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Frankenstein vs Transhumanism

Krish Dholakiya
September 06, 2014

Frankenstein vs Transhumanism

Frankenstein and the substance (or lack thereof) of its anti- transhumanist argument

Krish Dholakiya

September 06, 2014
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  1. Frankenstein and the substance (or lack thereof) of its anti-

    transhumanist argument. Krish Dholakiya IB English HL I
  2. Transhumanism (abbreviated as H+ or h+) is an international cultural

    and intellectual movement with an eventual goal of fundamentally transforming the human condition by developing and making widely available technologies to greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, and psychological capacities.
  3. Isn’t Transhumanism what the Nazis were trying to do? going

    to increase social disparity? not quite
  4. Isn’t Transhumanism what the Nazis were trying to do? going

    to increase social disparity? not quite it could, but it would erode with time
  5. “man remaining man, but transcending himself, by realizing new possibilities

    of and for his human nature.” - Julian Huxley’s definition of ‘transhuman’
  6. The Transhumanist Thesis “The chemical or physical inventor is always

    a Prometheus. There is no great invention, from fire to flying, which has not been hailed as an insult to some god. But if every physical and chemical invention is a blasphemy, every biological invention is a perversion. There is hardly one which, on first being brought to the notice of an observer from any nation which has not previously heard of their existence, would not appear to him as indecent and unnatural.” - J.B.S Haldane, British biochemist, 1923
  7. “I had desired it [to create life] with an ardor

    that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” - Victor Frankenstein
  8. “I had desired it [to create life] with an ardor

    that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” - Victor Frankenstein
  9. “I had desired it [to create life] with an ardor

    that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.” - Victor Frankenstein
  10. “Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least

    by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.” - Victor Frankenstein
  11. “Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least

    by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.” - Victor Frankenstein
  12. “Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least

    by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.” - Victor Frankenstein
  13. “Thus strangely are our souls constructed, and by such slight

    ligaments are we bound to prosperity or ruin.”
  14. “Thus strangely are our souls constructed, and by such slight

    ligaments are we bound to prosperity or ruin.”
  15. “Thus strangely are our souls constructed, and by such slight

    ligaments are we bound to prosperity or ruin.”
  16. A key factor in creating the monster’s frightening image was

    the fact that it was comprised of parts of other cadavers.
  17. It is, however, a compelling work of literature describing a

    hypothetical scenario in which Transhumanism has gone bad.
  18. Works Cited Bostrom, Nick. "A History of Transhumanist Thought." Journal

    of Evolution and Technology 14.1 (2005): n. pag. Web. ! "Is Transhumanism the next Nazism or Islamism?" Spiritual Journalism. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014. ! Haldane, J.B.S. "DAEDALUS or Science and the Future." University of Michigan, n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 1923. ! Rothman, Peter. "Halloween+ - The Shelley-Godwin Archives Launch, Frankenstein and Transhumanism - H+ Magazine." H+ Magazine, 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 06 Sept. 2014. ! Falconer, Joel. "Humanity Plus: How Transhumanism Could Change the Human Race - The Next Web." The Next Web, 12 June 2011. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.