The Anthropology of Immortality and the Crisis of Posthuman Conscience
In this article we aim to distinguish between the transhuman and posthuman condition, according to their anthropological, ontological, and ethical natures. We will show that the current historical moment can be considered the beginning of a transhuman civilisation, given that the characteristics of...
| Published in: | Journal for the study of religions and ideologies |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
CEEOL
[2015]
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| In: |
Journal for the study of religions and ideologies
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| IxTheo Classification: | NCG Environmental ethics; Creation ethics |
| Further subjects: | B
Social Anthropology
B life prolongation B technological transcendence B virtualization B posthuman conscience B Bioethics B Immortality B environmental threats B Enhancement |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | In this article we aim to distinguish between the transhuman and posthuman condition, according to their anthropological, ontological, and ethical natures. We will show that the current historical moment can be considered the beginning of a transhuman civilisation, given that the characteristics of the transhuman are already present in today’s human being. We will show that a series of decisive limitations for belonging to the human condition are in the process of being transcended due to acquisition of attributes of divinity that human beings do not currently possess: omnipotence, omnipresence (ubiquity), ex nihilo creation - starting from the divine creative ideation - and immortality. Humans are increasingly taking on the attributes of divinity in the process of human enhancements. We will discuss the ways in which technology allows the human to overcome these limitations, elevating humans past their current condition, in a process in which they gain technological transcendence. Excepting immortality, all other limitations, once exceeded, generate a transhuman condition. Immortality generates a posthuman condition, since it can only be obtained by modifying the human ontological status from that of a biological being to that of a resident being in informatics networks. In order to clarify this process, we will discuss the concepts of everlastingness and artificial life prolongation. |
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| ISSN: | 1583-0039 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for the study of religions and ideologies
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