The Value Paradigm of the Future: Bioconservatism or Transhumanism?

Abstract

The exponential growth of technologies and the rapid pace of the introduction of these technologies actualizes the discussion about how human values will change in the future and which of the new concepts of transhumanism or bioconservatism is the closest to explaining and constructing these processes. The article compares the basic values of transhumanism and bioconveratism as diametrically opposed concepts of attitude to human nature and the possibility of its correction. The author uses secondary survey data on the value orientations of the Russians in the study and forms her model of the distribution of values of transhumanism and bioconveratism in two categories – values of conservation and values of development. Based on the study of the distribution of respondents’ choices, we established that the values of transhumanism designated as the values of development are more relevant for the Russians than the values of conservation (bioconservatism). The value of this research lies in an attempt to go beyond the theoretical framework of research on this issue with the help of instrumental methods. The author concludes that studies combining empirical data and their philosophical and theoretical analysis may become promising in the future. The article focuses on the fact that differences in the value attitudes of people of different communities and cultures can become insurmountable obstacles to the formation of a global homogeneous value paradigm in the future. One of the concepts presented might become decisive at this stage of society’s development, which seems premature and unfounded. Interest in the ideas of transhumanism and bioconservatism as a response to the transition to NBICS technologies will grow. However, the author thinks that the change in the value system of society in accordance with one of the concepts may happen very slowly, the traditional values may prevail.