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Human Vs. Posthuman Author(S): James Hughes, Nick Bostrum and Jonathan D Human vs. Posthuman Author(s): James Hughes, Nick Bostrum and Jonathan D. Moreno Source: The Hastings Center Report, Vol. 37, No. 5 (Sep. - Oct., 2007), pp. 4-7 Published by: The Hastings Center Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4625770 Accessed: 26-10-2016 01:22 UTC JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://about.jstor.org/terms The Hastings Center, Wiley are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Hastings Center Report This content downloaded from 129.67.119.184 on Wed, 26 Oct 2016 01:22:33 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms letters Human vs. Posthuman To the Editor: In "Whereto Tran- to expand access to enhancement. Dif- able for some posthumans to expunge shumanism? The Literature Reaches a ferences in biology and ability challenge all fellow-feeling for mere humans, or Critical Mass" (May-June 2007), social solidarity, but the Enlightenment for any other persons? Whether local or Nicholas Agar correctly notes that argues for solidarity among equal citi- universal values, ensuring that our de- Simon Young's effort to ground trans- zens irrespective of biological differ- scendents retain capacities for solidarity humanism in a drive to evolve is a non- ences. and egalitarianism will limit transhu- starter. Transhumanism, like all other On this last point Agar agrees manist with liberalism and the space of human aspirations, is shaped by our the transhumanists when he says posthuman "moral possibilities. evolved brains, yet at the same time, it is status ... cannot be denied to posthu- James Hughes an effort to escape from evolved con- mans." He then attempts, however, Institute to for Ethics and Emerging straints. Transhumanism has much in point out a supposed lacuna in Technologies our and Trinity College common with spiritual aspirations to ethics, in which we remain "local" for transcend animal nature for deathless- valuing human accomplishments. To the He Editor: I have argued that ness, superhuman abilities, and superior notes that respecting the moral posthuman status of modes of being and having insight, though transhumanists pursue another person is a universal theand opportunitycom- to become posthuman these goals through technology rather pulsory value, while valuing humanness may be human values. That is to say, than (or at least not solely) through is a voluntary local choice that many gives oflife us human beings may have rea- spiritual exercises. In this sense transhu- meaning. Again, I think we agree. sons, As available an from our present human manism has ancient roots in the capaci- extrapolation of liberalism, evaluativetranshu- standpoint, to develop ty our animal natures have endowed us manism asks that we respect oneposthuman anoth- capacities. Having the op- with to desire better lives and a better er's choice to value our humanness portunity or to become posthuman can be world, even if it is not an evolutionary not, calling on the "universal" good value for of us in much the same way that drive itself. liberty or autonomy not to allow it is goodlocal for an infant to have the op- Agar is also correct to point out that valuings for mortality and human portunity limi- to mature into an adult. procreative liberty needs boundaries just tations to trump aspirations to greaterIn one of my papers cited by like other liberties do, and that threats life, health, ability, and happiness. Nicholas Most Agar in his essay, I noted that to liberal democracy from genetic en- transhumanists would be satisfied even ifthose we who think that values are de- hancement would be one reason for set- are each able to find our own set fined of local in terms of our current disposi- ting limits. Most transhumanists dis- values, human or not. tions could accept that there are values agree not with the need for limits, but Perhaps Agar is inadvertently we point- are unaware of that we might not be with the bioconservative calculus that ing to two more subtle problems able withto grasp with our present capaci- argues that all enhancements should be transhumanist ethics, however-prob- ties. This would be possible given, for forbidden as unsafe. We believe cogni- lems many of us grapple with. instance,The first David Lewis's dispositional tive liberty, bodily autonomy, and re- is the problem of balancing beneficent theory of value. Lewis offers that X is a productive rights require a higher stan- solidarism with strict nonintervention- value to you (roughly) if and only if you dard of proof of harm, and that there ist liberalism. When, for instance, would desire is to desire X if you were