Post on 07-Feb-2023
MORE THAN HUMAN:
THE TRANSHUMANIST AGENDA AND ITS EFFECTS ON
SOCIETY, ART AND CULTURE IN THE PRESENT AND THE
FUTURE
BY
LOO CHIN HOCK JEREMY
SUBMITTED IN
PARTIAL FUFILMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF
BACHELOR OF ARTS WITH HONOURS
IN GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY
UNITED KINGDOM
DESIGN AND MEDIA DEPARTMENT
NANYANG ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS
SINGAPORE
[8128 Words]
JANUARY 2014
DECLARATION
I hereby certify that I am the sole author of this
dissertation and that no part of this
dissertation has been published or submitted for
publication.
I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, my dissertation
does not infringe upon
anyone’s copyright nor violate any proprietary rights and
that any ideas,
techniques, quotations, or any other material from the work
of other people
included in my dissertation, published or otherwise, are
fully acknowledged in
accordance with the standard referencing practices.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ………………………………………………………………..…………… ii
CHAPTERS
1. Overview …………………………………………………………………………1
1.1 Enquiring Minds………………………………………………………………1
1.2 One Small Step ……………………………………………………………….2
2. The Future: Human Nature …………………………………………………….....6
2.1The Extension of Will………………………………………………………….6
2.2All too Human………………………………………………...……………….9
3. The Most Dangerous Idea in the World………………………………………… 14
3.1Supermen……………………………………………………………………..14
3.2 Nietzschean Dilemma: The Moral and Ethical
Void…………………………16
3.3 Predicting Uncertainty……………………………………………………….20
4. The Future: Today………………………………………………………….....… 23
4.1 The Seeds of Change: Prosthetics……………………………………………23
4.2 The Role of Art and Media in the Transhumanist
i
Agenda…….………28
5. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………… 32
BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………….34
More than Human:
The Transhumanist Agenda and its Effects on
Society, Art and Culture in the Present and
the Future
By
Jeremy Loo Chin Hock
January 2014
ABSTRACT
Technology plays an ever increasing role in our lives, more
so now than ever in human history. With advances in the
fields of biology, neuroscience, robotics and engineering,
we stand on the precipice of great and exciting change
ii
according to some, or a moral and social pitfall according
to others. In this essay, I introduce the reader to the
‘transhumanist agenda’, explore the writings of Friedrich
Nietzsche on the quandary of human purpose and destiny;
canvass the different opinions of various authors,
philosophers, scientists and artists on the topics of human
augmentation and bring to light the potential effects such
technology might have on society in the future. This
dissertation proposes and argues the need for more public
exposure to the concept of ‘Transhumanism’, how mainstream
media can help to provide the means to do so, and why it is
important for humanity to ask the relevant questions on its
implications at this present time.
iii
Chapter 1
Overview
1.1 Enquiring Minds
It is safe to say that no one can accurately predict the
future. One can however, with good foresight and evidence,
make educated judgements on the overall scheme of things.
The destiny of humanity; the purpose of man, are questions
that have formed the basis of human culture and
civilisation, and are now schisms in humanity that both
unite and divide the population of this world. Enquiring on
the future of our existence therefore, has been the purpose
of many a philosopher, theologian, artist and scientist. We
can view what Winwood Reade wrote for example,
‘And then, the Earth being small, mankind will migrate into space, and will cross the
airless Saharas which separate planet from planet and sun from sun. The Earth will
become a Holy Land which will be visited by pilgrims from all the quarters of the
Universe. Finally, men will master the forces of Nature; they will become themselves
1
architects of systems, manufacturers of worlds.’ (Reade, W, The Martyrdom of
Man, 1872)
An almost romantic vision, Winwood foresees an
interstellar/intergalactic civilisation spread across the
vastness of space, in which his version of humanity has
mastered the laws of physics and they themselves are the
creators of worlds. While certainly dubious when considered
from a human perspective of mere years, not millennia, his
prediction might very well become reality in the far future
of our species. The Earth is indeed small, and even now we
fight over its resources as our population continues to
soar. Perhaps, the only logical conclusion for our continued
survival is eventual settlement and the exploitation of
other planets? If this were to come to pass, we might begin
to see the first steps on Winwood’s vision, the first steps
of many that herald a myriad of questions. These future
civilisations, these men of the stars, these ‘transient
humans’, what will they be like? What kind of society, what
kind of art and culture would they have? Would their morals
be an extension of our own, or would they cast aside the
2
‘old’ ways of thought and have systems that we find immoral,
unethical and even disgusting today? Would they even be
human anymore?
Of course, this is but one of many predictable scenarios. As
mentioned earlier, we cannot accurately predict the future;
but we can with enough evidence, continue in our attempts to
constantly enquire on our collective destiny, if only to
inspire, warn and help shape the perspective of future
generations to come. This essay will therefore seek to make
said educated judgments about our near future, and argue the
need for increased discussion on one of the major points of
human contention in both the present and the future: the
transhumanist agenda and its overarching goal,
transhumanism.
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1.2 One Small Step
We can perhaps see the beginnings of change in the human
condition at this current age. Technology has become so much
more pervasive and intrusive, that some have argued we have
already begun the process of a so called ‘technological
singularity’1, in which man and his nature is supplanted or
combined by his own creations to a point where he is no
longer recognisable to present society. The internet for
example, an essential part of all our lives now, is
considered by some to be the beginning of said
‘singularity’. Truly, if one piece of technology can be
called pervasive and intrusive, it certainly would be the
internet. Its power, while subtle, is something to behold.
