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the value of imperfection.
Project: The great enhancement debate
Project: The great enhancement debate
i think we need to be really careful when it comes to this whole pursuit of perfection.
a lot has been said for the negatives of human nature, we are irrational, often violent and hurtful, and essentially slow paced and fragile creatures.
but is this necessarily a bad thing?
i am strongly inclined to believe that the positives of human nature are largely inextricable from the negatives. without the potential for war and for violence we would have no appreciation of peace, without suffering we would have no conception of compassion, without insecurity we would have no need for love.
i feel that to eliminate uncertainty would limit creativity (the more we know the less we wonder), that to sharpen the precision with which we view the world will dull our perception of beauty.
i thought it was interesting to hear about how nina's relationship fell apart after her boyfriend heard about her interest in transhumanism. i must admit i sympathise with her boyfriend's discomfort. human connection is based upon the mutual sharing and understanding of flaws, and the resulting support that stems from this sharing. if we were to spend all our time enhancing ourselves to perfection, what room is there for relationships?
also, the speed at which our bodies and our personalities could change given this new technology is disconcerting. long term relationships are based upon the security of knowing your partner well and having faith that they will remain essentially the same. if we could come home one day an entirely new person thanks to a single implant, how would such relationships function?
it is a tempting prospect to shed the limitations of our biological form, but in the end, i see it as a grave mistake in many ways.
when the time comes to put enhancements into action, i would urge people to give careful consideration not just to the negative aspects of humanity they are removing, but also the potential positives they stand to lose.
a lot has been said for the negatives of human nature, we are irrational, often violent and hurtful, and essentially slow paced and fragile creatures.
but is this necessarily a bad thing?
i am strongly inclined to believe that the positives of human nature are largely inextricable from the negatives. without the potential for war and for violence we would have no appreciation of peace, without suffering we would have no conception of compassion, without insecurity we would have no need for love.
i feel that to eliminate uncertainty would limit creativity (the more we know the less we wonder), that to sharpen the precision with which we view the world will dull our perception of beauty.
i thought it was interesting to hear about how nina's relationship fell apart after her boyfriend heard about her interest in transhumanism. i must admit i sympathise with her boyfriend's discomfort. human connection is based upon the mutual sharing and understanding of flaws, and the resulting support that stems from this sharing. if we were to spend all our time enhancing ourselves to perfection, what room is there for relationships?
also, the speed at which our bodies and our personalities could change given this new technology is disconcerting. long term relationships are based upon the security of knowing your partner well and having faith that they will remain essentially the same. if we could come home one day an entirely new person thanks to a single implant, how would such relationships function?
it is a tempting prospect to shed the limitations of our biological form, but in the end, i see it as a grave mistake in many ways.
when the time comes to put enhancements into action, i would urge people to give careful consideration not just to the negative aspects of humanity they are removing, but also the potential positives they stand to lose.
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