David Roden Libri

We imagine posthumans as humans made superhumanly intelligent or resilient by future advances in nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science. Many argue that these enhanced people might live better lives; others fear that tinkering with our nature will undermine our sense of our own humanity. Whoever is right, it is assumed that our technological successor will be an upgraded or degraded version of us: Human 2.0. Posthuman Life argues that the enhancement debate projects a human face onto an empty screen. We do not know what will happen and, not being posthuman, cannot anticipate how posthumans will assess the world. If a posthuman future will not necessarily be informed by our kind of subjectivity or morality the limits of our current knowledge must inform any ethical or political assessment of that future. Posthuman Life develops a critical metaphysics of posthuman succession and argues that only a truly speculative posthumanism can support an ethics that meets the challenge of the transformative potential of technology.

Focusing on the intersection of technology and ethics, the book explores a critical metaphysics of posthuman succession. It posits that a speculative posthumanism is essential to address the transformative potential of technology, suggesting that traditional ethical frameworks may be inadequate in the face of rapid advancements. Through this lens, the work challenges readers to reconsider the implications of posthuman existence and the ethical responsibilities that arise from it.