Its ability to connect the world and its potential in
educating the masses and giving them a voice is amazing. On
the other hand, it allows governments to spy on their
1 Jornod, R. 2013. The Technological Singularity: Heading for Transhumanism.
4
citizens more effectively; it has stripped away layers of
individual privacy and has brought to light human immorality
in the face of complete anonymity.
The internet, while its benefits and disadvantages are up
for debate, has transformed humanity in ways many of us do
not yet see. Still, it is but one piece of the overall
transhumanist puzzle. Another example of technology slowly
shifting the line would be the advancements made in human
prosthetics and limb replacements. For now, the use of
prosthetics firmly remains a benign one, helping amputees
and the sensory impaired to integrate successfully into
modern society. Issues of the moral and ethical kind might
begin to appear however, should the prosthetics themselves
become more powerful, convenient or desirable to perfectly
functioning human limbs or organs. Under those
circumstances, it would not be arrogant to suggest that many
would prefer to undergo extensive surgery to improve their
own bodies, human nature being such that it is. One can also
predict another camp of opinion forming, made up of those
who view such ‘augmentation’ with disgust and adversity. 5
Besides the obvious arguments, one can also assume safely
that a social, cultural and economic backlash would take
place when those who can afford such luxuries become
generally more effective at everything they do when compared
to those without said improvements. Where would these people
belong in society, and what will become of the rest of the
human population who cannot afford such augmentation
themselves, even if they wanted to?
It certainly seems farfetched, human cyborgs and
augmentation and becoming more than what we are. But the
fact remains that technology is the method in which power is
measured. The individual, the company or the country with
better, more advanced technology will always be a cut above
the rest. While value can be had in social and cultural
practices, it will generally be technology that paves the
way for the progress of civilisation. Thus the argument can
be made that humanity will forge ahead despite its own
misgivings, the consequences of not doing so being becoming
obsolete and even extinct. We might change; some argue we
already have. What is certain is that the quandary of 6
progress will always bring about social and political
unrest. We must therefore inquire on our future constantly;
ask the right questions and debate the hard issues now. As
artists, the bearers of meaning, warning and inspiration, it
falls to us to inform and encourage discussion on the
premier topics affecting society today and in the future.
Therefore, this essay will seek to show the need for art and
media to be at the forefront of showcasing the transhumanist
agenda, and its potential for societal and cultural change
argued vigorously across the world.
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Chapter 2
The Future: Human Nature
2.1 The Extension of Will
To say that our relationship with technology is one born
out of necessity, but also fear, fear of the elements and
8
more importantly, fear of ourselves, is not so
unbelievable. We have always created tools to make life
easier and simpler, to grow crops, tend the land and to
build shelter. We have also used said tools to make
weapons to protect ourselves, to hunt, and to also kill
each other in cold blood. We fear each other as humans, and
rightly so. For we are a selfish species by default; we
usually take what we want and need with little regard to
our victims or the consequences. Truly, it is prudent to
fear our own nature and ourselves.
The status quo has changed in recent times however. The
fact that technology is currently advancing at a speed that
is astounding and yet so terrifying to behold is enough for
concern. The leap in which we have made from steam engines
to maglev, the chasm we have crossed from the discovery of
the blood groups in the 1900s to the first ever human liver
grown from stem cells in the year 2013, is nothing short of
amazing. In a single human lifetime, humanity has made into
reality the dreams of manned flight and space exploration.
In one generation, we have gone from flying rickety wooden 9
machines to putting men on the moon, a feat awe-inspiring,
and yet to many, extremely worrisome.
The implications of such advancement at so quick a pace
must come at a price certainly, critics of science and
technology might say. For example, one might argue that the
conception of nuclear fission and the atomic bomb allows
humanity the option to destroy itself in its entirety. In
making our lives easier with the introduction of nuclear
energy, we have also made it all the more simpler to take
it away. The tool has become something to be feared on its
own. Technology, branded by some as the method in which
humanity would destroy itself.
Others might argue differently however, that the nuclear
bomb serves as a deterrent against all potential major
armed conflicts in the future. So dangerous the doctrine of
‘MAD’ or mutually assured destruction between participating
countries that perhaps, the concept of World War will no
longer be relevant, thereby saving the lives of all those
that might have been lost due to the advent of such dire
10
events. Technology, the tool that would save its masters
from their own demise.
An argument can therefore be made that technology, by
itself, is merely a tool, and it is how we choose to wield
this tool that is important and cause for worry. Sean
Hurley makes the point that,
‘Technology is neither good nor bad, and it is not an all-encompassing solution
to our human problems any more than it is responsible for any of our social
ills.’ (Hurley, Sean, 2012)2
Technology is but an extension of our will, an essential
part of the human psyche, one that directly reflects our
own fears, desires and dreams. Fearing the tool therefore,
is irrelevant. Fearing our own fallibilities and nature on
the other hand, seems to be correct.
The sword is but a piece of metal, but in the hands of man
a tool of death. Technology isn’t inherently dangerous,
humans on the other hand, are.
2Hurley, Sean, 2012 http://blog.thezeitgeistmovement.com/blog/sean-hurley/technology-tool-not-solution
11
‘Man seems to be entering one of the major crises of his career. His whole future,
nay the possibility of his having any future at all, depends on the turn which
events may take in the next half century. It is a commonplace that his is coming
into possession of new and dangerous instruments for controlling his
environment and his own nature… Before he can gain clear insight, he may lose
himself in a vast desert of spiritual aridity, or even blunder into self-destruction.
