Transhumanism: The Proper Guide to a Posthuman Condition or a Dangerous Idea?

Preface
Contents
Contributors
Part I: Philosophical Aspects
Chapter 1: Aspects of Mind Uploading
1 Introduction
2 Is It Technically Doable?
3 Consciousness
4 Personal Identity
5 Ethical Concerns
6 A Society of Uploads
7 Conclusion
References
Chapter 2: Transhumanism as a Derailed Anthropology
1 Introduction: The Story so Far
2 Manifestations of Transhumanism
2.1 Three Types of Transhumanism
2.2 Future Paradise as a Kind of Transhumanism?
2.3 Marxism
2.4 Gaia Hypothesis
3 Anthropology and the AI Image of Man
3.1 Man, Animal, Machine
3.2 Man Embedded in Systems
4 Autonomy as a Presupposition for Singularity
5 Interests, Concrete and Future
5.1 Religious Motivations and Interests in Transcendence
5.2 Economic Interests
5.3 Epistemological Interests
6 A New Man, a New World: For Whom?
6.1 Religious Borderlines
6.2 Reductionism
7 Resist the Beginnings
7.1 Objections
7.2 Moralizing Business Models
7.3 Eight Rules
8 Concluding Remarks
References
Chapter 3: Transhumanism and Philosophy of Technology
1 Introduction
2 Technophobia and Technophilia
2.1 Technophobic Derivative
2.2 Transhumanism
2.3 The Substrate-Independent Mind
2.4 The Limits of the Humanist Heritage
3 Towards a Different Philosophy of Technology (and Nature)
3.1 Beyond the Failure of Modern Categories
3.2 Culture Is Nature
3.3 The Constitutive Role of the Technical Mediation
4 Conclusions
References
Chapter 4: Senseless Transhumanism
1 Introduction
2 Three Man´s Activities
3 Intentionality
4 Transhumanism and Utopias
5 Loss of Sense in Transhumanism
6 Conclusion
References
Chapter 5: Elements of a Posthuman Philosophy of Art
1 Introduction
2 Non-duality, Technology and Posthuman Works of Art
3 Elements of a Posthuman Philosophy of Art
4 Sven Helbig
5 Bioart
6 Total Works of Art
7 Posthuman Art and Non-totalitarian Works of Art
8 Conclusion
References
Part II: Military Aspects
Chapter 6: Transcending Natural Limitations: The Military-Industrial Complex and the Transhumanist Temptation
1 Introduction
2 Transhumanism
3 The Contemporary Transhumanist Milieu
4 Military Research and Transhumanism
5 Military ``Human Enhancement´´?
References
Chapter 7: When CRISPR Meets Fantasy: Transhumanism and the Military in the Age of Gene Editing
1 Introduction
2 Gene Editing: The ``CRISPR Revolution´´
3 Transhumanist Visions: Enhancing Human Evolution
4 Gene Editing in a Military Context
5 Outlook: Focusing on Biohazard Threats and Not Super Soldiers
References
Chapter 8: War in Times of ``Beyond Man´´: Reflections on a ``Grand´´ Contemporary Topic
1 Introduction
2 The Core Contradiction: Healing the Sick or ``Enhancing´´ the Healthy Person?
3 Less Human Warfare = More Humanism?
4 Are Conflicts Going Extinct Because People Disappear from Them?
5 Transhumanism and Artificial Intelligence
6 Human Enhancement and Military-Relevant Technology Innovation
7 The Military as a Social Indicator
8 Outlook: An Ambiguous Perspective
References
Part III: Technological Aspects
Chapter 9: The Singularity Hoax: Why Computers Will Never Be More Intelligent than Humans
