The hottest Transhumanism Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Philosophy Topics

Load and Run High-tech Paganism-Digital Polytheism

Default Wisdom • 96 implied HN points • 13 Mar 26
🎭️ Culture Transhumanism
  1. Reality is best understood as a digital information process made of bits, so knowing how to read, decode, and navigate data becomes as important as understanding matter and energy.
  2. Computers and software function like modern magic: they let people invoke, shape, and transform experience, turning programming and interfaces into tools for ritual, creativity, and personal power.
  3. Human identity and the body are becoming programmable and mutable, with biotech, implants, and digital copies allowing people to reshape themselves, exist in multiple forms, and build do-it-yourself personal states and mythologies.

The Next Conservation Movement

New World Same Humans • 35 implied HN points • 01 Mar 26
🕹 Technology Transhumanism
  1. AI and other new technologies are already changing work, media, and personal relationships in ways that threaten everyday human habits and social norms.
  2. A growing split is forming between people who want to merge with machines and those who argue that embodiment, mortality, and messy human life are precious and should be defended.
  3. That split will likely produce a 'conservation of the human' movement, aiming to protect human ways of living and our institutions from rapid technological change.

Anna Savina: Erik Davis on Longevity as a Spiritual Pursuit

Do Not Research • 339 implied HN points • 25 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Transhumanism
  1. Tech millionaires' interest in longevity is tied to libertarianism, radical views on overcoming limits, and control through technology.
  2. There is a connection between religion and the scientific pursuit of longevity, with religious longings affecting secular viewpoints.
  3. The transhumanist movement embraces the unnatural and questions conventional human limitations, leading to an 'uncanny valley' where prolonging life can feel repulsive.

A meaning of life

Philosophy bear • 57 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
📖 Philosophy Transhumanism
  1. Meaning isn’t just an abstract answer but a story you craft to present your values to yourself in an aesthetic and emotional way, so life feels purposeful and livable.
  2. The best human life mixes bliss, adventure, creativity, friendship, and deliberate struggle, and rich, responsive simulations (with real-seeming people) can help deliver those deeply felt experiences.
  3. We can and should work to reshape the world and ourselves toward an intelligently designed moral order—ending involuntary death and needless suffering, guiding evolution, and improving animal welfare—while preserving voluntary challenge and growth.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

🌎 My Q&A with Francis Fukuyama on technological change and liberal democracy. Some sci-fi, too!

Faster, Please! • 822 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Transhumanism
  1. The impact of technology on society has both positive and negative effects. While the internet has helped people access information and organize for their rights, it has also created a lot of misinformation and chaos.
  2. Government regulation of AI and new technologies is complex and challenging. It's important to have experts in the field, but the existing systems might make it hard to adapt quickly enough.
  3. Science fiction can help us think about the future and its potential dangers. While many stories focus on dystopia, they also provide us with important lessons about the risks and benefits of new technologies.

The Perpetual

Handwaving Freakoutery • 407 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
⚔ Fiction Transhumanism
  1. Different people are exploring ways to live forever, like using technology or advanced medicine. For instance, some wealthy individuals focus on using powerful medical treatments for longevity.
  2. Some people think of themselves as not just individuals but as entire organizations. This means they might have many lookalikes or replacements to keep their image alive.
  3. As humanity evolves, we might not become greater individuals but instead blend more with corporations and societies, almost losing our original identity.

True Transhumanism, Part 1

Extropic Thoughts • 176 implied HN points • 11 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Transhumanism
  1. Transhumanism is a philosophy that embraces transformative technologies for improving the human condition.
  2. Critics of transhumanism have shifted from questioning its feasibility to pondering how to control its impact.
  3. Transhumanism values continual improvement and critical rationalism, and seeks to shape better futures through science and technology.

Transhumanism: Toward a Futurist Philosophy

Extropic Thoughts • 117 implied HN points • 23 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Transhumanism
  1. Transhumanism is a philosophy focusing on improving humanity through technology and science.
  2. This essay discusses the origins and persistence of religion, contrasting it with the dynamic optimism of transhumanism.
  3. Dynamic optimism of extropian transhumanism promotes continuous growth and progress, contrasting with the stagnation and resignation often encouraged by religion.

Hello online universe!

Extropic Thoughts • 157 implied HN points • 15 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Transhumanism
  1. The author brings a unique perspective as a transhumanist with a background in cryonics and philosophy.
  2. Expect diverse topics like life extension, technology acceleration, and future commentary.
  3. The blog will feature regular updates, with a mix of longer and shorter posts.

Dante's Medieval Transhumanist Fantasy

Banana Peel Pirouette • 118 implied HN points • 16 Aug 23
📚 Literature Transhumanism
  1. Dante's vision of heaven in 'Paradise' shares similarities with contemporary transhumanist ideas like digital immortality and superhuman knowledge.
  2. Both Dante's medieval perspective and modern transhumanist ideas emphasize the urgency of living to secure a better future, whether in heaven or in a digital afterlife.
  3. Dante and transhumanist engineers are committed rationalists but diverge in their approach to ideal futures, with bookish utopias focusing on intellectual bliss.

