From Mortal to Marvel: How Transhumanism will lead us to become Superheroes…or Villains
For those who have no idea what transhumanism is, we’ll define the term. Transhumanism refers to a house of thought that aims to merge science and technology to enhance human abilities and in turn, improve human quality of life. In other words, think Iron Man. Just like Tony Stark used technology to be quicker, smarter and stronger, transhumanism seeks to use biotechnology, nanotechnology and robotics to go beyond the current limitations of the human body and mind.
If there is something that every movie that plays with science has shown us is how terribly wrong it can go. Take Jurassic Park for example, although humans were more than enthusiastic to see dinosaurs roam the earth again…it did not end too well. In the same way, scientists and policymakers argue about the potential consequences that may come from this and the ethics behind it.
In case that is not enough to scare you, Elon Musk is also involved in getting this technology going. That sentence alone should be enough to give you nightmares. His company, Neuralink, is developing a technology that would implant a tiny computer chip into the human brain with the end goal of creating a direct link between humans and the technology it is hooked up to. Musk’s idea is that by merging these two worlds together, artificial intelligence and humans, humans will be better prepared to adapt to the continuous technologies and maybe even cure neurological conditions. Even though it is still developing, it is important to inform that Musk’s company has tried to implant a computer chip in the brain of a monkey already and it did not go too well as the monkey passed away.
So in conclusion, if you’ve always dreamt of becoming a superhero, the future is near. Still, having that dream become a reality will not come without challenges both legally and ethically. Also the idea of having a chip implanted in the brain, with others having access to it in order to control it…not the greatest.