1 Introduction
2 The Ground of Intelligence: What Is Missing in Computers
3 The 3.5 Billion Year Evolution of Human Intelligence
4 Conclusions: How Computers Will Make us Humans Smarter
References
Chapter 10: Ethical Machine Safety Test
1 Introduction
2 Key Terms
3 Where We Are with MST
4 Machine Safety Test: What It Should Be?
5 Claim: What We Are Testing
6 What Should the Test Be?
7 Use Case Framework for the MST
8 Operational Concerns
9 Review and Summary
10 How Would We Evaluate Results?
11 Parting Comments
References
Chapter 11: ``Action´´ and Ascription: On Misleading Metaphors in the Debate About Artificial Intelligence and Transhumanism
1 Introduction
2 Conceptual Domains and Everyday Language
3 The Case of Artificial Intelligence
4 Basic Structure of Artificial Neural Networks
5 Configuring the Networks
6 Speaking About the Networks
7 Considering Human Concepts
8 Instances and Consequences
9 Malicious Metaphors
10 Transhumanism and Regimes of Enhancement
11 Closing Remarks
References
Part IV: Sociological Aspects
Chapter 12: Transhumanism and/as Whiteness
1 Introduction
2 Methodological Precedents
3 Transhumanism and Its Genealogy
4 Transhumanist Demographics
5 Whiteness and ``White Crisis´´
6 Algorithmic Racism
7 Conclusion
References
Chapter 13: Promethean Shame Revisited: A Praxio-Onto-Epistemological Analysis of Cyber Futures
1 Introduction
2 Praxiology: Hubris and/or Humiliation?
2.1 Colonized Man-Machine Designs: Technomorphic and Anthropomorphic Conflation of Practices
2.1.1 Technomorphic Colonization: Aspiring to ``Homo Deus´´
2.1.2 Anthropomorphic Colonization: Aspiring to ``Techno Sapiens´´
2.2 Compartmentalized Man-Machine Designs: Anthropocentric, Technocentric and Interactivistic Distinctions of Practices
2.2.1 Anthropocentric Compartmentation: Appreciating Human Status as ``Pride of Creation´´ Versus Depreciating ``Trumpery´´
2.2.2 Technocentric Compartmentation: Creating the ``Übermensch´´ Ex Machina Versus Deploring ``Human Obsolescence´´
2.2.3 Interactivistic Compartmentation: Assembling Humans and Machines into Hybrid Networks
2.3 Synergistic Man-Machine Design: Technosocial System Integration of Practices for the Good Society
3 Ontology: Agents and/or Patients?
3.1 Monistic Man-Machine Models: Technomorphic and Anthropomorphic Conflation of Concepts
3.1.1 Technomorphic Monism: Man-A Machine
3.1.2 Anthropomorphic Monism: Machine, Human/Social in the Proper Sense
3.2 Dualistic Man-Machine Models: Anthropocentric, Technocentric and Interactivistic Distinctions of Concepts
3.2.1 Anthropocentric Dualism: Man-Not a Machine
3.2.2 Technocentric Dualism: Machine-Superior to Man
3.2.3 Interactivistic Dualism: ``Actants´´ and ``Intra-Action´´
3.3 Emergentist Man-Machine Model: Technosocial System Integration of Actor and Artefact Concepts for the Sake of the Whole
4 Epistemology: Cross- and/or Mono- or Multi- and Interdisciplinarity?
4.1 Cross-Disciplinary Man-Machine Frames: Technomorphic and Anthropomorphic Conflation of Methods
4.1.1 Technomorphic Cross-Disciplinarity: Engineerability of Social Subject Matter
4.1.2 Anthropomorphic Cross-Disciplinarity: Engineering as a Social-Scientific Enterprise
4.2 Mono- and Multi-Interdisciplinary Man-Machine Frames: Anthropocentric, Technocentric and Interactivist Distinctions of Met...
4.2.1 Anthropocentric Mono-Disciplinarity: Sociologism
4.2.2 Technocentric Mono-Disciplinarity: Technologism
4.2.3 Interactivist Multi- and Interdisciplinarity: Socio-Technology
4.3 Transdisciplinary Man-Machine Frame: Technosocial Systems Integration of Methods for the Bigger Picture
5 Conclusion
References
Chapter 14: Where from and Where to: Transhumanistic and Posthumanistic Phantasms: Antichrist, Headbirth and the Feminist Cybo...
1 Introduction
2 The History of Ideas and a New Religion
3 Transhumanism in Fiction
4 Transhumanism, New Materialism, STS and Gender
4.1 Cyborgism
4.2 Inclusive Humanism Contra Optimization Ideology
4.3 Elite Sports
4.4 Posthumanism, Agential Realism and Diffraction: How Does It Link to Transhumanism?
References
Chapter 15: Co-creation in Transhuman Realities: Setting the Stage for Transformative Learning
1 Introduction
2 Transhumanist System Development
3 Grounding Transhumanist System Development on Agogic Principles
4 Informing Co-creation Through Reflection
4.1 Reflection as Trigger of Transformative Learning Cycles
4.2 Skilful Reflective Practice
4.3 Utilizing Explanations for Transformative Learning Cycles
5 Conclusions
References