Search results - CEJSH

1

Transhumanism

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Huxley J.

Ethics in Progress

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2015

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vol. 6

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issue 1

12-16

EN

In his famous paper, Julian Huxley gives the outline of what he believes future humanity could – and should – look like. By pointing out the numerous limitations and feebleness the human nature is – at the time – prone to, and by confronting them with the possibilities humankind has, Huxley expresses the need to research and put into use all possible measures that would enable man achieve utmost perfection.

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Preface

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Soniewicka M., Warmbier A.

Ethics in Progress

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2015

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vol. 6

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issue 1

6-11

EN

The hereby introduction gives an insight into the topics and themes discussed in the hereby presented issue of the journal Ethics in Progress, devoted to the topic of transhumanism in its numerous contexts.

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Degeneracja, cyborgizacja, ewolucja – przedstawienia transhumanistycznych utopii i dystopii w grach komputerowych

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Gąska P.

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2017

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vol. 9

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issue 1

153-170

EN

Visions created by enthusiasts and critics of transhumanism represent both utopian possibilities and dystopian consequences entailed by creation of new humans. Narratives representing various ways of human evolution appear in many kinds of media, the text, however, concentrates on computer games whose form is eminently interesting in this respect. In computer games, the player becomes a cyborg, to some extent, as he/ she controls activities of the virtual avatar being aware, at the same time, of his/ her own corporeality.The aim of the article is to trace two main ways in which the effects of the transhuman evolution into the post-human are represented in chosen games. On the one hand, the ultimate post-human becomes a biological entity degenerated into a condition which is worse than contemporary homo sapiens, and on the other hand, it becomes a technological entity turned into a being of superhuman abilities. The article explores their role and their form in both the structure of the game and the virtual world itself. The material of this study comes from games in which the player controls a single avatar: Bioshock series, Deus Ex series, System Shock 2 and Prototype.

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Transhumanizm i perspektywy jego oddziaływań na prawoznawstwo. Wybrane problemy

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Sulikowski A.

Wrocławsko-Lwowskie Zeszyty Prawnicze

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2014

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vol. 5

89 - 110

EN

Currently, transhumanism is a growing and increasingly popular philosophical movement. Using the authority of the natural sciences strongly affects thinking about the future of humanity. Transhumanists not only formulate a vision of the human future, but also offer recommendations relating to the creation and application of law. This article is about the basics of transhumanism and its potential impacts on jurisprudence.

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Cryonics: Technological Fictionalization of Death

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Ilnicki R.

Eidos. A Journal for Philosophy of Culture

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2018

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vol. 2

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issue 4(6)

36–45

EN

The article focuses on a change in the understanding of death. Transhumanism is here understood as a reaction to the technicization of culture. One of the areas which are declared to be transcended by technology is human mortality. Analysis of such a change is conducted to show that one does not need a working technology that abolishes death, but that the change could be cultural and have significant impact on human life. This process of transcending death with the usage of technology is understood as a fictionalization of death. The philosophical and cultural outcomes are analyzed for human existence.

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Bioetyczne uzasadnienie udoskonalania człowieka. Refleksje wokół książki Poprawianie ewolucji Johna Harrisa

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Urbaniak M.

ARGUMENT: Biannual Philosophical Journal

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2022

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vol. 12

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issue 1

215-224

EN

Bioethical justification for human improvement. Reflections on the book of John Harris Enhancing evolution: The author discusses the transhumanist perspective on evolution, and considers Harris’ views in a wider context of the ongoing anthropological and ethical debate. While doing so he addresses some of the crucial issues at the interface of modern technologies, medical progress and bioethical challenges.

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Posthumanistyczny android oraz transhumanistyczny gracz w “Detroit: Become Human”

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Waszkiewicz A.

