Editing Posthumanism (section)

=== Technological posthumanism ===
Some forms of technological posthumanization involve efforts to directly alter the social, psychological, or physical structures and behaviors of the human being through the development and application of technologies relating to [[genetic engineering]] or [[Neuroprosthetics|neurocybernetic augmentation]]; such forms of posthumanization are studied, e.g., by [[Cyborg|cyborg theory]].<ref name="Gray 1995">''The Cyborg Handbook'' (1995). Chris Hables Gray, editor. New York: Routledge. {{ISBN|9780415908498}}.</ref> Other forms of technological posthumanization indirectly "posthumanize" human society through the deployment of [[social robot]]s or attempts to develop [[artificial general intelligence]]s, [[Cognitive robotics|sentient networks]], or other entities that can collaborate and interact with human beings as members of posthumanized societies.

The dynamics of technological posthumanization have long been an important element of [[science fiction]]; genres such as [[cyberpunk]] take them as a central focus. In recent decades, technological posthumanization has also become the subject of increasing attention by scholars and policymakers. The expanding and accelerating forces of technological posthumanization have generated diverse and conflicting responses, with some researchers viewing the processes of posthumanization as opening the door to a more meaningful and advanced [[Transhumanism|transhumanist]] future for humanity,<ref name="Moravec 1988">{{cite book|title=Mind Children: The Future of Robot and Human Intelligence|url=https://archive.org/details/mindchildrenfutu00mora|url-access=registration|last1=Moravec|first1=Hans|date=1988|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=0-674-57618-7|location=Cambridge}}</ref><ref name="Kurzweil 2005">{{cite book|title=The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology|last1=Kurzweil|first1=Ray|date=2005|publisher=Penguin|isbn=9781101218884|location=New York, NY}}</ref><ref name="Bostrom 2008">{{cite book|last=Bostrom|first=Nick|title=Medical Enhancement and Posthumanity|chapter=Why I Want to Be a Posthuman When I Grow Up|chapter-url=https://nickbostrom.com/posthuman.pdf|year=2008|editor1-last=Gordijn|editor1-first=Bert|editor2-last=Chadwick|editor2-first=Ruth|pages=107–137|publisher=Springer Netherlands|isbn=978-1-4020-8851-3|access-date=August 16, 2018}}</ref> while other [[Bioconservatism|bioconservative]] critiques warn that such processes may lead to a fragmentation of human society, loss of meaning, and subjugation to the forces of technology.<ref name="Fukuyama 2002">{{cite book|title=Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution|last1=Fukuyama|first1=Francis|date=2002|publisher=Farrar, Straus, and Giroux|isbn=9781861972972|location=New York, NY}}</ref>