Overview
- Addresses several types of human enhancement technologies, including moral bioenhancement
- Discusses the possibility of enhanced human or posthuman existence, yielding lots of creative possibilities for a book cover
- Topics covered include both those worked on for several years, as well as cutting edge themes, such as moral enhancement, common ground to both transhumanism and religions, the meaning of death, desire and transcendence, and virtue ethics
- Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras
Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in the Future of Humanity and its Successors (PSFHS)
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Table of contents (19 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Introduction
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Front Matter
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“Common Ground” between Transhumanism and Religions
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Front Matter
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Desires and Values
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Front Matter
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Moral Bioenhancement
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Front Matter
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Keywords
About this book
This collection vigorously addresses the religious implications of extreme human enhancement technology. Topics covered include cutting edge themes, such as moral enhancement, common ground to both transhumanism and religion, the meaning of death, desire and transcendence, and virtue ethics. Radical enhancement programs, advocated by transhumanists, could arguably have a more profound impact than any other development in human history.
Reflecting a range of opinion about the desirability of extreme enhancement, leading scholars in the field join with emerging scholars to foster enhanced conversation on these topics.
Reviews
"Religion is as important as ever, and science marches on. For humanity to survive, the secular and religious will have to move closer together, including on the most fundamental question: the modification of the human being itself. This book is an important step down that path, providing constructive perspectives on human enhancement, religion, and transhumanism. Open, thoughtful, and stimulating contributions from a variety of perspectives are included in this impressive volume." (Julian Savulescu, Director of the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, and Director of the Oxford Centre for Neuroethics, UK)
“Religion and Human Enhancement: Death, Values, and Morality is a wonderfully erudite and insightful exploration of the ancient and the modern, of religion and transhumanist philosophy. For anyone interested in how ideology and technology will intermingle to shape future civilization, this is essential reading.” (Phil Torres, founding Director of the X-Risks Institute and author of Morality, Foresight, and Human Flourishing: An Introduction to Existential Risks)
“Discernment concerning our transhuman future must be done in community if we are to appropriately advance humanity. To this point, Religion and Human Enhancement: Death, Values, and Morality offers a rich, valuable and distinctive exploration of the perils and opportunities that await us on the horizon by drawing us toward a deeper consideration of who we are and whowe should be.” (The Rev. Dr. Christopher J. Benek, Pastor, Techno-Theologian & Founder of the Christian Transhumanist Association, USA)
Editors and Affiliations
About the editors
Tracy J. Trothen is Associate Professor of Religion at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. She currently co-chairs the American Academy of Religion “Human Enhancement and Transhumanism” Group.
Calvin Mercer is Professor of Religious Studies, East Carolina University, USA. He is co-editor of Palgrave Studies in the Future of Humanity and Its Successors and founding chair of the American Academy of Religion “Human Enhancement and Transhumanism” Group.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Religion and Human Enhancement
Book Subtitle: Death, Values, and Morality
Editors: Tracy J. Trothen, Calvin Mercer
Series Title: Palgrave Studies in the Future of Humanity and its Successors
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62488-4
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2017
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-62487-7Published: 02 October 2017
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-319-87325-1Published: 18 August 2018
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-62488-4Published: 17 September 2017
Series ISSN: 2945-6592
Series E-ISSN: 2945-6606
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVII, 377
Topics: Religion and Society, Transgenics, Philosophy of Technology