Acta Humana

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2018

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vol. 9

EN

The aim of this paper is to offer a close reading of the 2018 science fiction video game Detroit: Become Human which, despite its promising and novel narrative, offers a simple and otherwise familiar narrative of conscious androids who gradually begin the fight for emancipation from their human creators and owners. However, offering a complex branching narrative with multiple endings affected by the player’s choices, the game encourages the discussion on the relationship between the player and the game system, furthermore drawing on the posthuman and transhuman theories, the concepts of Donna Haraway’s cyborg (1999) and the postmodern identities theories. On the narrative level the android characters will be scrutinized as embodying the humanist underpinning, especially when contrasted with the human characters who are lacking the agency and the self-consciousness. Furthermore, on the non-diegetic level, the game strategies will be shown as influencing the player who, in contact with the game is allowed to experiment with their identities, and, furthermore, to explore the transhumanist and postmodern identities.

PL

Celem artykułu jest analiza gry wideo science-fiction z 2018 roku pod tytułem Detroit: Become Human, która pomimo obietnicy nowatorskiej narracji oferuje prostą i skądinąd znaną fabułę dotyczącą świadomych androidów, które stopniowo rozpoczynają walkę o emancypację spod władzy swoich ludzkich twórców i właścicieli. Jednakowoż, oferując skomplikowaną narrację, rozgałęzioną z wieloma zakończeniami zależnymi od decyzji graczy, gra zachęca do dyskusji na temat relacji pomiędzy graczami a systemem gry, opierając się na teoriach posthumanistycznych oraz transhumanistyczych, na koncepcji cyborga zaproponowanej przez Donnę Haraway (1991), jak również na postmodernistycznych teoriach tożsamości. Na poziomie narracyjnym przyglądać się będę tym bohaterom, którzy jako androidy ucieleśniają założenia humanizmu, szczególnie kontrastując w tym z postaciami ludzkimi, które charakteryzują się brakiem samoświadomości. Co więcej, na niediegetycznym poziomie, strategie gry będą przedstawione poprzez swój wpływ na gracza, który w zetknięciu z grą może eksperymentować ze swoją tożsamością, albo wręcz, eksplorować swoje transhumanistyczne oraz postmodernistyczne właściwości.

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Człowiek jako wytwór siebie samego. Lem, transhumanizm i dwie koncepcje autentyczności

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Gomułka J., Klimas M., Palm J.

Semina Scientiarum

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2018

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vol. 17

EN

Stanisław Lem, a philosopher and futurologist, in his many works devoted much attention to the condition of human and the relation between human and technology. He coined the term ‘autoevolution’ in the course of forecasting unlimited technological augmentation of human abilities. Nowadays, the term may be associated with the conceptions presented by transhumanism, a 20th-century-born philosophical movement which advocates radical transformation of Homo sapiens by means of the achievements of scientific and technological progress. Lem’s attitude towards such a transformation of human is complicated yet ultimately critical due to the fact that it poses a threat to human culture as such. The phenomenon of autoevolution undermines existing values and raises a question of authenticity of a future posthuman. We examine dependence between technology and culture, present Lem’s conception of autoevolution and his philosophy of culture, then we sketch a post-metaphysical dispute about authenticity, and finally show that Lem’s thought belongs to one of the arguing sides.

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Transhumanism and Utopia in Kenneth Folingsby’s Meda: A Tale of the Future

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Komsta M.

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2018

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vol. 66

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issue 11: Anglica. Zeszyt specjalny

45-55

EN

The paper examines the evolutionary aspect of morality in Kenneth Folingsby’s Meda: A Tale of the Future, a nineteenth-century utopia, in the context of the transhumanist tenets of progress and enhancement sensu Nick Bostrom, Max More, and others. A literary descendant of Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s The Coming Race, the key evolutionary utopia of the late Victorian period, Folingsby’s narrative depicts progressive disembodiment of the futuristic eutopia as a result of the unprecedented development of the human brain. Echoing Bulwer-Lytton’s satirical stance on the implications of the evolutionary process, Meda attempts, thus, to delineate the guided evolution of the utopian community in terms of the correlation between moral progress and intellectual enhancement.