Nothing can save him but a new vision, and a consequent new order of sanity, or
common sense.’ (Stapledon, O, Cyborg: Evolution of the
Superman, 1965, p36)
We have always been killing each other even before the dawn
of civilisation. The only difference now is that technology
has advanced to a point in which it allows us to destroy
human civilisation in its entirety. We wield the power to
potentially affect the planet and its inhabitants in a
permanent fashion, for good or worse. Therefore, if humanity
is to walk forward without stumbling into self-destruction,
it must ensure that it keeps itself in check. More
importantly, humanity must realise its own flaws and
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fallibilities before they become issues that cannot be
effectively controlled. We must acknowledge that as of now
we are imperfect creatures that are full of inadequacies. In
a sense, one can say that we are too violent, too selfish
and all too human.
‘Through his rapidly increasing ability to control greater amounts of motion of
matter, man is becoming increasingly able to mix up the universe, or order it
according to his plan. With this increasing ability he has not yet developed his
capacity for love and brotherhood, and his moral sensitivity to a degree that
would insure his continuous development and survival’ (Clynes, M, Cyborg:
Evolution of the Superman 1965)
Dr. Manfred Clynes argues that humanity has yet to reach a
point in which it would use technology in a morally
responsible and safe manner. He fears that man’s
achievements in the fields of science and technology would
supersede his own capabilities to protect himself from, of
all things, himself.
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Therein lays the dilemma. Is it not because we are what we
are, that is, essentially human, that the quandary of war,
conflict and strife remains the status quo in so many
regions of the world? We are primitive, we are savage, and
we are all too fragile to care little for anyone or anything
but ourselves. Combined with sufficient motivation for
terrible evil and the means to do so, we can and will
inflict the worst possible injuries upon ourselves. Yet what
else can humanity do but forge ahead, looking for better
ways to live and survive, in the hopes of a better future
for all?
Clynes makes the poignant remark with regards to a possible
solution: ‘One may assuredly say that all true progress is progress in the
ability to love.’ 3Truly, if humanity can overcome its own
failings, if we can see above our own selfishness, greed and
arrogance as a species, would that not solve the majority of
the problems we face in the world? An unrealistic dream
perhaps, too optimistic and impossible when viewed with a
cynical eye. How would such a thing be done, when in reality
3 Cyborg: Evolution of the Superman 1965, p7
15
we remain all too human?
2.3 Destiny
‘Man is a rope stretched between the animal and the Superman –a rope above
the abyss…What is great about man is that he is a bridge and not a goal.’
(Nietzsche, F, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, 1885)
Nietzsche offers the analogy of humanity being a rope
stretched out across an abyss. In doing so, he makes the
argument that our current state as humans is anything but
final, and that we remain on a journey to becoming something
else. While a seemingly ridiculous and unthought-of of
notion to many of us, technology as always, has changed the
rules of the game. Advances in the fields of neuroscience,
robotics and biology today allows for the melding of man and
machine. The tool has always remained separate from the
body, and the implication that it can now be integrated onto
and into man himself is cause for great excitement and grave
16
concern. ‘The very thought of altering our own nature is alarming to us
because we fear the havoc we should raise if we presumed to change the nature
of life.’ (Clynes, M, Cyborg: Evolution of the Superman, 1965,
p6) The premise of changing ourselves physically is in
itself one of the great debates of this time. We are
naturally adverse to the unknown and unnatural; people have
already taken stances and varied arguments on plastic
surgery for example, some stating that such an action is an
abomination in the eyes of their God, while others arguing
that the freedom to do what one does to their own body is
not to be infringed upon. Imagine the uproar if people
started amputating their own limbs and mechanically
enhancing their bodies for the sake of progress! The social
and political uncertainty of such a premise if it happened
now would be at the very least destabilising for our current
social and moral fabric.
On the other hand, we have proponents of Transhumanism like
Arthur. C. Clarke, who said in an interview, ‘It may be that our
role on this planet is not to worship God - but to create him.’ While bordering
on the controversial and downright blasphemous to many 17
religions in the world, his point is nonetheless thought
provoking. Some look to religion for the answer, hoping that
spiritual salvation would save us. Some believe we should
stay the course. Others argue for a more ambitious approach,
in which we transcend our current ways of thinking, our
outdated systems of thought, and even our primitive
emotions. In short, the transcendence of the human condition
and its limits: physical, mental and psychological, through
the integration of technology into the human body, thereby
changing human nature as well. Humanity then becomes a mere
stepping stone to something greater. Whatever the case, all
we know is that our destinies lie ahead in the murky
uncertainty of human progress. And in that future, what
would society and civilisation be like? Perhaps repeating
the same questions put forth in this essay’s overview would
be relevant.4 How would people in the future live and die?
Would they be biologically immortal? What kind of culture
would they have, and what kind of art would they create? How
would they go about designing their cities, their society
4 p2
18
and their way of living? Would they have solved the problems
that currently plague us, our savage propensity to behave
like animals, violent and greedy? Without these flaws, what
would they be?
Would they even be human anymore?
