Should We Fear Ourselves? A Discussion about the Future of Our Species: Will Science and Technology Redeem Our Specie in the Future? Or Will Science and Technology Be the Source of Our Collective Downfall?

When looking back into our history, science and technology have been the tools used by our species to fight its survival battle against its old enemies (diseases, famine, epidemics, etc.). But, ever since human discovered genetics and NBIC technologies (nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science), our ambitions went one step further. We do not longer limit ourselves to ‘fix’ the Homo sapiens. Now we dream of enhancing the Homo sapiens and bring it into the next level: the Homo Deus. The consequences of our desires remain uncertain; but whatever they are, we need to accept that in a not too distant future the notions and understandings about ‘being human’ will appear less straight forward and even start to fade away. This paper discusses the senses in which science and technology have made humanity more distinctive as a species. As constructors of our own future, we need to question: will science and technology redeem humanity in the future? Or will they be the source of our collective downfall?