PL

Artykuł analizuje ewolucyjny aspekt moralności w Meda: A Tale of the Future, dziewiętnastowiecznej utopii Kennetha Folingsby’ego, w kontekście transhumanistycznych rozważań dotyczących kwestii postępu w ujęciu Nicka Bostroma, Maxa More’a, i innych. Powieść Folingsby’ego, literackiego potomka The Coming Race Edwarda Bulwer-Lyttona, ważnej utopii ewolucyjnej późnej epoki wiktoriańskiej, ukazuje proces postępującego odcieleśnienia (disembodiment) futurystycznej eutopii jako skutku bezprecedensowego rozwoju ludzkiego mózgu. Podobnie jako ewolucyjna satyra Bulwera-Lyttona, Meda ukazuje tym samym transformację utopijnej społeczności w kontekście powiązania moralnego postępu z intelektualnym rozwojem.

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Havy Tirosh-Samuelson krytyka transhumanizmu

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Wójtowicz M.

Przegląd Religioznawczy

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2019

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issue 2/272

EN

The growing popularity of the ideas of transhumanists prompts philosophical reflection on this current of contemporary thought. Hava Tirosh-Samuelson in numerous publications analyzed the historical context of transhumanism and the significance of its most important theses. She undertook research on issues such as human nature, life extention, cyber-immortality, happiness, and religious aspects. Her fundamentally critical opinion about transhumanism is supported by sound arguments. The presented analyzes are certainly not final – they can inspire and encourage further research.

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Homo Perfectus versus Educatio: Philosophical Reflections on Transhumanism and Education

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Dancák P.

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2017

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vol. 20

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issue 1

57-71

PL

Współcześnie jesteśmy świadkami nowej formy ingerencji w istotę ludzką. Chodzi o celowe dążenie do przekształcenia natury ludzkiej, w wyniku czego stanie się ona narzędziem, materiałem do przetwarzania, podobnym do tych, które służą człowiekowi w świecie przyrody. Ta nowa forma ingerencji w ludzkie życie wykracza jednak poza humanistyczne sposoby i cele doskonalenia człowieka. Homo perfectus stanowi transhumanistyczną perspektywę, która – dążąc do doskonalenia człowieka – kładzie nacisk na doskonalenie ciała ludzkiego, jego możliwości czy zdolności poznawczych. Jednocześnie zapomina się o charakterystycznym dla człowieka twórczym działaniu. W konsekwencji, perspektywa ta rezygnuje z wielopłaszczyznowości (wielowarstwowości) ludzkiego bytu, jak i jego finalności. Koncepcja homo perfectus tworzy pesymistyczny obraz człowieka oraz odrzuca właściwe dla człowieka biologczne ograniczenia, poszukując coraz doskonalszych metod kontroli nad jego życiem. Jednak nie jest ona sposobem doskonalenia natury ludzkiej, jej pełnej realizacji, ale raczej przejawem walki przeciwko temu, co było człowiekowi dane. Niniejszy artykuł ma na celu przedstawienie wielu sprzeczności związanych z terminem homo perfectus, jak również przybliżenie znaczenia koncepcji educatio w odniesieniu do bytu ludzkiego. Wychowanie jest niezbędnym warunkiem istnienia człowieka, bez wychowania człowiek nie jest w stanie osiągnąć wolności. Wychowanie jest nie tylko przygotowywaniem się do pełnienia istotnych ról odgrywanych przez człowieka, ono wyprowadza człowieka z jego niekompletności, zamknięcia się w sferze osobistych ograniczonych interesów, i prowadzi w kierunku przestrzeni otwierającej się na prawdziwie ludzkie horyzonty, uwalnia od tego, co jest cząstkowe, ku temu, co jest całościowe, pełne.