‘What is man? What will man become? That man should perennially ask these
questions and provide ever new answers is an indication of his being.’ (Clynes,
M, Cyborg: Evolution of the Superman, 1965, p1) What will
we become indeed? In asking such questions, one must also
ponder the purpose of our being. 5What are we? What is our
destiny as a species? We are all alone on our little planet,
full of hope, fear and wonder. Like mere children we seem,
in the grand scale of all things, playing with and seeking
forces we know little off, except that they exist along with
us in this cold dark universe. Amidst all our doubt
however, one solid and most obvious truth rings true. We
will never answer our questions if we choose to destroy each
other. Therefore one can argue that the most important of
the duties and responsibilities humanity should place upon 5 p1
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itself is the protection of the billions of lives that live
under its banner. No overarching principle, no philosophy of
life, no sacred truth will ever come into existence if we
give in to our primal instincts and choose to self-
annihilate.
‘We are at the very beginning of time for the human race. It is not unreasonable
that we grapple with problems. There are tens of thousands of years in the
future. Our responsibility is to do what we can, learn what we can, improve the
solutions, and pass them on.’ (Feynman, R, The Pleasure of Finding
Things Out: The Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman )
Chapter 3
The Most Dangerous Idea in the World
3.1 Supermen
‘The human species can, if it wishes, transcend itself — not just sporadically, an
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individual here in one way, an individual there in another way, but in its entirety,
as humanity. We need a name for this new belief. Perhaps transhumanism will
serve: man remaining man, but transcending himself, by realizing new
possibilities of and for his human nature.’ (Huxley, J, Transhumanism,
1957)
In knowing we are flawed as a species, would it not make
sense therefore, to pursue improvement and perfection at
every turn? In answering such a question, many philosophers
and scientists today will mention transhumanism; but what is
it exactly? The term has been copiously used in the earlier
chapters of this essay, along with hints as to what it
means, but perhaps a more robust explanation of the word
would be wise at this point of writing. Transhumanism is an
intellectual and philosophical movement that pursues the
notion of humanity transcending its physical and mental
limits through the use of science of technology, while still
maintaining a moral compass we find acceptable today6. In
simpler terms, it means the creation of a society of
6 Bostrom, N. 2005. A History of Transhumanist Thought. Journal of Evolution and Technology, 14
21
supermen that is exponentially more powerful than the
average human, and one that espouses the humanist values we
hold dear, not much unlike the Superman from D.C. comics.
Superman isn’t human; he’s kryptonian. And with that
revelation comes all his superhuman abilities we know of.
His super strength, ice-breath, laser eyebeams are what most
of us can probably remember with no problem; but one can
assume that it is his ability for love, forgiveness and
self-sacrifice that is most endearing. Certainly Superman is
looked up to more for his ideals above all else, as a
shining bastion for all that is good in this world. Yet
Superman shares many of the flaws that plague all of us. He
is vulnerable to hubris for example, and his sense of
justice often clouds his judgement. He is so like us and
yet, he isn’t. His penchant for compassion, even for his
enemies always pulls through, which cannot be said for the
majority of us. One can therefore view kryptonians as a
fictional example of transhumans; still flawed, but better,
improved, and less likely to fail as a species. It is irony
thus, that Krypton was destroyed along with the rest of
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Superman’s people. A testament and warning perhaps, that
transhumanism doesn’t mean perfection, but rather, it is a
product of a journey, not unlike Nietzsche’s analogy of us
being a rope above an abyss. One wrong step and we tumble
into oblivion.
3.2 Nietzschean Dilemma: The Moral and Ethical Void
On the topic of Nietzsche; many authors and proponents of
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transhumanism have claimed the philosopher’s work as a
banner of inspiration for transhumanism. Seeing as how his
views often put humanity as a precursor to something better,
this is not so surprising. There is argument however that
the works of Friedrich Nietzsche point not towards
transhumanism in a sense, but rather towards self-
actualisation7. Considering the famous quote by Nietzsche in
Thus Spoke Zarathustra,
‘I teach you the overman. Man is something that shall be overcome. What have
you done to overcome him? All beings so far have created something beyond
themselves; and do you want to be the ebb of this great flood and even go back
to the beasts rather than overcome man?’
Nick Bostrom argues that what Nietzsche had in mind ‘was not
technological transformation but a kind of soaring personal growth and cultural
refinement in exceptional individuals… Despite some surface-level similarities
with the Nietzschean vision, transhumanism – with its Enlightenment roots, its
emphasis on individual liberties, and its humanistic concern for the welfare of all
humans(and other sentient beings)- probably has as much or more in common
7 Bostrom, N. 2005. A History of Transhumanist Thought. Journal of Evolution and Technology, 14
24
with Nietzsche’s contemporary then English liberal thinker and utilitarian John
Stuart Mill.’
This view is further enforced in a journal by Michael
Hauskeller, in which he states that, ‘Posthumans will allegedly
lead happier, more fulfilling lives than we do now. This assumption is the main
reason why transhumanists demand that we pave the way for posthumanity. In
other words, there is a moral imperative at the heart of the transhumanist
agenda…Nietzsche, on the other hand, had nothing but contempt for those who
sought to improve the human condition, such as John Stuart Mill whom he
denounced as a “blockhead” because Mill still believed in good and evil (both
natural and moral) and felt that one should make it one’s duty to bring about the
victory of the former and the destruction of the latter. According to Nietzsche, the
philosopher needs to position himself “beyond good and evil,” because there are
no moral facts and nothing that is truly better or worse than anything else.
