A critical look at the rise and risks of transhumanism

An authoritative new book, The Politics and Ethics of Transhumanism: Techno-Human Evolution and Advanced Capitalism, takes a critical deep dive into the relationship between transhumanism and capitalism. Written by multi-award-winning film director, screenwriter, and Senior Lecturer at the University of East London, Dr Alexander Thomas, the book interrogates the promise of transhumanism – a concept popularised in the 1950s by evolutionary biologist Julian Huxley, which advocates for the use of technology to enhance human capacities. 

Dr Thomas’s debut work provides an assessment of transhumanism and its associated technologies, arguing that they are deeply entwined with capitalist ideology. He casts doubt on the pervasive narrative of “unending progress” and the prospect of a techno-capitalist utopia in our futures. He points to the contemporary state of affairs, which sees the global community encountering raging inequality while “living through deepening and interlinked crises.” 

Dr Thomas said that the normalisation of enhanced human capabilities is a longstanding feature of scientific and capitalist endeavour – from simple spectacles to improve sight, to modern-day wearables, such as smartwatches, which monitor and report back on the wearers' health and wellbeing. However, this tendency is fraught with broader societal and academic challenges that the mechanics of the marketplace and the demands of mega-corporations are not designed to answer.

“These ideas go to the core of what it means to be human, and they will likely have implications for everyone,” he said.

The book draws heavily on the work of philosophers to provide an overview of the history of transhumanism while also offering an alternative ethical framework for the future of life on the planet.

Dr Thomas has previously explored the topic of transhumanism, specifically the three “supers” – superintelligence, superhappiness, and superlongevity – on his podcast A-Z of the Future, and currently has a documentary in production too.