EN

A new form of intervention into what it means to be human is currently emerging. It is an effort to purposely transform the very nature of man, which at once becomes some kind of a material to be worked on, the same as other components of nature are for man. This new emerging form of intervention into human existence extends beyond the humanistic ways and aims at the cultivation of man. Homo perfectus is a transhumanist perspective which calls for perfecting man, while stressing the enhancement of the human body and its performance, or his cognitive capacities. At the same time, the human characteristic of creative action is being marginalized. As a result, such a perspective neglects not only the dimensionality of man, but also his finality. The concept of the homo perfectus creates a pessimistic image of man and rejects man’s intrinsic, biologically limited humanness in expectation of gaining greater control over our lives. The image is not an image of the enhancement of human nature and his full realization, but it is rather an image of a battle against what was once given to man. In this paper, I will present the contradiction that arises in connection to the concept of homo perfectus and point out the significance of the concept of educatio in connection to human existence. Education becomes a prerequisite of human existence; without education, man would not be able to gain his freedom. Education is not only a preparation for certain life performances but it also guides us out of every partialness, every isolation in the sphere of personal limited interests into a space that can be open towards one and only human direction, that is a direction from the partial to the whole.

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Etika lidského vylepšování a liberální eugenika

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Hříbek T.

Filosofický časopis (Philosophical Journal)

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2014

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vol. 62

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issue 6

847-861

EN

The paper deals with the ethics of biotechnological enhancement of human qualities such as intelligence, health and lifespan. In contemporary bioethics three views have emerged concerning the moral permissibility of such a biotechnological enhancement of humans. While bioconservatives reject it as morally impermissible and dangerous, bioradicals welcome it as permissible and desirable. Between these two extremes we find bioliberals who admit some types of enhancement, under certain conditions. These debates are still overshadowed by fear of bioethics, but this discredited term needs to be rehabilitated because it turns out that there are both desirable and undesirable forms of eugenics.

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TRANSHUMANIZM– MIĘDZY UTOPIA˛, BIOTECHNOLOGIA˛ A GNOZA˛

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Adamski K.

Roczniki Teologii Moralnej

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2012

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vol. 4(59)

105-129

EN

Transhumanism is a relatively new trend of thought, combining philosophical anthropology and science fiction. Bioethically speaking, this stance bears a clear semblance of eugenics. The transhumanist idea occurred in the Western world about two decades ago. This text attempts to survey the transhumanist ideas in the perspective of the anthropological norm. It tries to explain the basic concepts in the transhumanist realm and to show a wider context in which these concepts are postulated. The historical outline of transhumanism functions as an intro- duction to the presentation of a new vision of the human being. Its goal is also to acquaint the reader with the most prominent figures representing this doctrine. Presenting the proponents of the contemporary idea of homo perfectus is to help the author evaluate morally the doctrine on the grounds of social philosophy and the Catholic moral anthropology.

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Transhumanizm według Scotta Westerfelda: „brzydki” czy „śliczny”?

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Bugajska A.

Creatio Fantastica

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2017

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issue 1(56)

45-55

EN

Transhumanism, seeking the enhancement of human features beyond the limitations of biology, has claimed a considerable space in contemporary culture. Thence extensive research aimed at the elimination of debilitating diseases, combatting the ageing processes and the attempts at augmenting human skills and reflexes through the use of genetic engineering and modern technologies. As such, transhumanism appears as an offshoot of posthumanism, coupled with a firm belief in the rightness of the creation of the perfect world, with no weakness, ugliness, vice or death. The paper “Ugly” or “Pretty”? Trahshumanism in Westerfeld’s Uglies series investigates the elements of transhumanist thought present in The Uglies cycle (2005-2007) by Scott Westerfeld. Although primarily critical of human enhancement, the author leaves space for doubt: the main heroine, Tally Youngblood, having become Special, with a modified body and a modified brain, never takes the cure for becoming “normal” again, although it backlashes on her ability to relate to others and to control her own behaviour. This example, and many others from the cycle, create an ambiguous picture of the place of “transhumans” in the society, provoking deep bioethical reflection on the things to come.

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Cyborg, Mutant, Androgyne: The Future Human Being—What Will It Be Like? (Issues of Philosophy of Education)

70%

Matusevych T., Bazaluk O.