Happiness for instance is not to be considered better than suffering. To believe
otherwise indicates a grave error of judgement.’8
Perhaps now it is easier to see the reason for the distance
in which some transhumanists seek to put between themselves
8 Hauskeller, M. 2010. Nietzsche, the overhuman, and the posthuman: A reply to Stefan Sorgner. Journal of Evolution and Technology, 21
25
and Nietzschean philosophy. It is because transhumanism, it
would seem, seeks to work within a moral framework that can
be seen as one inspired by the age of enlightenment and that
of humanism, while Nietzsche works within a circle of
complete moral vacuum devoid of all the human values we deem
‘good’ today. ‘Transhumanists may want to revaluate certain aspects of
our existence, but they certainly do not, as Nietzsche did, advocate the
revaluation of all present values. On the contrary, they emphasise the continuity
between (past and present) humanist, (present) transhumanist, and (future)
posthuman values and see themselves as defenders of the Enlightenment’s
legacy against its modern (bioconservative) enemies.’ 9 As Michael, puts
it, there is a difference between what Transhumanists sseek
to do, that is improve the human condition within ethical
and moral limits, whilst Nietzsche on the other hand ,
‘wanted to turn our whole system of values upside down, or rather rip it apart.
He prided himself to be the “first immoralist” and hence “destroyer par
excellence”10. The rope above the abyss11 according to Nietzsche,
would seem to lead us to a future with a completely
9 Hauskeller, M10 Hauskeller, M11 p11
26
different set of moral values that many of us would find
abhorrent today. Such is the work of being a philosopher,
that one must put oneself ‘beyond good and evil’. While
perhaps ‘safe’ when on paper, the ramifications of
Nietzsche’s ‘moral vacuum’ to ‘overcome man’ can be argued
as terrible when viewed from our current moral perspective,
i.e. killing is bad, love our fellow man etc. His work has
been used as inspiration and justification, some argue, for
the implementation of Eugenics, the Holocaust, Fascism and
even anarchy. One can certainly see the appeal of
Nietzschean philosophy to power hungry, blood thirsty
tyrants who wish to remake the world in their own image
despite the colossal suffering and self-inflicted damage it
would cause mankind12. But as the man said ‘Happiness for
instance is not to be considered better than suffering. To believe otherwise
indicates a grave error of judgement.’ With such reasoning taken out
of context, with the ‘go ahead’ to do whatever it takes to
change what it means to be human, one can see with clarity,
the immensity of the harm it would cost us all if we allow
12 Kalish, M. 2004. Nietzsche's Influence on Hitler's Mein Kampf, by M. Kalish.
27
such circumstances to occur.
It would therefore be prudent, to question any and all
movements, be they cultural, political, intellectual, that
seek to change us. Even transhumanism, with its promise of
improving the human condition for all mankind, should be
subject to intense scrutiny and criticism, if only because
it is advocated by well-meaning humans, but humans ambitious
nonetheless. Transhumanism could certainly herald the
beginning of a great age in human history, but its
propensity to abuse is concerning, considering how similar
it is to Nietzschean philosophy. With the advent of
sufficiently advanced technology, it is now creeping up on
us in ways we do not yet fully understand. As such, the need
for continuous exposure and encouragement of discussion on
the concept of transhumanism in its early stages cannot be
stressed enough. Like the futurist movement in Italy in the
early 20th century, art and media today can pave the way for
greater understanding and inspiration for the future, whilst
also generating much needed debate on the issues that affect
and will affect us all.28
3.3 Predicting Uncertainty
While one can argue the moral implications of changing human
nature ad infinitum, there are some who wonder if we are
indeed changing or if we would even change at all. After
all, we still remain very much human both physically and
psychologically, and the implication that we will become
‘cyborgs’ or ‘augmented’ in some form or the other would
seem more science fiction than fact. Now the case can be
29
argued that a person in the 1950s for example, would find
the idea of a smartphone absolutely crazy. Fast forward a
mere sixty years into the future to our present time
however, and that same person would have seen the computer
shrunk from the size of a room to the size of a desktop or
smaller; he/she would have observed the rise of the internet
as a global communicative device; he/she would most probably
be using said internet on an IPhone that has more computing
power than the Apollo 11(1969) spacecraft that put man on
the moon. This was all accomplished in less than a century;
a single human generation. On top of that, some
technologists argue that the pace of technological
advancement will only increase with time. Moore’s law13 for
example, which is the observation and prediction that
computing power doubles every two to three years, has been
subsequently used in predicting what some computer
scientists call the technological singularity14; or more
humorously put, the ‘nerd rapture’, in which artificially
13 Moore, G. 1998. [online] Available at: http://www.cs.utexas.edu/~fussell/courses/cs352h/papers/moore.pdf14Jornod, R. 2013. The Technological Singularity: Heading for Transhumanism.
30
created intelligence significantly outstrips its own
masters, thereby becoming more ‘desirable’ compared to human
intelligence, and thus potentially changing human nature and
civilisation as we know it and fulfilling said transhuman
future. Ray Kurzweil mentions in his book ‘The Singularity
is Near’ (2005), that this event would take place as early
as in the year 2045, placing it more or less in conjunction
with that of Moore’s law. Much like that of the smartphone
analogy given earlier, we see a great leap in technological
advancement in which the given future is one of such change
that our present selves would find completely
incomprehensible. There is naturally argument however, and
staunch criticism with regards to such an incredible vision.
Paul Davies mentions in the article, ‘When Computers Take
Over’15 that, ‘This absurdity is an illustration of what one might call the
exponential-growth fallacy… Kurzweil invokes ‘Moore’s law’ as if it were a law of
nature…’ Davies goes on to give a variety of examples of
15 Davies, P. 2006. When computers take over. Nature, 440 (7083), pp.
421--422.
