h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hmmm, When you talk about transhumanism, I assume you want to work towards a non-organic body, to overcome the limitations of an organic form. (of course, this would turn us in effective robots-you can say goodbye to all the gentle pleasures of being an organic lifeform)

But, we're already working in this direction. We are already adapting to use out technolagy. Already humans have evolved traits to cope with tool use, such as dexterity and opposible thumbs, and lost the ability to survive in the wild. Conversly, we have become smarter.And people are adapting to recent technolagies such as text-messaging. The next step will be natural selection and microevolutionry processes. Frankly, I resent this direction the human genome is taking. I'm already unable to last very long in the open and hate it. I want to be an organic animal, not a machine. I already rely on modern technolagy to survive -specticles- and don't want it to go any furthur. Stuff breaks down, after all.

If we want to change the human species to our own wants, prehaps Genetic technolagies are the way to go? We can already create transgenic creatures with a range of engineered traits. We can use vectors to insert modifyied genes, we can use restriction enzymes to take stuff out, we can change existing genes using site-specific mutagenisis. We can create animals with traits we desire. Soon we'll be able to create animals and even people that are chimeras, that combine different parts, anything goes. We can even use retrovius vectors to insert different genes into living organisims. Within the limitations of an organic lifeform, we can, or will soon be able to, change anything we want. And then, we're still a self-replicationg organisim capable of all the things that make living in a human body worthwhile. Plus many more.

Personally, I'm happy being the person I am, except for one thing; I'd like a tail.

Wouldn't we all, but I'd like to have wings too.

As science and technology progress we will learn how to replace more worn-out parts than we can now. As parts of the brain that have failed are replaced by chips and the like so gradually the human will become a cyborg ; continuing the life of the person that it once was.
The cyborg can then free itself from the needs of those things that the carbon based creature need air,water, food and evolve into an android.
Free now to take on what ever shape it wants. Free to plunge the deepest parts of the oceans, and anywhere in the universe at will ; as long as it can get replacement parts.
Life then could be for ever.
JUST A THOUGHT.