Transhumanist Elements in ‘Understand’
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Humans are progressing machines. Naturally, it is continuously changing and modifying not only itself but also everything around it, from a simple gadget to abstract concepts or questions asked from the very beginning of conscious ancestors’ times. Therefore, it is universally accepted that the human evolution process has never ceased and never will. In today’s world, Homo Sapiens are considered as human. However, if there is evolution, new, more intelligent, much healthier, and morally better individuals will emerge in time. The second half of the twentieth century paved the way for a thought on transcendent human with the popularized science fiction works. Aliens and robots, with their brain capacities and bodily functions, were depicted as beings to superior to humans. It was the superhero comics and books that reinforced the thought of a possibility of a superman seeded by the medical experiments conducted during WWII. Now, people are discussing immortality, or at least anti-aging. New drugs are tested to see whether deadly diseases can be cured. There are countless areas working to enhance and make better human conditions. Once the aimed goals are achieved, human will be called post-human. But, since we are in an epoch between the former and the latter, our first milestone to reach is being a transhuman. Nebula and Hugo-awarded author, Ted Chiang, is an American science fiction writer. His novellas are best known for their transhumanist features. As a computer science graduate, Chiang, in his short story called ‘Understand’, successfully fictionalizes the possible outcomes of a world in which a minority is privileged with abilities beyond human limitation. His portrayal of such a world makes one ponder whether humanity is “really” ready for such a move up on the genetic ladder or whether we are pushing fast ourselves to our own demise.
Author: Enfal Erkan
Institution: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University
Language: English
Subfield: Philosophy
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4399856629