Weak transhumanism
Moderate enhancement as a non-radical path to radical enhancement
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21702369 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Cian Brennan (0000-0003-4412-6214, University of Glasgow, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 44 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 229-248 |
| Publication date | 2023-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Metamedicine (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0166-2031 • E-ISSN: 1573-1200 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11017-023-09606-6 |
| PMID | 36780070 |
| OpenAlex | W4320496740 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 55 |
Transhumanism aims to bring about radical human enhancement. In ‘Truly Human Enhancement’ Agar (2014) provides a strong argument against producing radically enhancing effects in agents. This leaves the transhumanist in a quandary—how to achieve radical enhancement whilst avoiding the problem of radically enhancing effects? This paper aims to show that transhumanism can overcome the worries of radically enhancing effects by instead pursuing radical human enhancement via incremental moderate human enhancements (Weak Transhumanism). In this sense, weak transhumanism is much like traditional transhumanism in its aims, but starkly different in its execution. This version of transhumanism is weaker given the limitations brought about by having to avoid radically enhancing effects. I consider numerous objections to weak transhumanism and conclude that the account survives each one. This paper’s proposal of ‘weak transhumanism’ has the upshot of providing a way out of the ‘problem of radically enhancing effects’ for the transhumanist, but this comes at a cost—the restrictive process involved in applying multiple moderate enhancements in order to achieve radical enhancement will most likely be dissatisfying for the transhumanist, however, it is, I contend, the best option available
Environmental ethics · Epistemology · Human enhancement · Philosophy of medicine · Transhumanism · Medicine · Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations · Philosophy
Beyond Humanity?
The Case against Perfection
Cognitive Enhancement
Speculations Concerning the First Ultraintelligent Machine
Climate tipping points — too risky to bet against
Constructing drug effects
Autonomy and the limits of cognitive enhancement
Ephemeroi - Human Vulnerability, Transhumanism, and the Meaning of Life
Human Being @ Risk
Enhancement and the Conservative Bias
Building Intricate Partnerships with Neurotechnology
Set, Setting, and Matrix
Negative Experiences on Ecstasy
Human Genetic Enhancements
Persons vs. supra-persons and the undermining of individual interests
Declarations on euthanasia and assisted dying
Moral Status and Human Enhancement
Neurotechnology ethics and relational agency
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,5 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2026 (3) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |