Paradoxes and Epistemological Implications of Nick Bostrom’s Transhumanism in Nietzsche’s Genealogical Perspective
Fadhlu Rahman
, Atin Suhartini
Master of Islamic Philosophy, UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Indonesia
gt630111@gmail.com
Abstract
Nick Bostrom, a transhumanist figure, referred human
perfection on three pillars: including super longevity (super long life), super
wellbeing (super happy) and super intelligence (super intelligent). This cyborg
human model adheres to the epistemology of scientism which he values as
anti-traditionalist culture, religious dogmas and metaphysics, but in principle
ostrom bases his perfect human model on Nietzsche (Der ubermensch),
whereas scientism in Nietzsche's view is a form of religious ideas in a certain
degree. This paper attempts to reveal the epistemological paradox of Bostrom's
concept of transhumanism through Nietzsche's genealogical philosophy and its
epistemological implications. The method used in this research is an
epistemological and genealogical analysis on the three main pillars of Bostrom
which are the basic foundations of its transhumanism. In this study, it is
found first that the Bostrom paradox occurs not only in the misinterpretation
of a perfect man, where Bostrom considers the fulfillment of the three pillars,
whereas what Nietzsche means is as an independent human being in the sense of
two things, namely: able to govern himself and be united or only rely on
himself, and not relying on external reality or dogma. The second, paradoxes occur
in the belief system of the pillars of Bostrom's transhumanism where he relies
on the absolutism of science and negates all assumptions or arguments that come
from metaphysics and religion. Meanwhile, what Nietzsche means is to hold on to
the relativity of truth where humans will be weak and flawed if they rely on
beliefs outside themselves, including science.
Keywords
der ubermensch, the religiosity of science, transhumanism, nihilism, pessimism
References
Anderson, R. L. (2017). Friedrich
Nietzsche. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2017/entries/nietzsche.
Bishop, J. P. (2010). Transhumanism,
Metaphysics, and The Posthuman God. Journal of Medicine and Philosophy,
35(6).
Bostrom, N. (2003). The Transhumanist
FAQ: A General Introduction . World Transhumanist Association, 2(1).
Bostrom, N. (2005a). A History Of
Transhumanist Thought. Jurnal Evolution and Technology, 14(1).
Bostrom, N. (2005b). Transhumanist
Values . Oxford Philosophy Documentation Center.
Bostrom, N. (2007). Dignity and
Enhancement. Oxford University.
Bostrom, N. (2008). Why I Want to Be a
Posthuman When I Grow Up. Oxford: Medical Enhancement and Post Humanity.
Bostrom, N., & Milan, M. C.
(2008). Global Catastrophic. Oxford University Press.
Bostrom, N. & Sanberg, S. (2009).
Cognitive Enhancement: Method, Ethics Regularity and Challenges. Sains and
Enginering, 15(3).
Bostrom, N. (2014). Superintelligence:
Path, Danger, Strategies. Oxford University.
Bostrom, N. Biography. (2014).
The Universe - Solved. https://theuniversesolved.com/bio-nick-bostrom.htm
Bostrom, N. (2022). Nick Bostrom’s
Home Page. Nickbostrom.Com. https://nickbostrom.com
Cole, T. & Ronald. (2011). Transhumanism,
and Transcendence. George Town University Press.
Ferrando, F. (2013). Posthumanism,
Transhumanism, Antihumanism, Metahumanism, and New Materialism. Journal An
International Journal in Philosophy, Religion, Politics and the Art, 8(2).
Juengest, E. & Moseley, D. (2019).
Human Enhancement. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2019/entries/enhancement
Khatchadourian, R. (2015). THE
DOOMSDAY INVENTION Will artificial intelligence bring us utopia or
destruction? The Newyorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/11/23/doomsday-invention-artificial-intelligence-nick-bostrom
Lee, N. (2019). The Transhumanism
Handbook. Springer.
Manzocco, R. (2019). Transhumanism
Engineering The Human Condition. Springer.
Matthias, S. & Ram, N. (2020). Epistemology.
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2020/entries/epistemology/
Mitchell, S. (2004). Gilgamesh: A
New English Version. Free Press.
Nietzsche, F. (1967). On The
Genealogy of Morals (Walter Kaufman, Ed.). Vintage Books.
Nietzsche, F. (2001). The Gay
Science (Josefine Nauckhoff, Ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Ranisch, R., & Sorgner, S. L.
(2014). Beyond Humanism: Transh- and Posthumanism Jenseits Des Humanismus:
Trans-und Post-Humanismus (Vol. 1). Peterlang.
Sharon, T. (2014). Human Nature in
Age of Biotechnology. Springer.
Sorel, T. (1991). Scientism:
Philosophy and The Infatuation with Science. Routledge.
Vikoulov, A. (2016). Three Pillar
of Transhumanism: Superlongevity, Superintelligence, Super Wellbeing.
Ecstadelic Media.
https://www.ecstadelic.net/top-stories/three-pillars-of-transhumanism-superlongevity-superintelligence-superwellbeing
William, N. R. (2004). Promothean
Ambitions: Alchemy and The Quest to Perferct Nature. University of Chicago
Press.
