What Does it Mean to be Human? Life, Death, Personhood and the Transhumanist Movement

Softcover Nachdruck of the original 1. Auflage 2018
ISBN: 978-3-030-06942-1
Verlag: Springer International Publishing

Buch, Englisch, Band 3, 213 Seiten, Previously published in hardcover, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 371 g

Reihe: Anticipation Science

This book is a critical examination of the philosophical and moral issues in relation to human enhancement and the various related medical developments that are now rapidly moving from the laboratory into the clinical realm. In the book, the author critically examines technologies such as genetic engineering, neural implants, pharmacologic enhancement, and cryonic suspension from transhumanist and bioconservative positions, focusing primarily on moral issues and what it means to be a human in a setting where technological interventions sometimes impact strongly on our humanity. 
The author also introduces the notion that death is a process rather than an event, as well as identifies philosophical and clinical limitations in the contemporary determination of brain death as a precursor to organ procurement for transplantation. The discussion on what exactly it means to be dead is later applied to explore philosophical and clinical issues germane to the cryonics movement. 
Written by a physician/ scientist and heavily referenced to the peer-reviewed medical and scientific literature, the book is aimed at advanced students and academics but should be readable by any intelligent reader willing to carry out some side-reading. No prior knowledge of moral philosophy is assumed, as the various key approaches to moral philosophy are outlined early in the book.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Doyle, D. John

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Moderne Philosophische Disziplinen Philosophie der Technik
• Mathematik | Informatik EDV | Informatik EDV & Informatik Allgemein Soziale und ethische Aspekte der EDV
• Medizin | Veterinärmedizin Medizin | Public Health | Pharmazie | Zahnmedizin Medizin, Gesundheitswesen Medizinische Ethik
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Ethik, Moralphilosophie
• Technische Wissenschaften Technik Allgemein Philosophie der Technik
• Geisteswissenschaften Philosophie Angewandte Ethik & Soziale Verantwortung Medizinische Ethik

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Biomedical Ethics.- Chapter 3. Humans, Transhumans and Humanoids.- Chapter 4. Pharmacologic Enhancement: Possibilities and Perils.- Chapter 5. Life, Death, and Brain Death.- Chapter 6. Cryonic Life Extension: Scientific Possibility or Stupid Pipe Dream?.- Chapter 7. Defending Attacks Against Transhumanism.- Chapter 8. Conclusions. Appendix.