Editing Transhumanism (section)

=== Technologies of interest ===
{{Main|Human enhancement technologies}}
Transhumanists support the [[emerging technologies|emergence]] and [[converging technologies|convergence]] of technologies including [[nanotechnology]], [[biotechnology]], [[information technology]] and [[cognitive science]] (NBIC), as well as hypothetical future technologies like [[simulated reality]], [[artificial intelligence]], [[superintelligence]], [[3D bioprinting]], [[mind uploading]], chemical brain preservation and [[cryonics]]. They believe that humans can and should use these technologies to become [[superhuman|more than human]].<ref name="Naam 2005"/> Therefore, they support the recognition or protection of [[cognitive liberty]], [[morphological freedom]] and [[procreative liberty]] as [[civil liberties]], so as to guarantee individuals the choice of using [[human enhancement technologies]] on themselves and their children.<ref name="Sandberg 2001"/> Some speculate that human enhancement techniques and other emerging technologies may facilitate more radical human enhancement no later than at the midpoint of the 21st century. Kurzweil's book ''[[The Singularity is Near]]'' and Michio Kaku's book ''[[Physics of the Future]]'' outline various human enhancement technologies and give insight on how these technologies may impact the human race.<ref name="Kurzweil 2005"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Kaku|first=Michio|title=Physics of the Future|year=2011|publisher=Doubleday|location=United States|page=389}}</ref>

Some reports on the converging technologies and NBIC concepts have criticised their transhumanist orientation and alleged [[science fiction]]al character.<ref name="The Royal Society & The Royal Academy of Engineering 2004"/> At the same time, research on brain and body alteration technologies has been accelerated under the sponsorship of the [[United States Department of Defense|U.S. Department of Defense]], which is interested in the battlefield advantages they would provide to the [[supersoldier]]s of the United States and its allies.<ref name="Moreno 2006"/> There has already been a brain research program to "extend the ability to manage information", while military scientists are now looking at stretching the human capacity for combat to a maximum 168 hours without sleep.<ref name="Managing Nano-Bio-Info-Cogno Innovations: Converging Technologies in Society"/>

Neuroscientist [[Anders Sandberg]] has been practicing on the method of scanning ultra-thin sections of the brain. This method is being used to help better understand the architecture of the brain. It is currently being used on mice. This is the first step towards hypothetically [[Mind uploading|uploading contents of the human brain, including memories and emotions, onto a computer]].<ref name="Sandberg 2009"/><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Fan |first1=Xue |last2=Markram |first2=Henry |date=2019-05-07 |title=A Brief History of Simulation Neuroscience |journal=Frontiers in Neuroinformatics |volume=13 |page=32 |doi=10.3389/fninf.2019.00032 |doi-access=free |issn=1662-5196 |pmc=6513977 |pmid=31133838}}</ref>

{{anchor|Controversy}}