0775_133_id548_terec_vlad.pdf

LUMEN-TCA 2014 (21-22 November 2014, Targoviste, Romania)

Medimond . RY21C0133 . ID548 775

Transhumanism, Personality Drugs and Soft Slavery

Terec-Vlad L.1, Terec-Vlad D. 2 1 tefan cel Mare University from Suceava (ROMANIA) 2 tefan cel Mare University from Suceava (ROMANIA) [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract Transhumanism is considered one of the most controversial philosophical currents up to now. Along

with the emergence of the new technologies that promise to improve the human condition, the nanotechnologies and the neurotechnologies, the human individual is found in the position to accept that a new transformation of the human species will occur in a not too distant future. Under these conditions, scientists raise various assumptions regarding the risks involved by transhumanism, the use and especially the finality of these technologies.

In this paper, we shall point out the fact that the new technologies and concepts that were almost unimaginable fifty years ago are introduced into the daily life through transhumanism. We shall refer especially to the fact that, under the promise of eternal life, transhumanism hides the modern version of slavery through human enhancement, cognitive enhancement and especially through personality drugs.

The aim of this paper is to analyze the consequences of these improvements taking into account that, in a not too distant future, the humanoid species could be substituted by other potentially programmable species in the context of the use of technology, thus determining the loss of the individuals human condition.

Keywords: Transhumanism, soft slavery, personality drugs, uploading mind, virtual reality.

1 Introduction The techniques and technologies have evolved along with the evolution of the human species. Although

they were invented in order to ease human labour, nowadays technologies came to be considered more than just supporting tools, since the typewriter became a computer, disks became sticks and the classic blood pressure monitoring machines became machines that monitor the vital signs of the individual. People talk increasingly more about human cloning, human enhancement, ways to stop aging, etc. They are all the result of the new technologies that provided everyone with the power to choose whether they wish to be subject to anti-aging treatments, the prolongation of human life using medical devices or whether they wish to opt for improving their sports performance. These issues point to the fact that we will soon face an explosion of information in all areas, but the focus will mainly be on changing the current human condition.

Transhumanism is a philosophical current that promotes the improvement of the human condition through technology; manipulating the species is considered to be intrinsically good, convenient and inalienable [15]. Given that in recent years researchers have invented medication that helps the individual overcome certain biological limitations (improving muscle tone, physical resistance) or improve the quality of his life, transhumanists believe that we have the power to control the phases of the evolutionary process [15].

1.1 Transhumanism and personality enhanced drugs The term somatech is the transhumanist answer to the current social concerns that are raised by some

medical applications and bioengineering projects [5]. Whether it is about tools or technologies used to improve the human condition, this involves opening the gate towards the limited manipulation of the human body [5]. However, this does not stop here and when it comes to using technologies the issues regarding genetic modifications, synthetic biology, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, neurotechnologies, optogenetics or mind uploading are raised [8]. According to the promoters of transhumanism, mind uploading would involve simulating a human brain in a computer in enough detail that the simulation becomes a perfect copy and experiences consciousness [1]; it will eventually become universally adopted by all who can afford it, similar to the adoption of modern agriculture, hygiene and permanent dwellings [1]. We believe that this idea



comes into contradiction with the human values, since it is assumed that the human being is unique and unrepeatable and its personality represents the bio-psycho-social structure of the individual. Regarding the transhumanist projects, they have proposed the use of personality enhanced drugs [3] in order to eliminate certain undesirable aspects, the substitution of certain parts of the body that are considered unnecessary [14], and procreative beneficence [10]. Improving the physical and mental state of the individual in order to create disease resistant individuals can however be questioned, given that we do not know exactly what it means to be better or what the person's moral improvement signifies. These are just some of the issues that question the finality of the transhumanist project. For this reason, the transhumanist theory is not based on sound principles [7], nor does it have an ontological foundation to support its arguments; also, its supporters have not yet answered the multiple theoretical and practical questions. In accordance to the statement made by Elena Postigo Solana, we also believe that the transhumanist project, which aims to improve the homo sapiens species, is not based on a solid foundation; improving all the individuals of the human species is not possible, since this would draw the attention upon the risks and, on the other hand, the issue of costs is raised. Besides the fact that the transhumanist project is utopian, we believe that the ultimate goal is not to help the human species overcome the condition of mortal being; on the contrary, the goal is to create a new world where the human species is substituted by other humanoid species. Nick Bostrom argues that we can merge the human mind with a computer and in a not too distant future we will be able to connect directly to cyberspace [2]. These issues depersonalize the individual, since the human person as a bio-psycho-social being lives and develops in a society where he promotes his ethical, moral and legal values depending on the geographical area where he lives. We believe that achieving eternal life and living with other individuals in a cyber-space would lead to a deep change in the character or rather to losing the capacity of bio-psycho-social being.

