Patrick Lin, Fritz Allhoff
Journal of Evolution and Technology 18.1 (2008): 35-41
Publication year: 2008

Patrick Lin and Fritz Allhoff, “Against Unrestricted Human Enhancement”, Journal of Evolution and Technology 18.1 (2008): 35-41.

Abstract: The defining debate in this new century will be about technology and human enhancement, according to many across the political spectrum. Our ability to use science to enhance our bodies and minds –as opposed to its application for therapeutic purposes –is one of the most personal and therefore passionate issues in an era where emerging technologies seduce us with new and fantastic possibilities for our future. But in the process, we are forced to rethink what it means to be human or, essentially, our own identity. For some, technology holds the promise of making us superhuman; for others, it offers a darker path toward becoming Frankenstein’s monster. This paper will look at a growing chorus of calls for human enhancement to be embraced and unrestricted. Specifically, we will critically examine recent “pro-enhancement” arguments – articulated in More Than Human by Ramez Naam, as one of the most visible works on the subject today –and conclude that they ultimately need to be strengthened, if they are to be convincing.