
This, indeed, is the paradox of transhumanism. If we
follow our nature until we reach what we seek, we will lose our very nature. Once
we’re happy, we have no reason to go on. Worse, more progress would threaten
this achievement. In Brave New World, the social order is unshakable, people
have no reason to get upset, angry, eager, because they can have at all time whatever
they wish: products (such as the pain-relieving, mind-soothing “soma”), sexual
partners, adrenaline... But before going further, let’s take a moment to
explain what Transhumanism is, because happiness is just one of its goals. It
is actually a lot more than what this eighty-six year old book describes.
Transhumanism is about using technologies to revolutionise
what it means to be human. On the one hand, by improving our body (that
includes our brain), on the other hand to go beyond our body, to make one with
technology, our mind being partially or totally digitalised. Transhumanists
believe that technology, like biology, is an evolutionary process. And today,
our biology has become a limiting factor. We are « shackled by our
Primitive Darwinian brain », explains the British Institute of Posthuman
Studies, and it is time to move forward. The Institute focuses on three improvements,
namely super longevity, intelligence, and happiness. Back on tracks.
In BNW, people assume they have the best life
imaginable, because they’re never unhappy. But they live to live, with no
passion, nothing gets out of it. They have come back to a survival state, simply
without dangers. They don’t have to adapt anymore. Mankind goes round in
circles, people live and die, but it creates nothing. It evolves no more. Whatever,
could we argue, individuals are all that matters, and they’re satisfied with
their lives. But what life? Emotions define our personality, we do not exist
without them. I do not feel; therefore I am not. So much for super happiness?
Surely, we could manage with a little less anxiety. But as John: “I’m claiming
the right to be unhappy.”
What about our body, then? Among other awesome
improvements, let’s mention replaceable prostheses to allow the blind to see
(They already exist for deaf people who can now hear!), the suppression of
neurological disorders, access to knowledge at any time, increased strength and
emotions (including fully immersive VR!) or the capability of remaining healthy
for as long as we want. Not eternally, don’t get me wrong, but live plainly up
until we chose to leave serenely. Why shouldn’t we? Issues of social inequalities
are raised in two movies: Andrew Niccol’s Gattaca, and Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium.
Who would own the tech? And what about those who do not wish to follow? In
Gattaca, children are
conceived through genetic engineering and tampering “to ensure they possess the
best hereditary traits of their parents” (check out this Centre for Neuroscience
& Society’s page: Neuroethics in film and litterature).
This obviously leads to genetic discrimination. But
then, the Internet access also led to discrimination in recruitment. We now
believe that this same Internet access could reduce inequalities in developing
countries. Evolution needs time. Well, assuming that people won’t reject it.
Except that some already do, the so-called bio-conservatives. According to
them, “there is a substantive human nature which exists independently of its
cultural determinations”. They claim that the self should remain a “private,
individual, dignified being”, consciousness a mystery. In
other words, let’s not kill romanticism! I agree, but we didn’t —while science
skyrockets, we still write and read poetry— so why would we? Only when
romanticism gets in the way of science, it gives us the Classical elements and
the medicine of Humourism. Pretty, but I’m glad we overcame it. Knowing that love
is chemistry doesn’t make me less of a lover. Science doesn’t kill magic; it is
rather becoming magic.
The other objective is to simply get rid of our body,
to go beyond it. But would it be a transfer, or merely a copy, like in the Soma
video-game (edited by Frictional Games)? And how accurate? Would we be fully
ourselves? This last question, among many others, is addressed in Wally
Pfister’s movie Transcendence, where the mind of a dead scientist has been
uploaded onto an all-powerful digital system and controls connected humans in
order to save the world. Transhumanists generally believe consciousness is pure
electrochemistry, thus we will undoubtedly be able to upload it. Will this
affect us in any way? How will we experience the world, with which sensors?
What about hormones? Because they play a crucial part in our feelings. More
importantly, would we still interact with the “real” world or live in a new,
digital reality? This can seem far-fetched, but think about it: for some, our
personality is already partly digital. Our existence online, on social networks
especially, also defines who we are. Imagine what wonderland awaits us, worlds
we can build from the ground, in which we would stand as gods, limitless. Except
if it turns out to be like The Matrix...
Eventually, this issue merges with the second
inevitable outcome of growing technology: artificial intelligence (Chappie,
again by Neill Blomkamp). A tremendous number of movies deal with the single IA
issue, the best two, in my view, being Her (by Spike Jonze) and Ex Machina
(Alex Garland). And to be honest, this is as thrilling as it is frightening. And
completing transhumanism before fully sentient computers may be the only way to
survival.
It’s on its way, fellows, we’re already
transhumanists. Already in “a future where our true reflection is only revealed
once the screen goes… dark” (powerful Black Mirror trailer!).
But hey, I’m an optimistic after all, not ending on this! Now, go to the rhapsodising
YouTube Channel Shots of Awe! Listen to what Jason Silva has to say (is this
guy taking drugs?): “We spilled over out of our minds. This is our triumph.
This is what it means to be human”.
We’re going to witness within a life-time span the
next step of evolution and I’m personally looking forward to this. We simply
must never forget that it is not coming without dangers. Now (carefully) embrace
the future!
