Transhumanist Declaration

Nick Bostrom (bostrom@ndirect.co.uk)
Thu, 9 Apr 1998 00:23:04 +0000


The version of the Transhumanist Declaration (as it's now called)
that will have to do for now is at:

http://www.transhumanism.com/declaration.htm.

In the future it will of course be revised and updated. Thanks to
everybody who has contributed!

Another thing that is useful to have worked out is a one-sentence
definition/explanation of what transhumanism is, to use in
conversations for example. I used to say:

"Transhumanism is the philosophy that we can and should use
technology to overcome our biological limitations and transform the
human condition."

Anders said:
> My current definition of transhumanism is: "The idea that the human
> condition can be improved above and beyond the current stage, through
> rational means in a life affirming way".

After reading this, I think I will change my one-sentence definition
to:

"Transhumanism is the idea that the human condition will
be dramatically transformed by technology and that it is a good thing
to use rational methods to overcome our biological limitations."

What do you other people say when somebody asks you "What is
transhumanism?"?

_____________________________________________________
Nick Bostrom
Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method
London School of Economics
n.bostrom@lse.ac.uk
http://www.hedweb.com/nickb