POST VS TRANS HUMANISM

Introduction to Post and Trans Humanism - Robert Ranisch & Stefan Lorenz Sorgner

"Transhumanism can be seen as a stance that affirms the radical transformation of human’s biological capacities and social conditions by means of technologies. These transformations are widely perceived as human enhancement or augmentation which might be so fundamental that they bring about life forms with significantly different characteristics as to be perceived as other than human. The result of such technologically induced version of evolution is referred to as the posthuman. However, there is no commonly shared conception of what posthumans are, and visions range from the posthuman as a new biological species, a cybernetic organism, or even a digital, disembodied entity. The link between the human and the posthuman is the transhuman , an abbreviation for a transitional human, to which transhumanism owes its name. In this regard, transhumanism can be understood as a transhumanism. By the same token, transhumanism, according to its self-understanding, is a contemporary renewal of humanism. It embraces and eventually amplifies central aspects of secular and Enlightenment humanist thought, such as belief in reason, individualism, science, progress, as well as self-perfection or cultivation."

"However, in posthumanism the concept serves as a label for a new narrative, which may replace that of “the human”, rather than one for a radically enhanced human being. Transhumanism, on the other hand, is characterized by a straightforward affirmation of technological augmentations and visions of an enhanced posthumanity."

"Freeing human beings is the main objective of transhumanism and posthumanism. Transhumanism aims at liberating humans from their biological limitation. As part of this enterprise transhumanists might partly reinstall humanist concepts. Posthumanism, by contrast, can be identified with a critical approach that hopes to liberate humans from the harmful effects of the established humanist paradigm by debunking its false assumptions. While both traditions celebrate the “end of human beings” and reconsider and reinterpret what it means to be human, this happens on the basis of a different theoretical framework. While in some sense transhumanism can be seen as an intensification of humanism (see Wolfe 2010, xv), posthumanism can be analyzed as a criticism of humanism. Yet, both views have in common that they regard the humanist “human” as outdated, be it in physiological or conceptual terms. Hence, transhumanism as well as posthumanism try to move beyond humanism."

"Posthumanists employ a more metaphorical, artistic, dialectical and literary style, while transhumanists are much more closely associated with a linear, analytic and pragmatic way of thinking and expressing themselves."

Transhumanism

"Based on a neo-Darwinian wordview, it is upheld that humans should take evolution into their own hands and undertake broad-scale attempts to incorporate technologies into their lives. These projects aim for a radical increase of bodily functions (e.g. healthspan, longevity), cognitive and emotional capacities (e.g. intellect, memory), physical traits (strength, beauty), and behavior (e.g. morality). On the basis of the affirmation of specific traits, there is the promise that technologies promote the common good and individual happiness. For realizing these aims, transhumanists have a firm confidence in scientific progress. Transhumanism is not limited to specific technologies but embraces all kinds of means to realize their visions, including established ones like education and vaccinations. Their primary focus today is on emerging and converging technologies, such as nanotechnology, biotechnologies and means of artificial reproduction, information technologies and cognitive sciences."

Posthumanism

"Posthumanism is associated with postmodern and continental philosophy, science and technology studies, cultural studies, literary theory and criticism, poststructuralism, feminism, critical theory and postcolonial studies. In these contexts “posthumanism” serves as an umbrella term for ideas that explain, promote or deal with the crisis of humanism. So far, however, no common name for these critical discourses has been established. Sometimes “posthumanism” is used in a broad sense, encompassing transhumanism as a form of technological posthumanism, too. Then specifications, such as critical posthumanism are used to distinguish those critical discourses from techno-utopian discourses."

"Similar to Foucault’s (2002 [1966]) proclaimed “end of man”, posthumanism does not mean “the literal end of man but the end of a particular image of us” (Hassan 1977, 845). In other words, for these theorists, our biological nature may remain unchanged, but the self-concept of the human changes, in particular when we consider the integration of technology in our life."

"Our high-tech culture challenges dualisms such as mind/body, animal/human, organism/machine, culture/nature, male/female etc."

"There are several emancipatory impulses, and political standpoints, which can clearly be associated with posthumanism, e.g. feminist positions or the attempt to transcend anthropocentric views or speciesism. Still, in most cases, the normative dimension of posthumanism is being stressed in a critical manner rather than in an explicit affirmative one, which is a further central difference from the transhumanist approach that is usually associated with an immediate and explicit normative standpoint."

My Notes

My take away is that transhumanism looks for a tech utopia and liberation from the biological boundaries of humanism, while posthumanism looks for liberation from the social/philosophical boundaries placed on us by humanism (gender, class, and much more) which have become unsustainable.

I think I would make something that combines these ideas, particularly because in my project I am speculating and being fictional / escapist. I want to embrace the transhumanist idea of disembodiment through technology - however, I think you could use this freedom from biology into technology to explore things like absence (freedom?) from gender, etc. The essay did emphasise many origins of posthumanism being found in feminist ideas.

Most of all I really want my work to come across as playful and not a serious philosophical inquiry. Though I like to read these kinds of essays to gain ideas about broaden my wider knowledge on the subject I really want to make sure I don't get bogged down in negativity and serious questions about the meaning of life or where trans or post humanists should direct their attention. Part of my aim for this project is to subvert and play with our perceptions of technology and futurism. So much of our discourse about technology and the future is so overwhelmingly negative that I want to explore how artificiality and tech and digital worlds can be fun and surreal and something to be excited about about express ourselves through. In a way I suppose I am presenting a tech utopia which is something that I think could only be achieved outside of capitalism. I think most of the negativity that arises from tech is from its commercialisation and exclusivity / elitism. Equal distribution and tech's liberation from money and trade could help to make it a better tool for play and expression.

PHASE 1 RESEARCH

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