31
‘exponential-growth fallacy’ in action, stating, ‘The Moon
landing in 1969 was widely touted as the first small step on an escalator to the
stars, with Arthur C. Clarke predicting huge lunar bases and a Jupiter expedition
by 2001. The rapid uptake of robotics in the manufacturing industry after the
Second World War led to the predictions of cyborg servants and android armies
within a few decades. In the event, these technologies became stuck or even slid
backward. The key point about exponential growth is that it never lasts.’ Of
course, a grain of salt as well as a huge dose of healthy
scepticism is always needed with regards to such
predictions, their nature being a merely speculative one.
However, while Clarke’s vision of lunar bases and the
Jupiter expeditions were not ultimately fulfilled, one can
perhaps begin to see his predictions come to life, albeit at
a much later time then he foresaw and in a different way and
destination. There is currently talk about sending a manned
mission to Mars, with volunteers being called upon to
undertake a one way trip to colonise the planet. With
regards to his example of incredulous ‘cyborg servants’ and
‘android armies’, one need only look at the amount of
resources and money currently being spent on creating
32
unmanned drones, strike craft and fighting vehicles by
militaries worldwide. These new weapons of war, these new
‘robotic warriors’ are certainly on the right track of
fulfilling the prediction shot down by Davies, albeit again,
at a much later date. One can thus argue that working within
a more realistic time frame, and more importantly with the
right kind of motivation and with enough resources, humanity
is capable of the incredible. On a side note however, it is
disconcerting that the latter vision, that is that of
‘android armies’, seems to more of a reality than the former
at this point of time. Perhaps a continuous testament to
human nature, that war seems to be the grand motivator of
major technological progress. E.g. Computer Science to break
German military codes; the jet engine race between German
and British engineers; the Manhattan Project and its child,
the atomic bomb. While the notion of major conflict is of
course highly undesirable to a large portion of the world’s
population, perhaps it is the urgency of requiring
‘something’ to end said major conflict that is the best
catalyst for progress, and the ultimate fulfilment of the
33
hypothetical prediction of the ‘technological singularity’
and the transandence of man.
Chapter 4
The Future: Today
4.1 The Seeds of Change: Prosthetics
While the idea of cyborg man seems to remain in the
philosophical depths of human uncertainty, we can perhaps
observe small changes in the human condition, tiny
technological pinpricks that might eventually lead to an era
of radical change; the old adage being that Rome was not
34
built in a day, more so relevant when taking into
consideration the vast diversity of human perspective and
opinion on the matter of transhumanism. In looking for
examples for the start of the process, an observer would
most probably turn their eyes to that of the biomedical and
neuroscience industry, these places being the forefront of
current breakthroughs in artificial prosthetics and human
augmentation. Prosthesis are essentially, man-made devices
used to assist those of less fortunate circumstances, i.e.
loss of certain body parts, to better adapt and integrate
into society. While one can argue these artificial
replacements are entirely benign in their function, their
purpose purely that of the assistance of the weak and
disadvantaged, others might make the situation out to be
different.
Case studies: Oscar Pistorius, Hugh Herr and Aimee Mullins
are some of the people who currently use prosthesis in a way
that can viewed as ‘enhancing’, or even ‘augmented’. Oscar
for example, a double amputee South African Paralympic and
35
Olympic sprint runner has won multiple medals whilst running
with his prosthesis ‘blades’; so much so that he has sparked
intriguing controversy and debate amongst his fellow
athletes, some who claim that his running blades confer to
him an unfair mechanical advantage that normal athletes
cannot hope to achieve, because the advantage is in itself
‘artificial’ and ‘unnatural’16. ‘The questions started almost as soon
as Pistorius began racing, even before he earned the moniker, "fastest man on no
legs”… Pistorius donned Cheetahs for the 2004 Athens Paralympics. He won gold
in the 200 -- an event that combines single- and double-leg amputees --
shattering the world record. According to a former U.S. Paralympics official,
single-leg amputees, feeling that they were at a disadvantage against Pistorius,
began to complain.’ Essentially, where the advantage in Oscar’s
prosthesis lies is ‘Pistorius's leg-swing times, when measured on a high-
speed treadmill, were off the human charts. At top speed, he swings his legs
between strides in 0.284 of a second, which is 20 percent faster than intact-
limbed sprinters with the same top speed. "His limbs are 20 percent lighter,"
Weyand says, "and he swings them 20 percent faster… The technology is enabling
16 Epstein, D. 2012. Fair or foul? Experts split over whether Pistorius has advantage | David Epstein | SI.com.
36
him to do something that nobody else can do. That's the very definition of an
advantage.17’ Is this to be considered an unfair advantage; or
the future? While there is still debate as to the finer
points of fairness and sportsmanship, one can argue that
there exists an underlining social and cultural aspect to
the whole issue; where does Oscar Pistorius belong exactly,
how does he fit in? With prosthesis such as his, where can
he race without controversy and overbearing scrutiny? And
where, more importantly, does the sporting community and
society in general draw the moral and ethical line?
