Salon — April 12, 2015 | Chris Impey, PhD

This is a summary. Read original article in full here.

The philosophical movement that forms an umbrella for cybernetics and cyborgs is called transhumanism.

Transhumanism is a worldwide cultural and intellectual movement that seeks to use technology to improve the human condition. Radical life extension is one aspect, as is the enhancement of physical and mental capabilities.

Two prominent transhumanists are Nick Bostrom, a University of Oxford philosopher who has assessed various risks to the long term survival of humanity.

And Ray Kurzweil, the engineer and inventor who popularized the idea of the singularity, a time in the not too distant future when technology will enable us to transcend our physical limitations.

Transhumanism could revolutionize space exploration. If we follow the route of nanotechnology, space probes will be miniaturized and the lower costs of manufacture and propulsion will allow us to explore the solar system.

Transhumanism could revolutionize space exploration. If we follow the route of nanotechnology, space probes will be miniaturized and the lower costs of manufacture and propulsion will allow us to explore a broad new range of venues in the Solar System.

We can use robots as proxies while we’re comfy in a control room on Earth. More radically, cyborgs are sent out to explore and toil. They’re imbued with artificial intelligence and super-human powers. […]

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