"Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them." – Frank Herbert

The science fiction of today is the scientific fact of tomorrow. A good example is Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, predicting today's nuclear-powered submarines. Another would be H. G. Wells sci-fi/horror piece, The Island of Dr. Moreau which examines a world filled with human-animal hybrids. So when we discuss the future of transhumanism, you need to keep this in mind. For though it may seem far-fetched today, it is where we are headed.

Editor's Note: For the inevitable question, "what does this have to do with prepping?" we believe it's important to understand potential trends and threats. Being taken totally by surprise when something unfolds doesn't bode well for survival. ~ Daisy

Transhumanism is an awkward word that can have several meanings. 

It's not simply a scientific endeavor: it's a philosophical bent with a completely different standard. It's a philosophy that, if followed, abrogates virtually all traditional human societal customs and practices. The "trans" portion refers to the "transcendence," or the "passing" of the stage of humanity we're currently in – our form, our thinking, and our capabilities. A "leaving behind" of everything, in a nutshell, about us and ourselves. That is what transhumanism is about.

The process of achieving this transhumanistic state involves disciplines spread over many fields: robotics, genetics, nanotechnology, and AI (artificial intelligence), to name a few.  Gene therapy and gene splicing are techniques used in the genetic recombinance of both individuals and successive generations. 

We now have the capabilities to alter the very fabric of our makeup.

So, what is transhumanism, specifically?

Transhumanism is the "revision" of humanity and the fundamental transformation of the human race into something else. It's the transformation of humanity into a "thing" that cannot be readily identified.

The transhumanists themselves term it as a "transcendence of humanity," a rising of the human species "past" itself.

The transhumanist proponents want to cure disease, end hunger, and enable human beings to reach their maximum potential – physically and mentally – evolving into a "new" being by augmenting their bodies mechanically or biologically. It can also mean placing their consciousnesses into artificial, robotic bodies with the goal of potential immortality.