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Transhumanism (sometimes abbreviated '''>H''' or '''H+''') is an international intellectual and cultural movement supporting the use of new Science s and Technologies to enhance human Physical and Cognitive abilities and Ameliorate what it regards as harsh aspects of the Human Condition , such as disease and aging. Transhumanism cultivates the academic study of the possibilities and consequences of developing and using Human Enhancement techniques and other Emerging Technologies for these purposes. Possible dangers, as well as benefits, of powerful new technologies that might radically change the conditions of human life are also of concern to the transhumanist movement.Bostrom 2005 Although the first known use of the term "transhumanism" dates from 1957 , the contemporary meaning is a product of the 1980s , when a group of scientists, artists, and Futurists based in California began to organize what has since grown into the transhumanist movement. Transhumanists postulate that Human beings will eventually be Transformed into beings with such greatly expanded abilities as to merit the label " Posthuman ". Transhumanism's vision of a deeply transformed future humanity has attracted many sympathizers, as well as critics from a wide range of perspectives. Transhumanism has been described by a prominent sympathizer as the "movement that epitomizes the most daring, courageous, imaginative, and idealistic aspirations of humanity";Bailey 2004 while according to a prominent critic, it is the world's most dangerous idea.Fukuyama 2004 HISTORY In his article ''A History of Transhumanist Thought'', Nick Bostrom finds ancient precedents for transhumanist thinking in various Mythic expressions of a human desire to acquire new capacities. Bostrom locates transhumanism's more immediate roots, however, in Renaissance Humanism and the Enlightenment . The Marquis De Condorcet is the first thinker whom he identifies as speculating about the use of medical science to extend the human life span. In the 20th century, a direct and influential precursor to transhumanist concepts was J.B.S. Haldane 's 1923 essay ''Daedalus: Science and the Future'', which predicted that great benefits would come from applications of genetics and other advanced sciences to human biology.Bostrom 2005 Biologist Julian Huxley , brother of author Aldous Huxley (a childhood friend of Haldane's), appears to have been first to use the actual word "transhumanism". Writing in 1957 , he defined ''transhumanism'' as "man remaining man, but transcending himself, by realizing new possibilities of and for his human nature".Huxley 1957 This definition differs substantially from the one commonly in use since the 1980s. The coalescence of an identifiable transhumanist movement began in the last decades of the twentieth century. In 1966, FM-2030 (formerly F.M. Esfandiary), an Iranian-American futurist who taught "new concepts of the Human" at The New School For Social Research in New York City , began to identify people who adopt technologies, lifestyles and world views transitional to " Posthumanity " as " Transhuman " (short for "transitory human").FM-2030 1989 In 1972, Robert Ettinger contributed to the popularization of the concept of "transhumanity" in his book ''Man into Superman''. FM-2030 published the ''Upwingers Manifesto'' in 1973.FM-2030 1973 The first self-described transhumanists met formally in the early 1980s at the University Of California, Los Angeles , which became the main center of transhumanist thought. Here, FM-2030 lectured on his " Third Way " futurist ideology, while John Spencer of the Space Tourism Society organized many transhumanist Space -related events. Natasha Vita-More presented the Experimental Film "Breaking Away" (1980) at the EZTV Media venue frequented by transhumanists and other futurists.1 FM-2030, Spencer, and Vita-More met and soon began holding gatherings for transhumanists in Los Angeles, which included students from FM-2030's transhumanist courses and audiences from Vita-More's transhumanist artistic productions, as well as some from the space and astrophysics community. In 1982, Vita-More authored the ''Transhumanist Arts Statement'', and, six years later, produced the cable TV show "TransCentury UPdate" on transhumanity. This talk show reached over 100,000 viewers.Vita-More 1982 In 1986, '',Drexler 1986 which discussed the prospects for Nanotechnology and Molecular Assembler s, and founded the Foresight Institute . As the first nonprofit company to research, advocate for and perform Cryonics , the Southern California offices of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation became a nexus for futurists. Not all these were involved in "transhumanism", or even familiar with the term, though some eventually had a pioneering role in what would later become known as transhumanism. In 1988, philosopher Max More founded the Extropy Institute and was the main contributor to a formal doctrine for apolitical and Libertarian transhumanists, which took the form of the ''Principles of Extropy'' in 1990.More 1990-2003 In 1990, More gave "transhumanism" a new definition: :"Transhumanism is a class of philosophies that seek to guide us towards a Posthuman condition. Transhumanism shares many elements of Humanism , including a respect for reason and science, a commitment to progress, and a valuing of human (or transhuman) existence in this life. Transhumanism differs from humanism in recognizing and anticipating the radical alterations in the nature and possibilities of our lives resulting from various sciences and technologies [… ." More 1990 magazine of a speculative scenario for humanity's first steps