126. Transhumanism 4/28: The Traps of Declarations

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To date, we have recognized the 1848 Communist Manifesto (Declaration) formulated by Karl Marx as a primary cause for the destruction of humanity and the deaths of millions in the 20th century. Today, the liberal, capitalist, machine-driven modern era has brought us the Transhumanist Declaration. Below is an excerpt from it, provided with a warning to the reader regarding its built-in traps.

1. stop aging and achieving eternal life: according to transhumanism, aging is a treatable disease. Beyond simply reaching a standard lifespan, the goal is to mitigate aging and extend life indefinitely. Genomics has made it possible to predict and diagnose diseases more accurately, allowing for personalized care. A prototype for the future body, known as "Primo Posthuman" (1996), is already available. It includes the "Metabrain," a tertiary brain or brain prosthesis powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Humans possess the genetic and morphological right to freely own, shape, and utilize their bodies. Transhumanism states that the environment is the sole factor in the existence of life—whether that be the living biosphere, digitized cyberspace, artificial simulations of reality, or systems located in space. To sustain existence, safe infrastructures and technologies are required in every environment to protect life and eliminate threats. The idea of eternal youth liberates us from the captivity of old age.

The trap: The aging of the body (the organism) is a natural part of the life cycle of humans, animals, and plants alike, as are birth and death. It is not advised to interfere with birth, the aging process preceding death, or the relational networks associated with them. The declaration does not specify whose aging should be prevented, nor why a human being is considered equivalent solely to their body. One thing is certain: they do not plan to treat the aging of all eight billion people.

2. The transformation of the human species: transhumanism seeks to establish a worldview characterized by the continuous improvement of the quality of life, evolution, progress, self-transformation, practical optimism, forward-looking solutions, and critical thinking. Through these tools, the "transhuman" person can be developed. In the past, people held various theories and opinions that created contradictions and divisions in society—for example, regarding age, gender, religion, or political and social status. One faith was pitted against another, suggesting that members of one group were more valuable than those of another. These opinions were not about the biology of the body or human evolution, but rather about human needs and the resulting behaviours, often triggered by fear, greed, and uncertainty. Humanity needs change—a new vision that helps it become even "more human." Through the continuous development of technology, transhumanism strives for the biological-technological transformation of the human species.

The trap: the formation of worldviews has always been driven by the intent to gain power, and this will continue to be the case in the future. The manifestation of different opinions is a direct or indirect expression of human consciousness or ignorance—what used to be called dialectics, such as "constructive debate." What the declaration intends to introduce is an equality of opinions; in other words, a state where no one has (or is allowed to have) an opinion other than what is expected by the digital, manipulative power.

3. Life extension: extending human life means increasing the duration of existence and the diversity of life opportunities and capabilities. To achieve the goal of longevity, it is essential to explore the visible and invisible barriers that interfere with human health and well-being. In the fields of science and technology, we must also address the moral rules by which human rights—including morphological freedoms—can be protected. Transhumanism is the first worldview to publicly declare the necessity of eradicating disease and to take a stand for the ideals of longevity and eternal youth through the ethical use of artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and genetic engineering. 

The trap: according to Hajdu it is impossible to know to whom the halting of aging and life extension applies. Thus, no meaningful opinion can be formed on it. Let us not forget that every measure in the declaration pertains to the body-mind and the perception and experience gained through our five senses; furthermore, every measure is mechanical, and therefore, inhuman. There is no such thing as a morphological or genetic "right," because birth and death do not fall under the jurisdiction of law. Law follows the event, but it is not the event itself.

4. The continuation of human evolution: transhumanism is the continuation of natural evolution, employing artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, nanotechnology, gene therapy, etc. These complement human biology while simultaneously being applicable in medicine and helping to raise awareness of individual identity. A distinction must be made between the concepts of "cyborg" and "transhuman": transhuman (and the subsequent posthuman) is an evolutionary process, whereas the cyborg is a definitive state between man and machine. The distinction between the two is as follows: a) the cyborg was born through the connection between man and machine, where the human is the machine operator. At the time the cyborg concept was developed, the application of biotechnology, AI, and nanotechnology was not yet foreseeable. b) in a philosophical approach, the transhuman is a stage of human transformation. c) from the perspective of science fiction, the transhuman has already transformed into the posthuman. Unfolding the diversity and capabilities of the human body requires a multidimensional approach drawing from multiple scientific disciplines.

The trap: it has long been proven that Darwinian biological-physical evolution does not exist or is wrong. Consequently, in the case of transhumanism, one cannot speak of evolution; the transhuman cannot be a stage of evolution. If it were, then in the sense of linear evolution, we would expect the development of a machine-man structure to replace today’s man-machine structure, followed by a machine-machine structure—in other words, the disappearance of man. The eradication of humanity can only be carried out by humans, just as its survival can. Transhumanism proposes the creation of the new slave.