Wibowo, S. (2017). Gaya Filosofi
Nietzsche. Kanisius.
gt630111@gmail.com
Abstract
Nick Bostrom, a transhumanist figure, referred human
perfection on three pillars: including super longevity (super long life), super
wellbeing (super happy) and super intelligence (super intelligent). This cyborg
human model adheres to the epistemology of scientism which he values as
anti-traditionalist culture, religious dogmas and metaphysics, but in principle
ostrom bases his perfect human model on Nietzsche (Der ubermensch),
whereas scientism in Nietzsche's view is a form of religious ideas in a certain
degree. This paper attempts to reveal the epistemological paradox of Bostrom's
concept of transhumanism through Nietzsche's genealogical philosophy and its
epistemological implications. The method used in this research is an
epistemological and genealogical analysis on the three main pillars of Bostrom
which are the basic foundations of its transhumanism. In this study, it is
found first that the Bostrom paradox occurs not only in the misinterpretation
of a perfect man, where Bostrom considers the fulfillment of the three pillars,
whereas what Nietzsche means is as an independent human being in the sense of
two things, namely: able to govern himself and be united or only rely on
himself, and not relying on external reality or dogma. The second, paradoxes occur
in the belief system of the pillars of Bostrom's transhumanism where he relies
on the absolutism of science and negates all assumptions or arguments that come
from metaphysics and religion. Meanwhile, what Nietzsche means is to hold on to
the relativity of truth where humans will be weak and flawed if they rely on
beliefs outside themselves, including science.
Keywords
der ubermensch, the religiosity of science, transhumanism, nihilism, pessimismReferences
Anderson, R. L. (2017). Friedrich
Nietzsche. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2017/entries/nietzsche.
Bishop, J. P. (2010). Transhumanism,
Metaphysics, and The Posthuman God. Journal of Medicine and Philosophy,
35(6).
Bostrom, N. (2003). The Transhumanist
FAQ: A General Introduction . World Transhumanist Association, 2(1).
Bostrom, N. (2005a). A History Of
Transhumanist Thought. Jurnal Evolution and Technology, 14(1).
Bostrom, N. (2005b). Transhumanist
Values . Oxford Philosophy Documentation Center.
Bostrom, N. (2007). Dignity and
Enhancement. Oxford University.
Bostrom, N. (2008). Why I Want to Be a
Posthuman When I Grow Up. Oxford: Medical Enhancement and Post Humanity.
Bostrom, N., & Milan, M. C.
(2008). Global Catastrophic. Oxford University Press.
Bostrom, N. & Sanberg, S. (2009).
Cognitive Enhancement: Method, Ethics Regularity and Challenges. Sains and
Enginering, 15(3).
Bostrom, N. (2014). Superintelligence:
Path, Danger, Strategies. Oxford University.
Bostrom, N. Biography. (2014).
The Universe - Solved. https://theuniversesolved.com/bio-nick-bostrom.htm
Bostrom, N. (2022). Nick Bostrom’s
Home Page. Nickbostrom.Com. https://nickbostrom.com
Cole, T. & Ronald. (2011). Transhumanism,
and Transcendence. George Town University Press.
Ferrando, F. (2013). Posthumanism,
Transhumanism, Antihumanism, Metahumanism, and New Materialism. Journal An
International Journal in Philosophy, Religion, Politics and the Art, 8(2).
Juengest, E. & Moseley, D. (2019).
Human Enhancement. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2019/entries/enhancement
Khatchadourian, R. (2015). THE
DOOMSDAY INVENTION Will artificial intelligence bring us utopia or
destruction? The Newyorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/11/23/doomsday-invention-artificial-intelligence-nick-bostrom
Lee, N. (2019). The Transhumanism
Handbook. Springer.
Manzocco, R. (2019). Transhumanism
Engineering The Human Condition. Springer.
Matthias, S. & Ram, N. (2020). Epistemology.
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2020/entries/epistemology/
Mitchell, S. (2004). Gilgamesh: A
New English Version. Free Press.
Nietzsche, F. (1967). On The
Genealogy of Morals (Walter Kaufman, Ed.). Vintage Books.
Nietzsche, F. (2001). The Gay
Science (Josefine Nauckhoff, Ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Ranisch, R., & Sorgner, S. L.
(2014). Beyond Humanism: Transh- and Posthumanism Jenseits Des Humanismus:
Trans-und Post-Humanismus (Vol. 1). Peterlang.
Sharon, T. (2014). Human Nature in
Age of Biotechnology. Springer.
Sorel, T. (1991). Scientism:
Philosophy and The Infatuation with Science. Routledge.
Vikoulov, A. (2016). Three Pillar
of Transhumanism: Superlongevity, Superintelligence, Super Wellbeing.
Ecstadelic Media.
https://www.ecstadelic.net/top-stories/three-pillars-of-transhumanism-superlongevity-superintelligence-superwellbeing
William, N. R. (2004). Promothean
Ambitions: Alchemy and The Quest to Perferct Nature. University of Chicago
Press.
Wibowo, S. (2017). Gaya Filosofi Nietzsche. Kanisius.