into a transhumanist future]] In 1998, philosophers Nick Bostrom and David Pearce founded the World Transhumanist Association (WTA), an organization with a Liberal Democrat ic perspective.Hughes 2005 In 1999, the WTA drafted and adopted ''The Transhumanist Declaration''.World Transhumanist Association 2002 ''The Transhumanist FAQ'', prepared by the WTA, gave two formal definitions for transhumanism:World Transhumanist Association 2002-2005a :# The intellectual and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally improving the human condition through applied reason, especially by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, and psychological capacities. :# The study of the ramifications, promises, and potential dangers of technologies that will enable us to overcome fundamental human limitations, and the related study of the ethical matters involved in developing and using such technologies. Today, the Extropy Institute and the World Transhumanist Association are among the largest transhumanist organizations. For a list of notable individuals who have identified themselves, or been identified by others, as advocates of transhumanism, see List Of Transhumanists . THEORY AND PRACTICE , a 2002 report exploring the potential for synergy among nano-, bio-, informational and cognitive technologies (NBIC) for enhancing human performance.]] While many transhumanist theorists and advocates seek to apply reason, science, and technology to foster Humanitarian principles and values, transhumanism is distinctive in its particular focus on the applications of technologies to the improvement of human bodies at the individual, rather than collective, level. Progressive transhumanists anticipate the potential for future technologies and innovative social systems to improve the quality of All Life by eliminating congenital mental and physical barriers, while libertarian transhumanists seek to remove legal impediments to exercising claimed rights to use advanced technologies to Improve themselves and their offspring. Transhumanist philosophers argue that there not only exists an Ethical Imperative for humans to strive for progress and improvement of the human condition but that it is possible and desirable for humanity to enter a Post-Darwinian phase of existence, in which humans are in Control Of Their Own Evolution . In such a phase, natural evolution would be replaced with deliberate change. To this end, transhumanists engage in interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and evaluating possibilities for overcoming biological limitations. They draw on Futures Studies and various fields or subfields of science, philosophy, economics, history, and sociology. Transhumanists are often concerned with methods of enhancing the Human Brain . Though some propose anatomical and peripheral nervous system enhancement, the brain is considered the common denominator of personhood and is thus a primary focus of transhumanist ambitions.Walker 2002. More generally, transhumanists support the convergence of Emerging Technologies such as Nanotechnology , Biotechnology , Information Technology and Cognitive Science (NBIC), and hypothetical future technologies such as Simulated Reality , Artificial Intelligence , Mind Uploading and Cryonics . Transhumanists believe that humans can and should use these technologies to become More Than Human .Naam 2005 Transhumanists therefore support the recognition of Morphological Freedom as a Civil Liberty , so as to guarantee individuals the option to become Cyborg , Transhuman or Posthuman , which they see as the next significant evolutionary steps for the human species. They speculate that human enhancement techniques and other emerging technologies may facilitate such a quantum leap by the midpoint of the 21st century.Sandberg 2001Kurzweil 2005 Some theorists, such as Raymond Kurzweil , believe that the pace of Technological Evolution is Accelerating and that the next 50 years may yield not only radical technological advances but possibly a Technological Singularity , which in turn may fundamentally change the nature of human beings. Transhumanists who foresee such massive technological change generally maintain that it is desirable. However, they also explore the possible dangers of extremely rapid technological change, and frequently propose options for ensuring that advanced technology is used responsibly. For example, Nick Bostrom has written extensively on Existential Risk s to humanity's future welfare, including risks that could be created by emerging technologies.Bostrom 2002 On a more practical level, as proponents of Personal Development and Body Modification , transhumanists tend to use existing technologies and techniques that supposedly improve cognitive and physical performance, while engaging in routines and lifestyles designed to improve health and longevity.Kurzweil 1993 Depending on their age, some transhumanists express concern that they will not live to reap the benefits of future technologies. However, many have a great interest in Life Extension practices, and funding research in Cryonics in order to make the latter a viable option of last resort rather than remaining an unproven method.Kurzweil 2004 Regional and global transhumanist networks and communities exist to provide support and forums for discussion and working on collaborative projects. CURRENTS There is a variety of opinion within transhumanist thought. Many of the leading transhumanist thinkers hold complex and subtle views that are under constant revision and development. Some distinctive currents of transhumanism are identified and listed here in alphabetical order:
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