TRANSHUMANISM,CRYONICS AND RESURRECTION
1.Introduc on Transhumanism is a class of philosophies of life that seek the con nua on and accelera on of the evolu on of intelligent life beyond its currently human form and human limita ons by means of science and technology, guided by life-promo ng principles and values.‘ It includes ar ficial intelligence, nanotechnology, nanomedicine, biotechnology, gene c engineering, stem cell cloning, and transgenesis [1]. These technologies aim to overcome the limita ons of the human condi on- disease, aging and death. The main foci are on significantly enhancing mental and physical func oning, expanding beyond the confines of the physical body and overcoming death itself. These technological developments will ensure that we live longer, healthier, and happier lives through removing biological imperfec ons and the social ills caused by them. In this ar cle we will concentrate the important area pertaining to Chris anity and Transhumanism is resurrec on. super intelligence, intelligence that greatly surpasses general human intelligence (Bostrom 2014, p. 50). If uploading is an op on when the person is restored and possibly superintelligence (Mercer 2017). Recently Elon Musk said superintelligence can achieve by Neuralink. Neuralink, the brain- computer interface and neuroprosthe cs company started by Elon Musk and others in 2016 is developing ultra high bandwidth brain-machine interfaces to connect humans and computers. Elon Musk is also the CEO of the company. The neurotechnology company headquartered in San Francisco, California is expected to develop implantable brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Neuralink aims to make devices that ini ally would treat serious brain disease and brain damage that was caused by a stroke in the short-term. In the long-term, the company's goal is to develop the technology for human enhancement. Part of Elon Musk's inpira on for the crea on of Neuralink is a science-fic on concept called Neural Lace 2. Neural Lace
Neural Lace is a brain-computer interface technology that could allow human brains to compete with Ar ficial Intelligence (AI). Currently, Elon Musk is funding research toward the development of Neural Lace technology, this is the emerging technology that could link human brains with computers without the need of a physical connec on. This would be possible by implan ng ny electrodes into the brain. The result would be the enhancement of memory and cogni ve powers by effec vely merging humans and Ar ficial Intelligence. According to Elon Musk, brain-to-machine (B2M) interfaces are an important part of humanity’s future. It is well known that Elon Musk and others are concerned about the impact of Ar ficial Intelligence on the world and the future of humanity as we know it. By finding a way to increase humans' intelligence to equal that of the Ar ficial Intelligence programs of the future, or superintelligences .In brief, Neural Lace is an ultra-thin mesh that is implanted in the skull and forms a body of electrodes which are able to monitor a human brain func on. As an immediate applica on, Neural Lace could poten ally help pa ents suffering from brain injuries and certain illnesses. However, the ul mate goal and mission of Neuralink are to successfully merge the human brain with machine, fusing human intelligence with Ar ficial Intelligence. As a result, this is expected to bring humanity up to a higher level of cogni ve reasoning. As dis nguished from resuscita on of a dead body to normal life, the believer’s resurrec on, modeled a er Jesus’ resurrec on, is transforma ve, resul ng in a changed body that is qualita vely different from the body before the resurrec on. New possibili es abound. In his newly transformed body, Jesus appeared and disappeared before witnesses (Luke 24:13–43), moved through doors (John 20:26), and made himself invisible (Acts 9:1–9). Paul appreciated the existence of different kinds of bodies. The resurrected body is imperishable,glorious, and powerful, as compared to the “flesh and blood” perishable, dishonoring, and weak body (1 Corinthians 15:42–43). Although he was radically transformed, the personal iden ty of Jesus con nued in the resurrected Lord. Disciples who knew him before his death recognized him and interacted with him in conversa on following the resurrec on.Paul affirms that Jesus resurrected was the same person with the same body, albeit transformed.In other accounts, the disciples were “startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit”(Luke 24:37, NRSV). Jesus responded: “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have” (Luke 24:39, NRSV). Doub ng Thomas said he would not believe, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side . . . ” (John 20:25, NRSV). Jesus appeared and told Thomas: “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side”(John 20:27, NRSV). 3.Cryonics and Resurrec on Chris an resurrec on of the dead entails at least three aspects: embodiment,transforma on, and con nuity of personal iden ty. Cryonics, if it is ever successful, is likely to also entail these three aspects. 1.Embodiment, 2.Transforma on, 3.Con nuity of Personal Iden ty With regard to embodiment, in their facility in Sco sdale, Arizona, Alcor keeps the preserved pa ents in a controlled environment and awai ng developments in future medicine that can restore them. Preserving the memory and personality informa on in the brain with the highest possible fidelity is linked to an expecta on that developments in biomedical technology will enable medicine of the future to regrow a body. Currently, the legal and social understanding is that cryonics pa ents are dead. So if restora on is ever accomplished, it will be viewed as bringing back to life someone who was dead, which allows for interpre ng that restora on as resurrec on. 4.Conclusion In conclusion, there are understandable differences of opinion about the compa bility of Chris an theology and radical human enhancement programs. Cryonics and resurrec on might agree on the following, ar culated by the apostle Paul:When the perishable puts on the imperishability, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is wri en: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death,where is thy victory? O death, where is thy s ng?” (1 Corinthians 15:54–55, NRSV). 5.References h ps://transhumanist-party.org/2019/03/24/resurrec ng-100-billion/ h ps://www.focusonthefamily.ca/content/transhumanism-chasing-eternal-life-without-god h ps://www.discovermagazine.com/mind/when-will-we-be-transhuman-seven-condi ons-for-a aining- transhumanism h ps://www.technologyreview.com/2017/03/16/153211/the-entrepreneur-with-the-100-million-plan- to-link-brains-to-computers/ h ps://interes ngengineering.com/the-transhuman-revolu on-what-is-it-and-how-we-can-prepare-for- its-arrival h ps://interes ngengineering.com/neuralink-how-the-human-brain-will-download-directly-from-a- computer h ps://wha stranshumanism.org/ h ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uIzS1uCOcE&feature=youtu.be h ps://bigthink.com/mind-brain/resurrec on-science?rebell tem=3#rebell tem3
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