This concept, while well-meaning, often faces criticism and is considered controversial. Today, we will try to find out why not everyone is in favor of transhumanism.

The word “transhumanism” seems new, but in fact, it was used as far back as Dante in The Divine Comedy. “Transhumanism” comes from trans – through, through, for, and homo – human. The official “birthday” of transhumanism is considered to be 1957. The British writer Aldous Huxley, author of the famous anti-utopian novel O Wonderful New World, contrasted scientific and technological progress with religion, expecting transhumanism to replace faith. The goal of this concept was to defeat disease, old age and death through the advances of science. Many writers and philosophers were drawn to these ideas. With technological progress, it seemed that victory was within reach, but the realization that it would not be easy to change biological mechanisms soon led to disappointment in transhumanism among a great number of its followers.

Are they now looking for a “pill for old age”? In her book “Counterclockwise” (published by Alpina non-fiction), biologist and science journalist Polina Loseva writes that research in this field is indeed underway, but that there is no single way to beat aging. To summarize all information in a very simplified way, aging is our payment for the higher nervous activity, because all long-lived organisms cannot boast of what humans possess.

The main goals of transhumanists are to improve human beings with the help of science and technology:

• Eliminating the aging process and consequently death as the natural outcome of human life;
• To support the development of science and technology;
• To oppose the prohibition of certain research: human cloning, the use of embryonic stem cells, etc.
• Increase the happiness of humans and other living organisms.

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“practical” – objections to the achievability of transhumanism’s goals;
“ethical” – objections to the goals and ideas of transhumanism, the moral principles and worldview of those who support transhumanism or are transhumanists per se.

Critics often see the goals of transhumanists as a threat to universal human values, government social programs and the spread of civil rights and freedoms. One extreme argument is the juxtaposition of the goals (and sometimes the declared methods) of transhumanism with eugenic research.

Also, the problem of transhumanism can be seen as a problem of choosing the direction of human perfection. In contrast to the religious solution of this issue through self-improvement using the instrument of free will, i.e. improving memory, skills and abilities consistently and gradually along its path, transhumanism implies exogenous intervention, implantative upgrade on the physical level as well.

Criticism of the transhumanist program is often contained to some degree[source?] in works of fiction and fantasy films, which, however, often paint imaginary worlds rather than analyze the problem.

According to critics, the ideas of transhumanism are in conflict with their desired goals: for example, immortality will generate many of the problems considered in anti-utopias, such as overpopulation of the planet, a low social level, restrictions on freedoms. However, according to the proponents of transhumanism, all these problems can be solved by adequate social management, in particular by strict birth control, as well as by humanity’s expansion into space.

However, despite this, the Transhumanist Movement believes that most transhumanists are in favor of:

protection of individual human freedoms, strengthening the traditions of democracy
support for social programs to improve the educational system and the development of information technology
support for the development of better technologies and productions, and by doing so, solving the problem of poverty, solving the ecological crisis and improving people’s quality of life.

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Broadly speaking, transhumanism does not only involve turning humans into cyborgs through the use of prostheses and exoskeletons, it also involves controlling and modifying internal processes.

Improving the brain’s capabilities
For this purpose, nootropic drugs are currently available to man that can stimulate mental activity and bring a person into a state of altered consciousness. In addition to drugs to improve the brain, there are plans to use neuroprosthetics – implants that will restore and enhance the functions of the brain.

Biohacking
Managing and improving the body’s internal functions, controlling circadian rhythms and improving metabolism through both practice and medication.

Pain reduction
Use of drugs to suppress physical and emotional pain, anxiety, and fear. In addition to chemicals, the use of palliative care is suggested.

Improvement of physical performance
Increased physical strength, speed of movement through the use of implants, bionic prostheses and exoskeletons.

Digital immortality and digital learning
Digitizing memories and transferring some cognitive functions to digital media, such as learning, as in “The Matrix”. Digitization of one’s own personality from digital traces left on social networks and restoration of one’s own digital copy.

Cloning and bioprosthetics
Creating your own clone for different situations: maybe you want someone to go to work meetings for you, or maybe you need a pair of spare organs for transplantation, like in the movie “The Island”.

Cryonics
Plunging a person into anabiosis as a prevention of aging or even death.

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Transhumanism is a philosophical concept that has evolved into an international movement that supports the use of science and technology to improve the human body. This movement proposes using technological possibilities to combat aging, mortality and disease.

In a narrow sense, transhumanism encourages various body modifications made for one reason or another: replacing Alzheimer’s fading memory with a computer algorithm, digitizing memories, replacing injured or missing limbs with prosthetics, and so on. This movement demands that life-enhancing technologies be available for mass use and applied extensively.

The term “transhumanism” in its modern sense (i.e., “transcending human beings”) was first used by the English evolutionary biologist Julian Huxley (Aldous Huxley’s older brother) in 1927 in Religion Without Revelation. At the time of his writing, new technologies were penetrating medicine and there was a greater ability to influence the natural order of things. Contemporaries supported the idea that enhancing human abilities through technology could become the new religion for humanity, but the real boom happened in the ’60s, when the war was left behind, during which people saw a completely different use of the advances of science.

In the 60’s synergistically reinforced each other several phenomena at once: the development of technology, the active appearance of works in the genres of science fiction, the formation of cryonics, the study of human consciousness. So in 1957, Huxley returned to the idea of transhumanism, and it was picked up by scientists Robert Ettinger and Evan Cooper, who founded cryonics, and then by other futurists.

Transhumanism assumes that improving one’s capabilities is the right of any human being, not a replacement for failing organs in case of illness or age-related changes. Thus, a person with an implant to digitize memories, for example, or with a mechanical arm, an exoskeleton or a computer eye would not be an invalid, but a transhuman, a cyborg.

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