Transhumanism
Transhumanism is a personal philosophy of personal human enhancement. This document offers applied individual effort (or hard work) as a critical missing piece of the transhumanist puzzle.
People who work on transhumanist technology projects tend to do so because they believe in directly applying existing technology towards transhumanist technology projects that are either presently possible, near-term possible or long-term possible.
Other definitions of transhumanism often leave out the dirty details of how to make technology. Generally, the future isn't going to create the technology and then send everything to you. The alternative is to focus on transhumanist engineering projects through engineering and other participation.
This document describes a general sense of transhumanism that is shared by the participants of hplusroadmap, an IRC channel that is focused on transhumanist technology engineering projects.
Transhumanist technology
Transhumanism is the concept of engaging in the ongoing work and development of certain technologies that enable further development. These technologies tend to include:
genetic engineering or synthetic biology
computer architecture, wearable computers, mobile devices, supercomputing, etc.
nutrition and body building
cryonics, cryopreservation, cryoresuscitation
powered exoskeletons
prosthetics
neural implants
space colonization, habitats, mining, communication, transportation
robots, mechanical automation
Transhumanist technology tends to include devices and methods that further enable you to make modifications, augmentations and improvements. For example, a nootropic that enables someone to build a better nootropic would be considered transhumanist. This is also known as recursive self-improvement.
Obvious statements
Transhumanists directly engage in learning and practicing:
Programming. This is the best way to experience the most immediate gains in transhumanist undertakings.
Lab protocols for molecular biology, microbiology, genetic engineering (synthetic biology), neurophysiology, computational neuroscience, bioinformatics. See diybio.
Skills involving electronics, circuit design, chip architecture, semiconductor/pcb manufacturing, and robotics.
Machining with lathes, mills, laser cutters, CNC, and operating other machine shop necessities.
Biology is technology.
Software and hardware
Type words about open source software, open source hardware, free software, technology licensing, etc.
Proactionary Principle
The proactionary principle exists as a response to the precautionary principle, a rule of thumb often used when deciding whether to allow the pursuit of a technology that might have a negative consequence. In practice, the precautionary principle is strongly biased against technological progress, stating that "we should permit no new technology to be developed and no new productive activity to take place unless we can scientifically prove that no harm to health or environment will result."
Alternatively, the proactionary principle emphasizes technological progress and our freedom to innovate and experiment, while also considering lost costs, payoffs and negative effects. The burden of proof against developing a new technology instead belongs to those who propose restrictive measures.
People's freedom to innovate technologically is highly valuable, even critical, to humanity. This implies a range of responsibilities for those considering whether and how to restrict new technologies. Assess risks and opportunities using an objective, open, and comprehensive, yet simple decision process based on science rather than collective emotional reactions. Account for the costs of restrictions and lost opportunities as fully as direct effects. Favor measures that are proportionate to the probability and magnitude of impacts, and that have the highest payoff relative to their costs. Give a high priority to people's freedom to learn, innovate, and advance.
Self-directed actualization
More information
General biohacking questions can get the best support through the diybio mailing list.
If you are interested in directly building transhumanist technology, please contact us through the #hplusroadmap channel on irc.libera.chat, the longest-running transhumanist channel in existence. The channel began as a roadmapping project for transhumanist technology for figuring out which enabling technologies (that is, technology that begets more transhumanist technology) to build. But really it's a community of like-minded individuals that are working on and funding cool projects.
In addition, you might be interested in finding individuals nearby or a place to do work:Contributing
This document is version controlled by git. Register to edit here and see other commands. You can also clone this wiki with git and push changes back:
git clone git://diyhpl.us/diyhpluswiki.git
Note to push changes you must push with your registered account:
git push username@diyhpl.us:/srv/git/diyhpluswiki.git master
You can make this easier by updating the remotes:
git remote set-url origin username@diyhpl.us:/srv/git/diyhpluswiki.git
Now "git push" should work without debilitating complaint.