The transhumanist prospect
developing technology to extend the human lifespan
pp. 517-538
in: Geoffrey Scarre (ed), The Palgrave handbook of the philosophy of aging, Berlin, Springer, 2016Abstract
Transhumanists advocate humankind's transcendence of biological barriers to well-being. To achieve this they propose extensive development and use of enhancement technologies to improve the flawed human condition. A central goal of transhumanism, which I will refer to as the "transhumanist prospect", is radical enhancement of human lifespans and control over the aging process. In this primarily descriptive contribution, I outline the transhumanist prospect and discuss philosophical and ethical debates about the transhumanist stance on aging. In doing so, I point to controversial premises in transhumanist thinking and provide what I regard as useful distinctions. In particular, I distinguish between different understandings of transhumanism and suggest being in favour of enhancement is not equivalent to being a transhumanist. Thereafter, I characterise three transhumanist ends that converge with respect to aging: freedom and self-control, making individuals better than well, and surmounting the limitations of human nature. Transhumanists advocate intervening in or escaping the aging process, and I differentiate between five modes whereby this may be achieved. Finally, I examine several types of ethical objections related to the transhumanist prospect.