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Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond to the Redesigned Human of the Future
A provocative work by medical ethicist James Hughes, Citizen Cyborg argues that technologies pushing the boundaries of humanness can radically improve our quality of life if they are controlled democratically. Hughes challenges both the technophobia of Leon Kass and Francis Fukuyama and the unchecked enthusiasm of others for limitless human enhancement. He argues instead for a third way, "democratic transhumanism," by asking the question destined to become a fundamental issue of the twenty-first How can we use new cybernetic and biomedical technologies to make life better for everyone? These technologies hold great promise, but they also pose profound challenges to our health, our culture, and our liberal democratic political system. By allowing humans to become more than human - "posthuman" or "transhuman" - the new technologies will require new answers for the enduring issues of liberty and the common good. What limits should we place on the freedom of people to control their own bodies? Who should own genes and other living things? Which technologies should be mandatory, which voluntary, and which forbidden? For answers to these challenges, Citizen Cyborg proposes a radical return to a faith in the resilience of our democratic institutions.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 26, 2004
12 people are currently reading
467 people want to read
About the author
James Hughes
272 books10 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 8, 2007
New technologies are coming in the near future that have the potential to radically change what it means to be human. This book looks at why democratic societies must respond to things like cloning, genetic engineering and nanotechnology, instead of pretending that they don’t exist.
What the author calls "bio-Luddites" are opposed to such new technologies, because they feel that mankind should be happy with its 70 (or so) years of life, characterized by increasing bodily disfunction in its later stages. Another reason for opposition is the vague, but always there, possibility of a disaster unleashing some new plague on the world. Some people say that taboos and gut feelings are the path to wisdom. If a new technology feels spooky, ban it immediately. The Catholic Church opposes such things because they are supposedly offensive to God.
On the other hand, if a person is found to be a carrier for, or genetically susceptible to, Disease X, don’t they have the right to fix their DNA (assuming a safe and reliable method can be found to do so)? Those who call themselves transhumanists (based on humanism) believe that people should have the right to modify their bodies, whether the quest is for greater intelligence, longevity or a happier outlook on life. They are the first to assert that there must be adequate discussion beforehand, and adequate safeguards after the introduction of a new technology. Such things must also be available to all people, through some sort of universal health insurance, not just to the rich. Transhumanists have no desire to take over the world, but one of the subjects for social consideration has to be how to extinguish potential schisms between humans and posthumans. To those who think that some new regulatory agency is needed, the author does not agree. Agencies like the FDA and EPA will be able to do the job, if they ever get the funding and authority needed. Don’t forget that 25 years ago, in vitro fertilization was considered an abomination; now it is practically mainstream.
This is a pretty specialized book, but it shouldn’t be. Like it or not, the new technologies described in this book are coming in the near future. It is better to start discussing, now, how to deal with them, instead of just saying No. The reader may not agree with everything in this book, but it is an excellent place to begin that discussion.
What the author calls "bio-Luddites" are opposed to such new technologies, because they feel that mankind should be happy with its 70 (or so) years of life, characterized by increasing bodily disfunction in its later stages. Another reason for opposition is the vague, but always there, possibility of a disaster unleashing some new plague on the world. Some people say that taboos and gut feelings are the path to wisdom. If a new technology feels spooky, ban it immediately. The Catholic Church opposes such things because they are supposedly offensive to God.
On the other hand, if a person is found to be a carrier for, or genetically susceptible to, Disease X, don’t they have the right to fix their DNA (assuming a safe and reliable method can be found to do so)? Those who call themselves transhumanists (based on humanism) believe that people should have the right to modify their bodies, whether the quest is for greater intelligence, longevity or a happier outlook on life. They are the first to assert that there must be adequate discussion beforehand, and adequate safeguards after the introduction of a new technology. Such things must also be available to all people, through some sort of universal health insurance, not just to the rich. Transhumanists have no desire to take over the world, but one of the subjects for social consideration has to be how to extinguish potential schisms between humans and posthumans. To those who think that some new regulatory agency is needed, the author does not agree. Agencies like the FDA and EPA will be able to do the job, if they ever get the funding and authority needed. Don’t forget that 25 years ago, in vitro fertilization was considered an abomination; now it is practically mainstream.
This is a pretty specialized book, but it shouldn’t be. Like it or not, the new technologies described in this book are coming in the near future. It is better to start discussing, now, how to deal with them, instead of just saying No. The reader may not agree with everything in this book, but it is an excellent place to begin that discussion.
December 3, 2012
Consider this book in two parts: A discussion of the sociology of trans-humanism, and the biased opinions of the author.
The sociology discussed is GREAT. James Hughes does an invigorating job of exploring the rough edges we will face as more trans-humans appear.
The opinions, however, are shrill, outdated and suspect. Hughes has an axe to grind and drags the reader through his interpretation of events, pundits and opinions. This is not a balanced discussion, we are only treated to a one-sided view of why he is right and his opponents are wrong.
Read this if you are searching for an interesting perspective on this topic, and are willing to float over the politics.
The sociology discussed is GREAT. James Hughes does an invigorating job of exploring the rough edges we will face as more trans-humans appear.
The opinions, however, are shrill, outdated and suspect. Hughes has an axe to grind and drags the reader through his interpretation of events, pundits and opinions. This is not a balanced discussion, we are only treated to a one-sided view of why he is right and his opponents are wrong.
Read this if you are searching for an interesting perspective on this topic, and are willing to float over the politics.
March 21, 2023
Informative, well-written book that lays out an admittedly optimistic plan for the future of human enhancement through electrical and biological technology.
The book covers both potential and current areas of enhancement/treatment and also the poltical landscape surrounding it. Written in the early 2000s, and be read 20 years later I can say the authors predictions were perhaps a little precocious, but they are slowly coming true, albeit at a slower rate than expected. Yet in fairness the book also predicts the obstacles that biotechnology has encountered.
The framework presented for balancing humanity, posthumanity, ecology and civil liberties is balanced and realistic in my view. The book can definitely serve as a map for the landscape of biopolitics.
The book covers both potential and current areas of enhancement/treatment and also the poltical landscape surrounding it. Written in the early 2000s, and be read 20 years later I can say the authors predictions were perhaps a little precocious, but they are slowly coming true, albeit at a slower rate than expected. Yet in fairness the book also predicts the obstacles that biotechnology has encountered.
The framework presented for balancing humanity, posthumanity, ecology and civil liberties is balanced and realistic in my view. The book can definitely serve as a map for the landscape of biopolitics.
July 3, 2021
It was fun to read a book of a transhumanist. There are a lot of ideas, most of them crazy, the rest unfeasible, and interesting facts that provided me with a richer, complementary understanding of certain debates. What appalled me is the tendentious and simplistic take he has on all those debates, and I agree with most of his positions. Reading this after Parens' nuanced and subdued take on the enhancement debate made it even harder.
November 10, 2023
There are some extreme points that are very debatable, the agenda that the author is defending could easily turn on him, and the "democratic transhumanism" could be a cover, or be the useful idiots for the more realistic "corporate transhumanism", but at least many points are interesting to consider. It is well worth reading.
July 7, 2018
Descent book. It is dated now, but also kind of interesting to look at a prediction of what technology will look like, especially since I am reading this 14 years after original publication.
October 18, 2016
Probably not fair to review this since I couldn't finish it. The topic fascinated me, but the writing is so dull I couldn't get through a page, no matter how many sections I tried (and I tried many).
April 24, 2008
Enlightenment,nonfiction,political science,transhumanism,enhancement
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews