The Transhumanist Reader: Classical and Contemporary Essays on the Science, Technology, and Philosophy of the Human Future by Max More & Natasha Vita-More

Author:Max More & Natasha Vita-More
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781118334317
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Published: 2013-05-05T23:00:00+00:00

23

Transhumanism and Personal Identity

James Hughes

Enlightenment values are built around the presumption of an independent rational self, citizen, consumer, and pursuer of self-interest. Even the authoritarian and communitarian variants of the Enlightenment presumed the existence of autonomous individuals, simply arguing for greater weight to be given to their collective interests. Since Hume, however, radical Enlightenment empiricists have called into question the existence of a discrete, persistent self. Today neuroscientific reductionism has contributed to the rejection of an essentialist model of personal identity. Contemporary transhumanism has yet to grapple with the radical consequences of the erosion of liberal individualism on their projects of individually chosen enhancement and longevity. Most transhumanists still reflect an essentialist idea of personal identity, even as they embrace projects of radical cognitive enhancement that would change every constituent element of consciousness. Transhumanists need to grapple with how their projects and ethics would change if personal identity is an arbitrary, malleable fiction.

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