Hugh Herr is an engineer, biophysicist and director of the
Biomechatronics Group at the MIT Media Lab. He is also an
avid rock climber and double leg amputee due to a mountain
climbing accident. He had this to say on the topic of
prosthetics, ‘It's actually unfair… As tech advancements in prosthetics come
along, amputees can exploit those improvements. They can get upgrades. A
person with a natural body can't.’18 On the topic of prosthetics
augmenting and improving an amputee’s quality of life to
17 Epstein, D. 2012. Fair or foul18 Kuang, C. 2010. Bionic Legs, i-Limbs, and Other Super Human Prostheses You'll Envy
37
that of one above a normal person, he mentions, ‘When the
prosthetic technology doesn't work, and the [amputee] is limping and he can't
run and he's hurting, then nobody feels threatened, because that person is
labelled as 'cute' and 'courageous’. But when the technology works, when it can
make you stronger or faster than you were, it overnight becomes sexy and
powerful and threatening. Overnight.19" In an example entirety
similar to Oscar’s dilemma regarding his running prosthesis,
Hugh whose ‘prostheses that could change length mid-ascent and find
purchase on nooks too small for human feet’ was subsequently called
out by his ‘competitors who saw a potentially unfair advantage’.
“I predict that as we march into this 21st century, the changes we’ll see in
prosthetic designs [will be that] the artificial prosthetic will become more
intimate with the biological human body. There will be a mergence, if you will.”
(Hugh, H, 2011) If Hugh is correct, we now stand at the
rudimentary beginnings of man-machine hybridisation, and the
eventual advent of true transhumanism.
19 Kuang, C. 2010
38
‘From an identity standpoint, what does it mean to have a disability? Pamela
Anderson has more prosthetic in her body than I do. Nobody calls her disabled…
There’s an important difference and distinction between the objective medical
fact of my being an amputee and the subjective societal opinion of whether or
not I’m disabled. Truthfully, the only real and consistent disability I’ve had to
confront is the world ever thinking that I could be described by those
definitions. (Aimee, M, 2009)
Aimee Mullins20, athlete, actress, fashion model and double
amputee, amd first person to ever use the ‘Cheetah’ carbon
fibre sprinting prosthetics that has made Oscar Pistorius
his name. She has competed in the Paralympics and set world
records in multiple competitive sprinting events as well as
the long jump, before she would eventually retire. Other
than her astounding achievements despite her disability, she
has gone on to design multiple leg prosthetics in a visually
stunning, attractive and artistic fashion, and has even
starred in an art film as a ‘cheetah woman’ with animal like
20 Ted.com. 2009. Aimee Mullins: My 12 pairs of legs | Video on TED.com.
39
legs. One can go so far as to argue that her work signifies,
perhaps, the beginning of a new form of art and self-
expressionism, where instead of bodily tattoos on skin for
example, one might find that the body itself becomes an art
piece, able to twist and turn in forms unimaginable due to
the instalment of mechanically augmented body parts. 21
With regards to the amazing things these extraordinary
people have accomplished, one can say that the most
endearing and inspirational message that can be had from
their accomplishments, is their inability to quit and lie
down just because of their disabilities. Instead, they have
chosen to forge ahead and turn disadvantage into advantage
and even improvement. Therein lies the issue of human
augmentation however. Where exactly do we draw the line? And
at what point do we deem such improvement immoral,
offensive, and unethical? We have now, the real probability
of prosthesis becoming the new paradigm of power, beauty and
culture in the future. Certainly disturbing to people who
21 YouTube. 2012. Can prosthetics be art.
40
might be labelled as ‘bioconservatives’ by transhumanists,
and downright immoral to those of strong religious
upbringing; the replacement of perfectly functioning human
body parts for more powerful, durable, beautiful albeit
artificial versions is an issue that will require long
debate and discussion amongst the population of the world.
41
4.2 The Role of Art and Media in the Transhumanist Agenda
Art and media has played a significant role in both
informing and educating the general populace of difficult
and controversial topics, the concept of transhumanism being
one of them. A good early example would be the story of
Icarus, who, in his attempt to escape from the island of
Crete, flew too close to the sun with wings of feather and
wax, and subsequently fell to this death because the heat
melted his artificial appendages. While Icarus’s wings can
be philosophically compared to that of human augmentation
today, it is likely that the more important message to draw
from the story would be that it was hubris and over ambition
that caused Icarus’s untimely fall and death. Therefore, one
can make the argument that we as a society should always be
constantly wary of our own natures and propensity to
arrogance, lest we rise and fall ignobly like Icarus did. On
another note from the same time era, the Greek and Roman
Pantheon of gods can be viewed as a sort of a transitional
state between man and divinity. The gods the Greeks and
42
Romans worshipped were anything but perfect beings; although
they held in them unrivalled power over all mortals, they
were subject to the same petty emotions and delusions that
plagued their subjects. One can view, thus, the Pantheon of
gods as a Pantheon of transhumans, more than what mere
mortals are and yet still vulnerable in terms of
intellectual immaturity.
In a more modern context, the advent of the comic book
superhero can also be seen as part of the overall
transhumanist concept. Certainly, the majority of
superheroes are transhumanistic characters in their very
nature; their physical beings still humanoid in form for the
most part, but endowed with powers that are inherently
inhuman. 22While their morals are also seen to be a step
above our own, they also come with their own antitheses,
namely super villains. These characters are also similar to
superheroes in terms of power, the only difference being
that of their moral compass. While superheroes stand for all
22 p14-15
43
that is good and tend to be selfless in their attitudes,
supervillains often fight for themselves and material gain,
and are consequently seen as selfish and evil. A message of
moral dualism perhaps, not unlike the dilemma of
transhumanism, can thus be grasped from said concept of
superheroes and supervillians.