Regarding personality enhanced drugs, pharmaceutical researchers have found certain substances that change the individuals behaviour and the way he relates. According to the supporters of transhumanism, these substances can change the individuals behaviour, as certain aspects of the personality can be reduced or even eliminated. On the other hand, some researchers that have examined the idea of drug consumption believe that the permissibility of cognitive enhancement depends on the nature of the activity we are interested in; therefore, there are three pairs of related concepts: firstly, we have the distinction between practice-oriented activities and goal-oriented activities [4]. Secondly, we have the distinction between constitutive rules and regulative rules, and the third pair of concepts regards the distinction between coarse-grained and fine-grained descriptions of the activities [4]. We know that over time drugs have been used in order to relieve pain or fix dysfunctions of the human body. However, Melanie Swan believes that one of the most direct ways of targeting neural pathologies and enhancement is through nanopharmaceuticals, which enhance the neurotransmitter activity and the biochemical environment of the brain [12].

Some studies have shown that, along with the aging process and the various diseases that occur during life, the individual loses part of his cognitive abilities. In this case, the use of drugs as a way to stop these processes and to improve the cognitive skills can be complemented by internal or external hardware or software [9]. Advanced cognition enhancing drugs may be just as much nanodevices as pharmaceuticals, while advanced user interfaces may consist of software and cognitive methods of learning how to put them into practice. The cognitive enhancement techniques that are known so far require a double classification: on the one hand, cognitive enhancement techniques involve:

- Convention: 1. Education 2. Mental 3. Enriched

- Un-convention 1. Drugs 2. Gene.

On the other hand, cognitive enhancement can be classified in:

- Internal Hardware Software

- External Hardware Software [11].

Internal hardware deals with biological modifications [11] and internal software helps us organize the

thoughts and memories [11]. External hardware is being used for improving abilities and external software is



being used for storing information, but can also supplement our skills [11]. We can talk about human enhancement when we use strategies based on education and socialization, but we do not believe that the use of technologies in order to achieve certain standards is a positive aspect. Julian Savulescu believes that cognitive enhancement may be good when it makes you more proficient; it is good for the agents when it improves their own well-being or their quality of life; however, what is prudentially good for you may be prudentially bad for the others [6].

The substances used for enhancing intellectual or physical performance came to public attention long before. Today, the so-called nootropics or smart drugs attract the attention in terms of their benefits (memory improvement, reasoning, etc.); however, the consumers are not warned regarding the negative effects they may have on medium-long term. Regarding cognitive enhancement, it is considered that any substance that can help improve the current condition of the individual is welcome, but we believe that their negative effects are not sufficiently highlighted. Julian Savulescu believes that cognitive enhancement through drugs, implants and biological interventions could increase the risk of the development or misuse of weapons of mass destruction [6]. It can also involve a new attempt to overpower the individual in terms of soft slavery [13]. If medication that helps cognitive enhancement or moral enhancement has been found by using the new technologies and scientific discoveries, why wouldnt the issue of inventing slavery drugs be raised? We believe this aspect is quite dangerous considering that, in the context of freedom, the individual may depend on a master who would decide on his lifestyle, daily routine and personal life. Since nowadays economic slavery, financial crises and economic power are brought into discussion increasingly more, we believe they are just a preamble to modern slavery in terms of substituting the Homo sapiens species with other programmable humanoid species.

2 Technological dictatorship Since nowadays people talk increasingly more about new forms of slavery, one can also talk about new

forms of mass manipulation or about a new form of dictatorship - also called technological dictatorship or soft dictatorship. This new type of domination points out the fact that, in a not too distant future, the human mind and human behaviour could be controlled via computers, while the individual will only carry out the actions for which he was programmed [16], [17]. Designing a new humanoid species that can respond promptly to commands, without questioning whether the command violates the human rights or not, is the aim of the researchers, given that dominating the earth and conquering other galaxies would represent the beginning of a new era. Achieving these goals requires, on the one hand, genetically modified individuals and on the other hand genetically modified individuals that can be controlled in any conditions and at any distance in terms of accurately carrying out the commands. If in the not too distant future each individual will have access to the new technologies and will accept human enhancement as being normal and natural, then the transition from the Homo sapiens race to another humanoid race will be more rapid, thus potentially entailing the emergence of soft dictatorship.

We believe that soft slavery will emerge on the political and social scene of the contemporary society given that the various types of promises and implicitly the promise of eternal life hide different types of manipulation and different attempts to convince the human individual to perform certain actions that he would not perform in the absence of an external impulse.

Conclusions We thought it would be appropriate to discuss some of the most important issues raised by

transhumanism. We have discussed the problems involved by cognitive enhancement and we have considered it appropriate to raise the question of personality enhanced drugs. We have also pointed out that, in the context of the financial crisis and economic slavery, in a not too distant future we will be able to talk about soft slavery and even the substitution of the human species with other programmable species. We believe these aspects are dangerous because, if it reaches the wrong hands, the information about manipulation based on the new technologies could have negative consequences for all mankind.

In conclusion, we believe that transhumanism depersonalizes the human individual in the sense that human enhancement will alienate the values that have been promoted until now. Achieving eternal life will entail the transformation of the human species as a consequence of the new technologies and the promise of eternal life will hide a form of soft slavery.



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