per- are alternative means to address those someone's choice to modify fectlyhis brain acquainted with X and you were harms. Yes, some genetic tweaks may be equivalent to selling himself intothinking slav- and deliberating as clearly as unsafe or harmful, but we can regulate ery? Transhumanists need to articulatepossible about X. There are well-known those without forbidding life-extending "the good life," inevitably shaped challenges by to this theory, but it does ac- and ability-enhancing therapies. Yes, if local values, to ensure that we arecount in fact for many widely held beliefs only the wealthy can cognitively en- enhancing and not simply changing. about the nature of value. It illustrates hance themselves and their children this Second and related, transhumanists how a theory can anchor value in might exacerbate inequality. But, as must be clear about the cognitive human capac- dispositions and yet allow that with literacy and laptops, the preferred ities we consider important there for thecould be values for us that can method to address these gaps should be posthuman polity. Would it be only accept- be realized if we attain a posthu- 4 HASTINGS CENTER REPORT September-October 2007 This content downloaded from 129.67.119.184 on Wed, 26 Oct 2016 01:22:33 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms REPORT ONLINE SERVICES man state, and that we may not even be tion of this value impossible. I find able fully to fathom until we become noteworthy that towards the end of his * Bioethics Forum posthuman. article, Agar argues for the existence www.bioethicsforum.orgof Agar objects: "If we are permitted to "universal values" and gives as an exam- resist the argument that the olfactory su- ple of such a value "the elimination ofRecent highlights: periority of dogs means we should ac- horrible diseases." This sounds encour- cept some of their values as our own, aging. He continues: "There doesn't "Paying Attention to the Trees, then there seems no reason we should seem to be anything spookily posthu- Not the Forest" have to admit the kind of values that the man about someone who makes it BY THEODORE FRIEDMANN superior intellects or senses of posthu- through to a ripe old age without having We should not hold gene therapy to an mans permit them to entertain." Agar is succumbed to cancer." To Agar's point, unachievable standard ofperfection, right that there is no general reason for the transhumanist merely adds that considering each new failure in the clinic us to admit that X is valuable just be- avoiding cancer and other horrible dis- to be a threat to the very concept of the cause some possible posthumans would eases does not cease to be desirable after therapy itself value X. Posthumans may be mistaken some predetermined time interval has about values, just as we may be. One elapsed, such as seventy years from "A Donor Kidney: The Gift of Life?" might argue on "best judge" grounds birth. If lethal diseases were eliminated BY MARY ANN BAILY that it would be rational for us to defer (and other causes of death remained The usual rhetoric notwithstanding, to a posthuman's judgments. But even if constant), our life expectancy would kidney transplants are not "lifesaving." we are objectivists about values, such a climb to approximately one thousand best-judge argument would require ad- years. This is a distinctly posthuman du- "Bereavement Counseling Gets ditional premises. For example, there ration and perhaps seems "spooky" to High-Tech and Personal" may be no reason to defer to a posthu- beings conditioned to expect much less. BY WILLIAM PURDY man judge who, while in possession of But if we are honest about our very If bereavement support is detrimental superior intelligence and keen senses, is human values, I think we must admit nobody has told that to these folks. morally corrupt or lacks some specifical- that they cry out for such "posthuman" ly axiological sensibility. If we are sub- health, life, and flourishing. "Liberty Should Win: We May Choose jectivists about values, there is even less Nick Bostrum Our Children's Sexual Orientation" prima facie reason to defer to posthu- Oxford University BY AARON GREENBERG AND man opinion because the posthuman's MICHAEL BAILEY values might not be our values. Nicholas Agar replies: We know of no reason to believe that the The idea, however, is not that we Let me quickly state my view about number ofpeople who already believe one should defer on matters of value to any transhumanism. I don't think that try- should avoid or wish not to have a gay arbitrary posthuman's (or dog's) opin- ing to become posthuman is intrinsical- child would be increased by our knowing ions.
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