Our Transhuman Future...

Transhumanists believe that we can and should eradicate aging as a cause of death, that we should use technology to augment our bodies and our minds, and that we should merge with machines, remaking ourselves, finally, in the image of our own higher ideals.

The idea of technologically enhancing our bodies is not a new concept. In the past, we made devices such as wooden legs, hearing aids, spectacles and false teeth. Currently, individuals are implanting themselves with RFID microchips to store personal information such as IDs and Credit Cards. In future, we might use implants to augment our senses so we can detect infrared or ultraviolet radiation or boost our cognitive processes by connecting ourselves to memory chips. Ultimately, by merging man and machine, we will produce humans with increased intelligence, strength, and lifespans.

Having these godlike abilities will raise a host of ethical problems and dilemmas. At which point many may wonder... have we gone too far? Advocates of transhumanism believe that the rewards will outweigh the negatives and that going beyond the natural barriers and limitations which constitute an ordinary human being, will be the key to our long-term survival as a species.

However, the technology needed to achieve these goals relies on MAJOR advancements in the areas of genetic engineering, nanotechnology, gerontology and many other sciences which will take decades to reach fruition. As a result, some advocates - such as Ray Kurzweil, Eric Drexler and Peter Thiel are opting to have their bodies stored in liquid nitrogen and cryogenically preserved until medical science has reached a stage when they can be revived and their resurrected bodies can be 'enhanced'.

I'm on the fence at this point regarding augmenting my body and going full-on transhuman. However, as I get older and limbs start falling off, my eyesight goes, or I can't surf anymore... technology may provide a viable option for me to remain the person that I want to be!