Friday, 16 August 1996
Post No. 5 of 8
by Max More

Transhumanism might become quaint, Paulina, if it were a static set of beliefs. But transhumanism does not depend on particular technologies or fixed beliefs. It's a set of attitudes, values, and general goals. Extropian transhumanism will evolve because it embodies critical thinking, experimentation, and self-transformation.

Transhumanism does not reject the physical aspects of humanity. Extropians hold no such dualistic philosophy. Certainly we challenge biological fundamentalism. Our natural bodies can and should be improved upon. We have glorious capacities for appreciating the textures, views, odors, and tastes of the world. Extropians embrace these means of apprehending the world. We also seek to extend the senses, heighten their power, and open new modes of awareness.

In early steps towards becoming posthuman I foresee an enhancement of the biological body and brain through biotechnology and through technological implants, including computing devices, artificial senses, and enhanced reality. In the longer run, I expect we will migrate our physical, cognitive, and psychological functions entirely off the vulnerable biological platform.

This should not be taken to mean abandoning physicality or senses. We may have a core self that can inhabit a diverse array of bodies, specialized for space or oceanic exploration, for heightened physical pleasures, or for pure thinking. (Each embodiment will slightly alter identity.) Much experimentation will take place, and the species may well fracture into wildly differing beings, though some will be more successful than others.

The beauty of becoming posthuman lies in the ability to choose our identity. Not only will we choose the form and function of our physical embodiment, we will increasingly select and shape our feelings, moods, motivations, and personality. We don't deny "the shadow," Paulina, we just don't revolve around our fears. We are transcending dark, destructive aspects of ourselves through cognitive psychology, neurochemical modification, and philosophical understanding.

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