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WCC Transhumanism The triangle of new and emerging technologies, disabled people and the World Council of Churches; Able-ism: A prerequisite for transhumanism1 By Dr. Gregor Wolbring2 Purpose of this ebook _________________________________________________________ 4 Introduction:___________________________________________________________________ 5 Key findings and Suggestions ________________________________________________ 7 Setting the stage I: The History ______________________________________________ 7 The situation of disabled people in the WCC: ______________________________________7 The Ninth General Assembly of the WCC and disabled people: ___________________________________________ 8 The WCC, EDAN and emerging technologies: _____________________________________11 WCC member statements on genetics in relation to disabled people:___________12 Biased Language: __________________________________________________________________________ 12 The language of discrimination: The usage of the term serious: _____________________________ 13 The language of discrimination: Prohibition of sex selection: ________________________________ 14 The language of discrimination: Prohibition of genetic discrimination: _______________________ 14 Other Issues such as gene therapy, genetic enhancement: _________________________________ 15 Linking genetic testing to cost:___________________________________________________________ 15 Genetics and the role of disabled people: A case study______________________________________ 16 Setting the Stage II: Today and the Future: From Nanotech to Nanoscale Technology and Sciences(53) _______________________________________________ 21 Setting the Stage III Today and the Future: Other Technologies ________ 26 Synthetic biology (66) _____________________________________________________________26 Artificial womb______________________________________________________________________27 Brain machine Interfaces __________________________________________________________27 Molecular manufacturing___________________________________________________________28 Longevity, Immortality Technology _______________________________________________29 Enhancement of Animals: __________________________________________________________29 Nanofood,water and Forrestry(96-98) ____________________________________________29 NBICS military products(99)_______________________________________________________31 NBICS and surveilance(100)_______________________________________________________33 1 Published May 2007; This ebook was peer reviewed by two reviewers appointed by a member of the WCC staff 2 Dr.Wolbring is based at the University of Calgary. He is a bioethicist, a biochemist, a health and governance of science and technology researcher and a ability studies scholar. He is a Biochemist at the Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine; Adjunct Assistant Professor Dept. of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Dept. of Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies Faculty of Education all University of Calgary, Canada. He is a founding member and affiliated scholar, Center for Nanotechnology and Society at Arizona State University, USA; Part time Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, Canada (September 2007-), former Member of the Executive of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (2003-2007 term maxed out) and Member of the genetic advisory committee of the World Council. His webpage is www.bioethicsanddisability.org. His biweekly column “The Choice is Yours” can be found at http://www.innovationwatch.com/commentary_choiceisyours.htm His new and emerging technology blog is at www.wolbring.wordpress.com Setting the Stage IV General Impact of NBICS (101;102)_________________ 36 Setting the Stage V: Today and the Future: NBICS for Development: ____ 37 Setting the Stage VI: Today and the Future: NBICS the WCC and the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities(111): ______________ 39 Setting the Stage VII: Today and the Future: The appearance of NBICS- medicine(112) ________________________________________________________________ 39 Setting the Stage VIII: A secular view of health, disease and disability/impairment ________________________________________________________ 42 Species typical functioning versus subnormal species typical functioning _____42 Relationship between health and wellbeing:(50) ____________________________________________ 43 Determinants and models of health and disease (50) _______________________________________ 43 Medical model of health and disease _____________________________________________________ 43 Social model of health(50) _______________________________________________________________ 43 (213) ______________________________________________________________________________________ 46 Models of disability and disabled people (50) _______________________________________________ 46 Moving from Species-typical functioning to Beyond species-typical functioning _______________________________________________________________________________________49 The new kid on the block: the transhumanist/enhncement model of health(50) _____________ 49 The new kid on the block: the transhumanist/enhancement model of disability, impairment and disabled people (50) ___________________________________________________________________ 51 The Action: __________________________________________________________________________53 1) The Medicalization of the human body ___________________________________________________ 54 2) The Transhumanization of Medicalization_________________________________________________ 55 Setting the stage IX: Science and technology, disabled people, and transhumanism(50) __________________________________________________________ 55 Setting the Stage X: The politics of Ableism(242;243) ____________________ 59 Setting the Stage XI Transhumanism and Religion:________________________ 66 Characterization of Transhumanism:______________________________________________66 Secular development I: The appearance of enhancement medicine ______ 67 Secular development II: The decrease in curative medicine and the appearance of the transhumanist/enhancement burden of disease ______ 67 Secular development III: The Techno Poor Disabled and the Ability divide: _________________________________________________________________________________ 68 Secular development IV: An intensification of the personhood and species-ism debate ___________________________________________________________ 69 Secular development V: The concept of responsibility. ____________________ 69 Secular development VI: Disabled people drift towards the Transhumanist/enhancement model of ‘disability/impairment’ __________ 70 Secular development VII: Scientific and techno solutions for social problems? _____________________________________________________________________ 70 Secular development VIII: Scientific and techno solutions for social well being? _________________________________________________________________________ 73 Secular development IX: Medical health and environmental safety ‘Yes’, Social Safety ‘No’ _____________________________________________________________ 73 Secular development X: A hierarchy of social groups: _____________________ 74 Issues for theology, religion, faith and Churches I: What will be the theological view of health, disease and disability?_________________________ 74 The meaning of health, disease, sickness, illness, disability and impairment within the WCC sphere of influence: ______________________________________________79 EDAN and the meaning of health, disease, sickness, illness, disability and impairment ______ 82 Drawing lines: Un-tenability of the term serious: ________________________________83 Drawing lines: Un-tenability of the line between medical versus social/non- medical reasons ____________________________________________________________________84 Drawing lines: Un-tenability of the line between therapy and enhancement___86 Issues for theology, religion, faith and Churches II: Transhumanism, disabled people and imago Dei ______________________________________________ 87 Imago Dei and disabled people ____________________________________________________89 A transhumanist Imago Dei________________________________________________________91 Imago Dei versus Species-ism_____________________________________________________94 Imago Dei versus Personhood _____________________________________________________95 When does a Robo Sapien become a Homo sapien and vice versa: _____________96 Personhood and disabled people __________________________________________________96 The Dignity Journey: From individual to species to Posthuman _________________97 Issues for theology, religion, faith and Churches III: The concept of responsibility _________________________________________________________________ 98 Issues for theology, religion, faith and Churches IV: A transhumanist view on ‘God’s Children’ ____________________________________________________ 101 Issues for theology, religion, faith and Churches V: Playing God versus co creator. Synthetic biology and other emerging technologies. ____________ 102 CoCreators , Creatio Continua and synthetic biology____________________________102 Perception of disabled people ______________________________________________________________ 104 A clash of perceptions and values__________________________________________________________ 105 Issues for theology, religion, faith and Churches VI: Cognocentrism versus the Soul ______________________________________________________________
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