Very interesting discussion up at Garden of Forking Paths on transhumanism. Transhumanism, for those not familiar with that area of philosophical debate, is basically the idea that we ought to enhance human nature, overcome our weaknesses, typically through technological advancement. In a weak form we can see it in things like eye glasses, health care allowing many to live productive lives who never otherwise would have. In the more moderate and controversial form it includes purely cosmetic medical procedures like breast augmentation, leg lengthening, and so forth. In its ultimate dystopia it is the Borg of Star Trek. However since I truly hate Star Trek I'll not mention them beyond the picture of a transformed human from the show.
Garden of Forking Paths basically considers the issue from the free will debate. Consider that many of human vices may have strong physical components. Already with various psychotropic drugs we can significantly affect human behavior. What if we could via various physical interventions, cure those with propensities towards violence or even more subtle anti-social behaviors like stealing? If we can do this, what does that say about free will?
While I've admittedly not thought much about transhumanism, beyond enjoying it as a subtext in various cyberpunk thrillers, the whole issue really is quite relevant to Mormons.
Consider the rather common way we think of bodies and the resurrection. The way most Mormons, I think, conceive of the resurrection is that it is "us" only "cured" of our more anti-social ways. Our bodies are then "augmented" so that they have far more abilities than our mortal bodies do. Yes, it's true we don't put it into those terms. But when you think about it the Mormon conception of a resurrected body is just that. Further the ultimate sanctification by Christ for humanity consists of giving them a perfect resurrected body such that they no longer have the weaknesses of the "natural man." It is sown in corruption but raised in incorruption.
Given the Mormon propensity to physicalism and how we view mortality, the whole issue of freedom does raise itself. One choice, especially common among Mormon philosophers, is to conceive of our "essence" as something more transcendent that can't be grasped by physicalism. Often that transcendence is free will. I suppose that in this view one might see mortality as a probationary state in which our free will can manifest itself better than in other circumstances. God then, at the end, gives better bodies which limit the more turbulent aspects of mortality. Presumably judgment, in this scheme, is in part determined by our will.
The obvious question, hinted at within the Garden post, is to what degree a resurrected being is still free? While this may well help explain the LDS theology of why mortality was so important for pre-mortal people living with God awaiting birth, it seems to raise many questions regarding the resurrection.
I don't have answers for many of these. But they are interesting questions.
well...those kinds of powers may one day help us really understand the cosmos..but my biggest fear is nanotechnology being used by corrupt governments to gain enormous power and enslave every last individual..mabye its improbable.. but i think we should continue with our evolution without using technology on the inside at the atomic scale...i think our species is just to young to use cybernetic enhancements wisely..i'd hold off for at least 100,000 or even 1,000,000 more years before i'd be confident we would not just destroy ourselves or become "eternal slaves" this is an entirely new level of precision..we would do well to tread very lightly
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