“I am slowly turning myself into part machine,” a young man named Stephen Ryall told a news reporter in 2019. The news story identified Ryall as one of an increasing group of people who are implanting computer chips in their bodies to pursue a transhumanist vision.
According to a statement by leading transhumanists, “Transhumanism is a way of thinking about the future that is based on the premise that the human species in its current form does not represent the end of our development but rather a comparatively early phase.”
As breakthroughs in gene editing, artificial intelligence (AI), brain-computer interfaces, and other emerging technologies unlock avenues for altering humanity, Christians will increasingly confront transhumanist views. To respond, Christians must first understand transhumanist perspectives in contrast to God’s Word.
Accordingly, the following discussion examines how three different scholars promote false transhumanist “gospels.” Philosopher Nick Bostrom endorses transhumanism on the grounds of improving humanity’s condition. Computational neuroscientist Anders Sandberg endorses transhumanism on the grounds of human rights and freedoms. And theologian Ronald Cole-Turner endorses “Christian transhumanism” on the grounds of theistic evolutionary thinking.
Each of these transhumanist “gospels” stems from different assumptions about humanity’s essential nature, core problem, redemptive hope, and ideal destiny. A concluding overview of how the true gospel’s framework of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration counters these assumptions will reveal a biblical response to transhumanism.
Bostrom describes transhumanism as a philosophy, movement, and “family of evolving worldviews.” He also clarifies that “transhumanism is a naturalistic outlook” with “roots in secular humanist thinking.” While denying that transhumanism is a religion, Bostrom recognizes that transhumanism may fulfill certain “functions that people have traditionally sought in religion.” These functions include “a sense of purpose and direction” guided by a future vision involving “very long lifespan, unfading bliss, and godlike intelligence.”
Bostrom maintains that transhumanism’s quest to achieve these goals “in this world” through human effort sets transhumanism apart from religion. However, transhumanism certainly addresses basic worldview questions including, “What does it mean to be human? Where did we come from, where are we heading, and how should we live?” As a comprehensive worldview, transhumanism satisfies the Merriam-Webster dictionary’s third definition of religion as “a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith.”
Bostrom’s writings illustrate how transhumanism functions as a worldview by offering a metanarrative (“big picture” story) of humanity’s nature, problem, hope, and destiny. Regarding human nature, Bostrom famously stated, “Transhumanists view human nature as a work-in-progress, a half-baked beginning that we can learn to remold in desirable ways. Current humanity need not be the endpoint of evolution.” From his evolutionary worldview, Bostrom sees human bodies not as the completed work of an all-wise Designer but as coincidental material that we can reconfigure. Humans, by this thinking, are not created beings but self-creators.
No comments:
Post a Comment