Re: Defining Transhumanism

CurtAdams@aol.com
Tue, 20 Oct 1998 20:29:10 EDT

In a message dated 98-10-20 15:04:29 EDT, hanson@econ.berkeley.edu (Robin Hanson) writes:

>>I'd prefer saying it as "our descendants will be profoundly different from
>>ourselves" rather than as 'no longer be "human"'

>That may be a reasonable strategy of persuasion, but I'm not sure it is
>compatible with the term "transhuman," which seems to directly connote
>something not human.

YMMV, but not to me. I think of "transhuman" as *more* human, in the desirable
characteristics, or at least many of them. With "transhuman" I think of "trans-" in
the "beyond" sense, not the "opposite" or "different" sense.

On a different tack, if you want a more precise definition, perhaps you'd want to use a less loaded and more precise word than "human". A good definition is precise, but you don't want a definition prone to misinterpretation.