UPDATE (12/26/22): I had forgotten until after I wrote this post that the book 2084 by John Lennox was a huge help in providing me with categories for thinking through the issue of transhumanism. I want to give credit where credit is due and I don’t want to give the impression that I arrived at my conlusions unaided.
Over the course of the past year or so (and especially the past six months), I’ve become deeply interested in the issue of Transhumanism. For those who might not be familiar with the term, Transhumanism, as formally defined in the Transhumanist FAQ, is “a way of thinking about the future that is based on the premise that the human species in its current form does not represent the end of our development but rather a comparatively early phase.”
The part of transhumanist thought that initially piqued my interest was the idea of merging human consciousness with artificial intelligence. Something didn’t sit well with me about that. I immediately tried to consider the question from a Christian worldview, but I found that I was having a hard time forming a clear, biblical response. On top of the frustration of not knowing how to think through the issue was a sense of fear. I was given many predictions about the future of transhumanism and the singularity that made it seem like by the time I got out of college all the crazy billionaires would have figured out how to upload their minds to computers and zoom past the intelligence of any human being in the past.
Thankfully, the past year has given me time to settle down, think, read, and come to firmer ground on the issue of transhumanism. I can’t claim to have all the answers, but my confidence in God and the veracity of the biblical worldview has been reaffirmed in my mind and heart. I would like to share a few of my thoughts on the topic of transhumanism with y’all. In particular, I want to help my brothers and sisters in Christ see the bible’s answers to transhumanist ways of thinking, as well as spur on the conversation towards how we can reach those who subscribe to this system.
Cosmology Matters
If you hear or read a presentation of transhumanism, they’ll often use language that implies that transhumanism is the next step in human evolution. From what I’ve seen, transhumanists pretty consistently position themselves within an evolutionary cosmology.
Within such a framework, transhumanism actually makes a lot of sense. Random chance over billions of years has produced humanity - the most intelligent species we know of. If natural selection working together with random mutations has optimized us to reach the point which we are at now, it is only logical that humanity could improve much faster if it took control of its own evolution. Instead of gradual evolution over billions of years, we could optimize ourselves to whatever aim we (or the powers that control these technologies) deem desirable.
The evolutionary narrative that the universe is little more than cosmic coincidence stands in stark contrast to the bible’s teaching that the universe originated because of intentional action on God’s part. God is the Creator and sustainer of all things, and we as Christians should not shy away from that fact. In a culture that is growing increasingly hostile to Christian Theism, we can find ourselves tempted to stay quiet when people assert an evolutionary worldview (the classroom in particular comes to mind). Yet the evolutionary system, as with all ideas, has consequences. A strong biblical argument against transhumanism starts with Creation.
Doubling Down on Imago Dei
Speaking of Genesis 1-2, the second front which we must understand well in order to respond to transhumanists is anthropology (doctrine of man).
With the godless system of transhumanism, transhumanists have no reason to see themselves as acting unethically when they try to “upgrade” humanity. If we are just purposeless bags of meat, why not replicate the elctro-chemical lump in our heads on a computer and call it a day?
The scriptures teach a different story. According to the word of God, humanity is created in the image of God. Though Adam plunged us into sin and death by his sin in the garden, we nevertheless retain inherent worth and dignity that sets us apart from the animals. The image of God is distorted in us, but it is not removed.
How does the doctrine of imago dei relate to the transhumanist debate? Simply put, if human beings are made in the image of God, then to be a better human is to better reflect God. The problem for transhumanists is that, without a biblically-informed knowledge of God, their attempts at making a better human will result in something that is less than human, not more. In fact, the aspirations of transhumanists sound strikingly similar to what Satan offered in the garden (Gen 3:4). There, the outcome was that the image of God in humanity was distorted and humanity became only a whisper of what we were created to be. In other words, the transhumanist worldview sees humanity as too human; the biblical worldview sees humanity as not human enough.
At this point, an objection might be raised. We use technology (like medicine) to counteract the effects of the curse; isn’t transhumanism just a logical extension of the same? I admit that this is an area where I still need to do more thinking (and I welcome comments from my readers). However, my current position is that technology should be used to combat the effects of the curse, but it should not be used to try to go beyond imago Dei.