Hollywood has also provided the public with a variety of
films that question the existence of man, as well as the
concept of transhumanism. Perhaps one of the most famous of
examples would be Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey,
viewed by many now as the director’s tour de force. The
movie’s screenplay was co-written by both Stanley, and more
interestingly, one of transhumanism’s greatest proponents
and thinkers, namely Arthur C. Clarke. The movie’s elements,
from its almost revolutionary way of pacing and showing the
long expanse of time without having to use outmoded and
uninteresting transitions (this can observed near then end
of the film after Dave, the main character is held in a
‘pen’ for captivity); its use of a symphonic poem based on
44
Friedrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra, which ‘presents
the idea that mankind will one day be surpassed by the übermensch, or the
superman.’; its use of an incredibly powerful artificial
intelligence as a major non-human character(that some argue
is more human than the humans themselves), that can be seen
as a nod towards the theory of technological singularity;
and its use of major topics like human evolution, technology
and the question of extra-terrestrial life, all point
towards the biggest, and most comprehensive film relegated
to the concept of transhumanism in Hollywood, and perhaps
the world. It is huge, in the sense, that it covers almost
all of the known issues of human transandence and destiny at
that period of time into a beautifully crafted package of
mystery, human curiosity, fear of the unknown and boundless
optimism. As such, it has served to inspire a wide range and
variety of science fiction books, scripts and movies. If a
film should be chosen to hold the banner for the
transhumanist agenda, it would almost certainly be 2001: A
Space Odyssey; an art piece affected by the incredible draw
of an incredible concept, and subsequently affecting its
45
audiences in ways significant.
A new player has entered the field of media in recent years
as well. The advent of video games has opened a niche in the
market of mass entertainment and interactive storytelling,
which now has access to an extremely large and prevalent
consumer base worldwide. On the topic of transhumanism; the
concept is no stranger to the world of gaming. Deus Ex and
its subsequent prequel Deus Ex: Human Revolution23, are two
games of many that can be seen as excellent examples of
modern media influenced by the transhumanist agenda. For the
purpose of this case study, the latter prequel shall be
used; Deus Ex: Human Revolution introduces the story of one
Adam Jensen, who suffers crippling and extreme bodily harm
in the process of protecting his corporate masters. He
recovers from his injuries eventually, but his body is no
longer human, having been replaced by cybernetic limbs that
are significantly more powerful than that of a normal human
being. Thus begins an epic tale of sadness, loss, betrayal
23 YouTube. 2011. Deus Ex:Human Revolution and Transhumanism.
46
and redemption, all set in a fully realised dystopian Earth
in the year 2027. A person familiar with the game would
argue that what is most interesting about Deus Ex: Human
Revolution is its focus on the larger issues of social and
economic change that affect the world’s citizens in a
realistic and disturbing fashion. The advent of human
augmentation causes irreparable schisms within the factions
of the game, some being unable to afford such technology and
are subsequently left behind in extreme poverty, some
abusing said technology for the purpose of extortion and
mercenary power grabbing, and those who stubbornly desire to
remain ‘pure’ and therefore human. What Deus Ex: Human
Revolution does, is offer the player a peek into a world
that has just gotten its first taste of transhumanism, the
power in which it offers and the evils in which it stirs in
the hearts of men. In doing so, the game serves to inspire,
educate and forewarn its audiences about transhumanism in an
entertaining and deeply unforgettable way.
The case studies given above are but one of many examples of
47
how transhumanism has affected the art and media industry.
One can argue, that such work seeks to promote the
transhumanist agenda to a worldwide audience, for good or
bad. It is this very moral ambiguity, that is up for
philosophical, moral and artistic debate, that this
dissertation is attempting to encourage. While technology is
the basis in which civilisation progresses, this essay
proposes that it is art, media, and their respective and
relevant industries that will ultimately shape the way in
which a society thinks and its culture formed. While the
responsibilities of invention and innovation lie with
scientists and engineers, the burden of exposure to new
technologies and philosophies, good or bad, should be
championed by artists worldwide.
Chapter 5
Conclusion
5.1 Conclusion
48
The idea of a higher, ultimately unattainable power, one of
divine origin, is perhaps the most prevalent concept of
human civilisation. In nearly every society in recorded
history, in nearly every culture, we find the existence of a
god or a pantheon of gods. Why is that? Is it because we
know we are inherently imperfect, and thus need beings of
perfection as a beacon of inspiration? Perhaps, deep down,
we all aspire to be more than what we are; perhaps, we all
long to be more than human. The idea of religion and
spirituality for example, all consist of at least some form
of ‘nirvana’ or heaven, in which the soul has transcended
its physical form to enter paradise, as an angel etc. The
concept sounds eerily similar to that of transhumanism, in
which man transcends his current being to one of near
technological perfection, both physical and psychological.
Will we then see the melding of both spirituality and
technology into a singular purpose? I view the issue with
both great excitement and trepidation, for in the quest of
perfection, it would seem man has to cast of the one thing
that makes him so; his humanity. But at what cost should
49
this be done? I propose that one thing remains certain
amidst the questions; human civilisation will constantly
forge ahead despite its own misgivings; the need for
improvement far outweighing the risks. It is in such a
climate therefore, that artists and visionaries now and in
the future remain vigilant in creating relevant exposure to
such controversial ideas and events, transhumanism or no,
lest it becomes too late for action.
“What is a human being, then?”
“A seed.”
“A... seed?'
“An acorn that is unafraid to destroy itself in growing into a tree.”
(David. Z, The Broken God, p.236, 1992)
50
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