If You See a Cyborg in the Road, Kill the Buddha: Against Transcendental Transhumanism

Journal of Evolution and Technology 24 (2):92-97 (2014)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

A stream in transhumanism argues that the aims of Buddhism and transhumanists are akin. It is the case that transhumanism contains religious tropes, and its parallels to Christianity are readily apparent. It does not share much, however, with Buddhism’s Zen tradition. Zen tends to focus its practitioners on becoming fully present and human, not on becoming transcendent, super-powered, or posthuman. This paper explores some of the tensions between transhumanism and Buddhism through the lens of Zen, and suggests that transhumanist Buddhists should be careful not to conflate moments of spiritual enlightenment with permanent techno-social transcendence.

Links

PhilArchive

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

deconstruction and excision in philosophical posthumanism.David Roden - 2010 - Journal of Evolution and Technology 21 (1):27 - 36.
The overhuman in the transhuman.Max More - 2010 - Journal of Evolution and Technology 21 (1):1-4.
Nietzsche, the overhuman, and transhumanism.Stefan Lorenz Sorgner - 2008 - Journal of Evolution and Technology 20 (1):29-42.
Nietzsche, the Overhuman and Posthuman.Michael Hauskeller - 2010 - Journal of Evolution and Technology 21 (1):1.
Polanyi in the Face of Transhumanism.R. P. Doede - 2008 - Tradition and Discovery 35 (1):33-45.
Contradictions from the Enlightenment Roots of Transhumanism.J. Hughes - 2010 - Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 35 (6):622-640.
Teilhard de Chardin and Transhumanism.Eric Steinhart - 2008 - Journal of Evolution and Technology 20 (1):1-22.
Singularity warfare: A bibliometric survey of militarized transhumanism.Woody Evans - 2007 - Journal of Evolution and Technology 16 (1):161-65.
Beyond Humanism: Reflections on Trans-and Posthumanism.Stefan Lorenz Sorgner - 2010 - Journal of Evolution and Technology 21 (2):1-19.
Transhumanism, progress and the future.Philippe Verdoux - 2009 - Journal of Evolution and Technology 20 (2):49-69.

Analytics

Added to PP
2014-10-04

Downloads
702 (#21,072)

6 months
67 (#57,672)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Woody Evans
Texas Woman's University

References found in this work

A history of transhumanist thought.Nick Bostrom - 2005 - Journal of Evolution and Technology 14 (1):1-25.
Teilhard de Chardin and Transhumanism.Eric Steinhart - 2008 - Journal of Evolution and Technology 20 (1):1-22.
Trans-Spirit: Religion, Spirituality and Transhumanism.Michael LaTorra - 2005 - Journal of Evolution and Technology 14 (2):41-55.
Swarms Are Hell: Warfare as an Anti-Transhuman Choice.Woody Evans - 2013 - Journal of Evolution and Technology 23 (1):56-60.

Add more references