Transhumanism as a New Social Movement: The Techno-Centred Imagination (Palgrave Studies in the Future of Humanity and its Successors)

"This book explores Technological Human Enhancement Advocacy through ethnographically inspired participant observation across a range of sites. James Michael MacFarlane argues that such advocacy is characterized by 'Techno-centrism, ' a belief grounded in today's world while being also future-oriented and drawn from the imagination. This blurring of 'real' and 'imagined' futures borrows from the materialist grounding of the scientific worldview, while granting extended license to visions for technology as an enabler of forward-facing action, which include reviving humanist ideals associated with the modernization project. While Techno-centrism is arguably most pronounced in transhumanism--where it is acted-out in extreme, almost hyperbolic ways--it reflects more generally held, deep-seeded concerns around the future of science, technology and human self-identity in the new millennium. Far from being new, these emerging social forms capture unresolved ambivalences which have long cast a shadow over late-modern society and culture."-- Provided by publisher Contents Chapter 1: The Transhuman Condition: Science Slightly over the Edge? 1.1 Background for Study 1.2 Motivations/Key Contributions 1.2.1 Motivations 1.2.2 Key Contributions 1.3 Overview of Thesis References Chapter 2: Moving Beyond Humanism: A Review of Literature 2.1 Self-Identity, Framing and Narrative in ‘New’ Social Movement Theory 2.1.1 ‘New’ Social Movement Theory: A Post-War Paradigmatic Shift Towards Identity 2.1.2 ‘New’ Social Movement Analysis: Framing, Narrative and the ARRR Model Framing Theory/Narrative Analysis The ARRR Classification Scheme of Social Movement Objectives 2.2 Contested Transhumanisms: Internal Versus External Histories 2.2.1 Prelude: ‘Proto-transhumanists’ and Etymology of the Term Transhumanism 2.2.2 From Evolutionary View to Philosophical Position: The Formalisation of Transhumanist-Extropianism in the 1990s 2.3 Mobilisations: Techno-Utopian Collective Action Frames? 2.3.1 Early Transhumanist Organisations in the Twenty-First Century: 1998–2008 2.3.2 Party Politicisation of Transhumanism: 2014–Present 2.3.3 Technologised Collective Action Frames and Science as a Social Movement 2.4 Conclusions References Chapter 3: Methods and Methodology 3.1 Conceptual Framework: Imagining the ‘Unsited Field’ 3.1.1 ‘Doing’ Multi-sited Ethnographically Inspired Work 3.1.2 Selections: Choosing Sites and Subjects 3.2 Research Practice: Moving Between Sites and Subjects 3.2.1 Overview of Fieldwork Activities 3.2.2 Interventions 3.3 Processing Data: Crafting an Analytic Narrative 3.3.1 Principles of Analysis 3.3.2 Method of Analysis 3.4 Conclusions References Chapter 4: Constituents 4.1 Demographics: The Presentation of Self in Offline/Online Spaces 4.1.1 The Range of Constituents: Observed 4.1.2 The Range: Self-Described 4.2 Memetic Travel and Standards: Networked Propagation of an Idea (l)...... 4.2.1 Memetic Travel 4.2.2 Standards 4.3 Affinity: Boundaries, Inclusivity and Social Integration 4.3.1 Boundaries 4.3.2 Inclusivity 4.4 Conclusions References Chapter 5: Mobilisations 5.1 TELOS: Modelling the ‘Objectivisation’ of Human Enhancement 5.1.1 Networked Advocate Taxonomy of THE 5.2 IN POTENTIA: The Possibilities Inscribed Within Technology 5.2.1 The Three S’s Super-Intelligence Super-Longevity Super-Wellbeing 5.3 VIA: Travelling Through, En Route 5.3.1 Continuity Versus Cessation 5.3.2 Milestones 5.4 TECHNE: The Artful ‘Craft’ of Transhumanism 5.4.1 The Importance of Public Image 5.4.2 THEA as Techno-Humanistic Narrative-Building 5.5 Conclusions References Chapter 6: Politics 6.1 ATROPHY: The Disintegration and Inertia of Contemporary Politics 6.1.1 Inadequacy of Party Politics 6.1.2 Relevance of Party Politics? 6.2 ACTIVISM: Tensions Between Virtual and Embodied Politicking 6.2.1 Increasing Political Recognition: The Transhumanist Party 6.2.2 ‘Hands off’: Should THE Be Politicised? 6.3 AUTONOMY: The Individuated Consumer as Self-Determining Agent 6.3.1 ‘Proactionary’ Self-Experimentation and Bodily Sovereignty 6.3.2 Free Markets, Free Choice 6.4 Conclusions References Chapter 7: Existence 7.1 ATHEISM: Closed-Individualism and Techno-Secular Humanism 7.1.1 ‘Closed Individualism’ via Technologised Secular Humanism? 7.1.2 Non-dogmatism = Better Transhumanism? 7.2 THEISM: The Technology of Post-Secular Community 7.2.1 Transhumanism as a Quasi-Religious Movement? 7.2.2 THEA as Basis for Secular ‘Community of Interest/Value(s)’? 7.3 RATIONALISM and FAITH: The Seduction of Promise in Lieu of Certainty 7.3.1 The Unknown Versus Unknowable: Dovetailing with the Fringe and Esoteric 7.3.2 THEA as Jovial, Visceral Performance 7.3.3 Technology as Consumable ‘Hope’ 7.4 Conclusions References Chapter 8: The Techno-Centred Imagination 8.1 Revisiting the Thesis Themes 8.1.1 Constituents, Direction, Politics and Existence: The Techno-Centred Ensemble 8.1.2 Ensemble: The Techno-Centred Imagination 8.2 Reflections on Multi-sited Study 8.2.1 Advantages to Multi-sited Research Strategy 8.2.2 Challenges of Multi-sited Research Strategy 8.3 Directions for Further Research 8.3.1 Ideational Conviction Mapping 8.3.2 Institutional Steering Mechanisms? 8.4 Final Conclusions References Index