For example, the Scriptures teach that human beings are uniquely comprised of both body and soul. This stands in contrast to the angels (who are only spiritual) and the animals (who are only physical). While I think there may be a valid case for things like exoskeletons or even brain implants, I think that any attempt to separate the soul/mind from the body would be a clear violation of imago Dei (so attempts to upload human consciousness to a computer with the goal of having it exist apart from the body would be wrong).
Preach the Gospel (and don’t forget the resurrection)
Up until now the things which we have discussed have been things that distinguish Christians from transhumanists and how we as Christians can prepare ourselves to respond to transhumanism. What we have not yet addressed is the only thing which will successfully bring a transhumanist out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light: the Gospel.
I do not believe that people are argued into conversion. That is, I believe that the reasons why people reject the Gospel are primarily moral/spiritual, not intellectual. The intellectual arguments against Christianity have all been raised and addressed countless times, yet unbelief remains. Because of this opinion, I do not think one must become an expert apologist in order to be able to witness to people; one must simply understand the message of the Gospel.
With that being said, I think it can be helpful when witnessing to be familiar with what other people believe so that we can show in particular how the biblical message compares. In the case of transhumanists, we have already seen that we shouldn’t rush through explaining Creation or the Fall (I didn’t mention it above, but a discussion of the fall is also a good time to present the law; I would refer my readers to Ray Comfort/Living Waters/Way of the Master). However, I think that the Christian hope of resurrection and new Creation can serve as a particularly strong alternative to the transhumanist vision of technological transcendence.
Every religion (including transhumanism) must provide an explanation of what is wrong with the world and what can be done about it. Within transhumanism, the problem is death and the solution is more technology. The Bible tells a different story. We do not live in a meaningless void, but a universe created and governed by God Almighty, and He has made clear in his word that death is not the problem; it is the consequence of the true problem: our sins against God. We all deserve eternal punishment for our sins against an infinitely good and righteous God. Yet God is rich in mercy, and the One who gave us life came to give us new life. Instead of the transhumanist hope that man will evolve into God, God took on human flesh to bear the wrath which we deserved for our sins and to restore the image of God in us. Jesus Christ lived a perfect life (succeeding where Adam failed), died on the cross as the Father poured out the wrath we deserved onto the Son in our place, was buried, rose again on the third day in victory over death (He is the firstfruits of the new Creation), and then ascended to the right hand of God, from which He will one day return to judge the living and the dead and fully establish the new Creation.
To all who repent of their sins and put their faith in Christ, God promises to wipe away all their sins and to give them eternal life. We begin to experience this eternal life the moment the Holy Spirit regenerates us, and it will reach its consummation at the return of Christ when believers will experience the full restoration of imago Dei as we worship God and reign with Christ.
Transhumanists are human just like the rest of us; they fear death, they know there is something wrong with the world, and their souls rage against the idea that this world is as good as it gets. We have the answers they don’t realize they need. Our hope is not bound up in silicone and wires; it is in the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself up for us.
Conclusion
I would like to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ that in addition to (not instead of) preaching the Gospel verbally to transhumanists, we can show the strength of the biblical story of redemption by showing forth imago Dei as the Holy Spirit works in us even now to renew it. As we grow into the role God has called us to, it will become obvious that the feeble attempts of transhumanists to produce life are interlopers and the biblical vision of humanity is the genuine. I am indebted to C.S. Lewis (in particular That Hideous Strength with its contrasts between Logres and Belburry) for this idea.
Transhumanism is a religious system that makes empty promises to its adherents. They have fallen for the same lie as Adam and Eve in the garden, and like Adam and Eve their rebellion against God has placed them on the path to death. We, as those who have been saved by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, have hope to offer to transhumanists. Their system teaches them that they are purposeless sacks in a meaningless universe; we know that they are beings created in the image of God with purpose, dignity, and worth. Their system teaches them to hope in technology for salvation; the Scriptures declare that God has dealt with sin and will bring new Creation. Let us teach transhumanists with our words and show them in our actions of new Creation that the biblical hope of resurrection is not in vain.
P.S. I have found C.S. Lewis to be particularly effective in communicating the glories of the resurrection, the image of God, and the new Creation. Perelandra, That Hideous Strength, and The Great Divorce all come to mind. That Hideous Strength is also good reading for those interested in transhumanism.
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