Transhumanism

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Abstract

Transhumanism is a philosophical movement that has been in development for 50 years. This movement supports the goal of an augmented humanity that is freed from biological limitations using artificial intelligence, converging NBIC (nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science) technologies and enhancement. The aim is to combat aging in order to ultimately achieve immortality. Transhumanism aims to transform the human being, in view of the posthumanism that will emerge when the radical transformation of human nature is achieved, with the creation of a superintelligence according to an evolutionist plan. The existential risks generated by some applications of NBIC technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) have been discussed for a decade. An ethical and scientific debate has emerged that opposes transhumanists, who describe themselves as bio-progressives (AI specialists) in comparison to bio-conservatives (biologists). This article shall not put forward the scientific arguments of biologists who believe that human immortality is impossible, but it shall rather present the social, economic and philosophical context of the transhumanist movement, founded on a belief of possible immortality.

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Catherine Déchamp-Le Roux is Professor emeritus, sociology in University of Lille Clersé-UMR CNRS 8019 and she Habilitation at Paris-Descartes University, 2000.

Health sociologist. Her field of research is the technologization of health. She has worked on preventative policies faced with social inequality and the expertise of the layperson, in a comparative perspective of a range of fields, such as chronic illnesses, prenatal screening, cancer, aging, mental health and neurosciences. Social sciences and humanities expert: AERES (French Research and Higher Education Evaluation Agency), ANR (French National Research Agency), INCA (French National Cancer Institute), IReSP (French Institute for Public Health Research), MIRE-DREES-CNSA (Research Mission-Directorate for Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics-National Solidarity Fund for Autonomy), Social Sciences and Humanities Council—Canada.

Founding member of the Association Française de Sociologie (French Association of Sociology) and elected member of the executive committee (2002 − 11) after having sat on the executive and scientific committee of the European Society of Health and Medical Sociology (1994–2002).

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