Dialogue and Universalism

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2015

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issue 2

175-181

EN

We analyse some current trends of viewing transformational changes of humankind (transhumanism, theory of androgyny, etc.). We present the key role played by philoso-phy of education in shaping an image of the future human being. We also determine the main characteristics of the personality of the planetary-cosmic type and the system of his personal, local and global interactions.

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Transhumanism and Evolution. Considerations on Darwin, Lamarck and Transhumanism

70%

Bardziński F.

Ethics in Progress

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2014

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vol. 5

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issue 2

103-115

EN

In the paper, I discuss the possible gap between the transhumanist perspective of controlling and perfecting human evolution through scientific means and the Darwinian and neo-Darwinian theory of biological evolution. I argue that, due to such gap, the transhumanist programme is flawed and requires a new and better understanding of biological mechanisms in order to attain its goals.

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Between Bioconservatism and transhumanism: In search of a third way

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Bardziński F.

Ethics in Progress

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2015

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vol. 6

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issue 2

153-163

EN

Review of the book edited by R. Cole-Turner Transhumanism and Transcendence: Christian Hope in an Age of Technological Enhancement.

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Transhumanism, Human Nature and Culture: a Preliminary Sociological Contextualization

70%

Lipowicz M.

Studia Socjologiczne

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2021

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issue 4(234)

59-81

EN

The main objective of the article is to present a preliminary contextualization of transhumanism on the basis of some of the classical motifs in social theory. In the first section, I critically refer to the most popular definitions of transhumanism and comment on some of the inherent discrepancies within its own techno-progressive agenda. In the second section, I briefly scrutinize some of the critical reactions against the concept of biotechnological human enhancement with regard to its paradoxical appeal to religion, its ambivalent stance towards education, and to the concept of human nature. Finally, I confront the cultural implications of transhumanism by applying Émile Durkheim’s critique of modern humanism as well as Peter L. Berger’s and Thomas Luckmann’s theory of symbolic universes. In general, I interpret transhumanism as an anthropological paradigm shift that entails a cultural recentering of late-modern societies on the basis of a new, technology-centered symbolic universe.

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When social theory is devoid of social history. Reply to “Transhumanism. Human Nature and Culture: A Preliminary Sociological Contextualization” by Markus Lipowicz

70%

Zaród M.

Studia Socjologiczne

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2022

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issue 4(247)

173-183

EN

This polemic discusses two problematic aspects to the claim of a paradigmatic shift to the new technology-centered symbolic universe, as understood by Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann. The first problematic aspect is connected to the status quo ante transhumanism (before the postulated paradigmatic shift). By discussing cases from pre-modernity and peak modernity, I point out that the discussed claim does not provide satisfactory understanding of the role of technology in society. My counter-argument is built on cases of technoreligious institutions such as abbeys and rocketry research theoretical circles, using works by David Noble as the starting point. The second problematic aspect goes back to the fundamentals of Berger and Luckmann’s concept and its relation to ontology. The discussed proposal mixed this framework with the concept of culture from the Margaret Archer system, which led to a shift in ontological positioning. In effect, some preliminaries about the materiality and dynamics of Berger-Luckmann dialectics are harder to trace in the proposal. This results in problems of operationalization and loss of useful theoretical dialogue with post-constructivist tradition. In the last part of the paper, I sketch other possibilities and challenges for post Berger-Luckman applications in the case of transhumanism and late modernity.

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Special Education in the Twenty-Second Century?

70%

Zaorska M.

Kultura i Edukacja

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2014

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issue 6(106)

218-239

EN

At present, not only the representatives of the world of science, but also ordinary inhabitants of the Earth follow evolutionary theories with interest. They ask themselves questions such as: Who are we in reality?, How have we developed in the history of humanity?, Have we indeed, as claimed by Charles Darwin, evolved from creatures who physically and intellectually were, colloquially speaking, no match for us?, Where are humanity and the human heading for and what will humans look like in the future?, What will the world be like in a few centuries? At a time when the dispute between the opponents and propagators of the theory of evolution is still hot, many scientists – assuming that evolution indeed takes place – wonder where this evolutionary process will lead us.

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