Participant evolution
Encyclopedia
Participant evolution is a process of deliberately redesigning the human body
and brain
using technological means, rather than through the natural processes of mutation and natural selection, with the goal of removing "biological limitations." The idea of participant evolution was first put forward by Manfred E. Clynes and Nathan S. Kline
in the 1960s in their article Cyborgs and Space, where they argued that the human species was already on a path of participant evolution. Science fiction
writers have speculated what the next stage of such participant evolution will be.
Whilst Clynes and Kline saw participant evolution as the process of creating cyborg
s, the idea has been adopted and propounded by transhumanists who argue that individuals should have the choice of using human enhancement
technologies on themselves and their children, to progressively become transhuman
and ultimately posthuman
, as part of a voluntary regimen of participant evolution.
Human body
The human body is the entire structure of a human organism, and consists of a head, neck, torso, two arms and two legs.By the time the human reaches adulthood, the body consists of close to 100 trillion cells, the basic unit of life...
and brain
Human brain
The human brain has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times larger than the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size. Estimates for the number of neurons in the human brain range from 80 to 120 billion...
using technological means, rather than through the natural processes of mutation and natural selection, with the goal of removing "biological limitations." The idea of participant evolution was first put forward by Manfred E. Clynes and Nathan S. Kline
Nathan S. Kline
Nathan S. Kline, M.D. was a man of diverse talents and interests whose mind was ever open to new ideas. He was best known for his pioneering work with psychopharmacologic drugs....
in the 1960s in their article Cyborgs and Space, where they argued that the human species was already on a path of participant evolution. Science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
writers have speculated what the next stage of such participant evolution will be.
Whilst Clynes and Kline saw participant evolution as the process of creating cyborg
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
s, the idea has been adopted and propounded by transhumanists who argue that individuals should have the choice of using human enhancement
Human enhancement
Human enhancement refers to any attempt to temporarily or permanently overcome the current limitations of the human body through natural or artificial means...
technologies on themselves and their children, to progressively become transhuman
Transhuman
Transhuman or trans-human is a term that has been defined and redefined many times in history. In its contemporary usage, “transhuman” refers to an intermediary form between the human and the hypothetical posthuman.-History of hypotheses:...
and ultimately posthuman
Posthuman
Posthuman may refer to:*Posthuman, a hypothetical future being whose basic capacities so radically exceed those of present humans as to be no longer human by our current standards...
, as part of a voluntary regimen of participant evolution.