Transhumanism: Towards a new Adam?

Q3 Medicine

Ethics, Medicine and Public Health Pub Date : 2025-01-01 DOI:10.1016/j.jemep.2025.101091

B. Couderc

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction

Transhumanism is a movement that seeks to enhance human abilities, aiming for physical and cognitive augmentation, and even potential immortality. This raises ethical concerns about human nature, dignity, and equality.

Methods

Only three main approaches are explored in this review. First, biological enhancement involves stem cell therapies and genetic modifications, such as CRISPR-Cas9, to improve human capacities. Second, bionic augmentation includes advanced prosthetics, sensory implants, and neural interfaces to restore or enhance functions. Third, neural and digital integration focuses on brain-computer interfaces, such as Neuralink, and the theoretical concept of mind uploading.

Results

Biological enhancement remains limited in clinical success and raises ethical concerns, particularly regarding genetic selection. Bionic augmentation allows individuals to regain or surpass natural abilities, challenging the boundary between humans and machines. Neural integration offers cognitive improvements but poses questions about free will and identity. Mind uploading, although speculative, fuels debates on consciousness and artificial life.

Conclusion

While transhumanism presents groundbreaking advancements, it also challenges fundamental ethical and societal values. The increasing integration of technology with the human body raises questions about inequality, identity, and the potential transformation of humanity as we know it.

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超人类主义：走向新的亚当？

超人类主义是一种旨在增强人类能力的运动，其目标是增强身体和认知能力，甚至是潜在的永生。这引发了对人性、尊严和平等的伦理关注。方法本文主要探讨了三种方法。首先，生物增强涉及干细胞治疗和基因修饰，如CRISPR-Cas9，以提高人类的能力。其次，仿生增强包括先进的假肢、感觉植入物和神经接口来恢复或增强功能。第三，神经和数字集成侧重于脑机接口，如Neuralink，以及思想上传的理论概念。结果生物增强在临床成功方面仍然有限，并引起了伦理问题，特别是在遗传选择方面。仿生增强技术允许个人恢复或超越自然能力，挑战人与机器之间的界限。神经整合提供了认知能力的改善，但也提出了有关自由意志和身份的问题。意识上传虽然是推测性的，但却引发了关于意识和人工生命的争论。虽然超人类主义带来了突破性的进步，但它也挑战了基本的伦理和社会价值观。技术与人体的日益融合引发了关于不平等、身份认同以及我们所知的人类潜在转变的问题。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Ethics, Medicine and Public Health Medicine-Health Policy

CiteScore

2.20

自引率

0.00%

发文量

107

审稿时长

42 days

期刊介绍： This review aims to compare approaches to medical ethics and bioethics in two forms, Anglo-Saxon (Ethics, Medicine and Public Health) and French (Ethique, Médecine et Politiques Publiques). Thus, in their native languages, the authors will present research on the legitimacy of the practice and appreciation of the consequences of acts towards patients as compared to the limits acceptable by the community, as illustrated by the democratic debate.