What is transhumanism?
Most of us would consider the end of the human race as a catastrophe. There are some, however, who would not only rejoice at it, but want to hasten the day it arrives. Transhumanists look forward to a future in which Homo sapiens is superseded by a better, smarter, fitter model - humanity 2.0.
Humans are in dire need of improvement. Any species that causes huge damage to our environment, can't feed itself even though it has enough food and fights countless wars costing millions of lives must surely benefit from an intelligence upgrade.
Our lifespans are short, our final years usually characterised by diminishing health and vitality, often accompanied by a drop-off in cognitive capacity. One in three people born in 2015 are expected to get dementia. Is this really the best we can hope for?
Transhumanists think not. Ageing could be stopped and even reversed. Enhancements could dramatically raise our IQs and make us stronger and fitter. We might even be able to leave our fragile bodies behind and upload ourselves to computers, living forever in virtual worlds.
Improving humanity through science and technology could radically change us. Such a new beginning would in effect be the end of humanity as we know it. Many transhumanists see this as not only desirable but inevitable.
The scientist and futurist, Ray Kurzweil, believes we are approaching what he calls "the singularity" - the point at which computers become smart enough to learn for themselves, after which they will rapidly become smarter and smarter. The future belongs to artificial intelligence. The only way for humanity to survive is to embrace it and become wholly or partially artificial ourselves.
The thought of being replaced by a new form of humanity is bound to be unsettling. But transhumanists think we would be wrong to lament the end of humanity as we know it when what replaces us would be so much better. It would be like wishing children never grew up or that Homo erectus never evolved into Homo sapiens.
If the transhumanists are right, we could be one of the last generations of humans to roam the planet.
词汇表
transhumanism [trænsˈhjuːmənɪzəm] n. 超人类主义（主张利用科技增强人类能力，包括智力、体能等）
catastrophe [kəˈtæstrəfi] n. 灾难，灾祸
rejoice at [rɪˈdʒɔɪs] 因…而高兴，为…欣喜
hasten [ˈheɪs(ə)n] vt. 加速，加快，促进
transhumanist [trænsˈhjuːmənɪst] n. 超人类主义者
Homo sapiens [ˌhəʊməʊ ˈsæpienz] n. 智人（现代人的学名）
supersede [ˌsuːpəˈsiːd] vt. 取代，替代，接替（旧事物）
in dire need of [ˈdaɪə(r)] 迫切需要，急需
diminishing [dɪˈmɪnɪʃɪŋ] adj. 减弱的，衰退的
vitality [vaɪˈtæləti] n. 活力，生命力
drop-off n. 下降，下跌
cognitive capacity [ˈkɒɡnətɪv kəˈpæsəti] 认知能力
dementia [dɪˈmenʃə] n. 痴呆症
reverse [rɪˈvɜːs] vt. 逆转，翻转，彻底改变
enhancement [ɪnˈhɑːnsmənt] n. 增强，提高，改进
dramatically [drəˈmætɪkli] adv. 显著地，剧烈地
desirable [dɪˈzaɪərəb(ə)l] adj. 值得追求的，令人向往的，可取的
futurist [ˈfjuːtʃərɪst] n. 未来学家，未来主义者
singularity [ˌsɪŋɡjʊˈlærəti] n. 技术奇点（指人工智能等技术发展到超越人类智能、并能够自我持续改进的假设性时刻）
unsettling [ʌnˈset(ə)lɪŋ] adj. 令人不安的，使人担忧的
lament [ləˈment] v. 哀悼，悲叹，痛惜
Homo erectus [ˌhəʊməʊ ɪˈrektəs] n. 直立人
roam [rəʊm] v. 漫游，漫步，闲逛
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