Technologies of the Future Self
Description
This volume is the first to articulate ethical foundations of transhumanism from perspectives focused on transhuman flourishing , as opposed to utilitarian or deontological approaches. Transhumanism is typically framed as a quest for "transcending biological limitations" and "unlocking human potential"-and thus perceived to be at odds with ethical conceptions of a "good life" that are substantively defined in terms of "human nature." However, the concept of "human nature" is not a biological given but deeply bound up with metaphysical conceptions about what (trans)human futures are possible, desirable, and good. It invites ethical reflection on who we are, the value of embodiment and community to (trans)human existence, and who we might hope to become. The contributions collected in this volume offer a wide spectrum of visions for shaping the techno-progressive agenda of transhumanism in ethically grounded and socially responsible ways.
Reviews / Votes
"Transhumanism can be a very difficult topic to write about, which makes the collection Technologies of the Future Self (2026) such an achievement in philosophical writing for all its authors. ... An especially important element of the volume is that they take the theological roots of many transhumanist concepts seriously, and reflect on what results when a technologically-informed philosophy engages its inspirations in Christian thinking." (Adam Riggio, Social Epistemology Review and Reply Collective, social-epistemology.com, May 11, 2026)
"The volume makes a meaningful contribution by reframing transhumanism in (new) ethical terms. Its wide range of perspectives - spanning analytic philosophy, continental and posthumanist thought, and theology - makes it a valuable entry point for readers approaching the topic from different disciplinary backgrounds. The editors' proposal to foreground 'flourishing' as a central concept ... successfully identifies a key gap in the literature ... . In articulating this problem, the volume sets a clear and productive agenda for future work." (Ingrid Dunér, Postdigital Science and Education, May 26, 2026)
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Persons
Alcibiades Malapi-Nelson teaches Philosophy and Humanities at the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Humber Polytechnic, in Toronto, Canada.
Content
1. Introduction: Who's Afraid of Transhuman Flourishing?.- Part I. Transhumanism and Human Flourishing .- 2. Human Flourishing Requires Transhumanist Flourishing.- 3. Is Transhumanism Necessarily Utilitarian? Recasting Alternative Ethical Systems towards a Future Human Flourishing.- 4. An Aristotelian Typology and Evaluation of Transhumanism: Concordance and Conflict.- 5. Revolution And Transformation: Vygotsky, Eudaimonia, and the Social Essence of (Trans)Human Development.- 6. In Search of the Human Style: Is Homo Sapiens a Crime against the Concept of Humanity?.- 7. Euro-Transhumanism.- 8. Beyond Theory: A Mythical Journey towards Posthumanist Ethix.- Part II. Transhumanism and Christian Philosophy .- 9. Transhumanism as a Secular Vision of Christian Ethics.- 10. Christian Transhumanism: Furthering the Redemptive Purposes of Christ.- 11. Our Future Self: Cyber Enhancement and Spiritual Transformation.- 12. Christianity for Transhumanists: A View from Eastern Orthodoxy.- 13. On Becoming Better: Some Ethical Questions from a Feminist Christian Theological Perspective.- 14. Teilhard de Chardin on Technology and Human Evolution: Why AI Needs Mysticism.