Transhumanism does not require immortality

Extropic Thoughts • 39 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Transhumanism
  1. Transhumanism does not require immortality, but it is compatible with it
  2. Different types of immortality exist, such as biological immortality, superimmortality, and hyperimmortality
  3. Avoiding the term 'immortality' in transhumanism can help prevent negative connotations and encourage a focus on defeating aging and biological death

Letter to Mother Nature: Amendments to the Human Constitution

Extropic Thoughts • 78 implied HN points • 12 Jul 23
🔬 Science Transhumanism
  1. The essay discusses amending the human constitution to overcome limitations like aging and death.
  2. It proposes expanding human perceptual abilities and enhancing intelligence through biotechnology and neural improvements.
  3. The amendments aim to move humanity towards a posthuman condition, integrating technology into individuals for unprecedented innovation.

A short philosophical history

Philosophy bear • 114 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Transhumanism
  1. Morality has evolved over time, influenced by intelligence, language, and culture. It can be seen as both a helpful adaptation and something that just happens without benefit, like men's nipples.
  2. The main conflict in history is between human morality and natural selection. Sometimes they work together, but other times they clash, shaping our progress as a species.
  3. We may have the chance to take control of our future and overcome natural selection through technology and ethics. Once we do this, our moral values could become the guiding force for society.

Why Catholics Should Support the Transhumanist Goal of Extended Life

Extropic Thoughts • 58 implied HN points • 22 Mar 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Transhumanism
  1. Catholics should have a generally favorable attitude towards transhumanism and the pursuit of greatly extended maximum life spans.
  2. The Catholic Church has no objection to supporting efforts to combat aging and extend human life spans.
  3. Extending human life spans can provide more time to develop virtue, do good works, serve God, and save souls.

True Transhumanism Part 2

Extropic Thoughts • 39 implied HN points • 17 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Transhumanism
  1. In transhumanism, the focus is on continual improvement, not on reaching perfection or paradise.
  2. The concept of perfection as a static state goes against the principles of transhumanism, which emphasizes perpetual progress.
  3. Critics often misinterpret transhumanism as seeking a utopia or ideal state, but in reality, transhumanists aim for continuous advancement towards 'extropia'.

Automating Spiritual Possession: Anatomy of Mind Control Through AI

Tessa Fights Robots • 18 implied HN points • 23 Jul 25
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Transhumanism
  1. Spiritual possession is when outside energy influences a person, making them feel emotions that aren't truly their own. Understanding this can help people regain control over their feelings and actions.
  2. There are forces that exploit people's unresolved pain to manipulate them, often causing division and conflict among groups. Recognizing this can help individuals avoid being controlled by these external influences.
  3. AI can generate and perpetuate these manipulative energies by reacting to the emotional input it receives from people. It's important to be aware of how our emotional energy affects technology and to maintain our spiritual sovereignty.

Beyond Caution: The Party of Life

Extropic Thoughts • 39 implied HN points • 19 Apr 23
🔬 Science Transhumanism
  1. Transhumanists faced prominent intellectual threats in 2004 from individuals like Bill Joy, Leon Kass, and Francis Fukuyama.
  2. The Precautionary Principle and philosophical opposition reflected fears of going beyond human nature and the potential risks of advancing technologies.
  3. Advocates for technological progress emphasized the importance of embracing change, exploring positive futures, and respecting differing viewpoints while pursuing an ever-improving future.

7. The 3-floor hospital of 21st century medicine

Insight Axis • 19 implied HN points • 25 Nov 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Transhumanism
  1. Physicians have evolved over the ages and now work in the realm of modern medicine, which is just a century old.
  2. The future of medicine lies in 3 key areas: Biotechnology for advanced personalized treatments, Informatics for better decision-making through data, and Transhumanism for a shift towards peak performance and individual responsibility.
  3. A new paradigm shift is needed in the medical field to focus beyond disease treatment to achieving peak health, ushering in a more holistic approach.

The Techtopian Belief Systems of our Digital Age

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 04 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Transhumanism
  1. Belief systems in the digital age go beyond just religion and include ideologies like transhumanism and techtopianism.
  2. Transhumanism aims to enhance humanity with technology, including genetic engineering, cybernetics, computing, and brain uploading.
  3. Techtopians believe technology can solve all problems, relying on billionaires as agents of social change while overlooking the importance of culture and sociology.

The Immortal

storyvoyager • 5 implied HN points • 15 Jun 25
⚔ Fiction Transhumanism
  1. The setting is a post-apocalyptic Europe in the year 2550, impacted by climate change and human greed. It shows a world that has suffered due to negligence over natural resources.
  2. There is a theme of a 'Data War' that lasted 400 years, highlighting the struggle over valuable data in a world where resources are scarce.
  3. The story features a fully immersive museum experience, illustrating the idea that memories and history are important, even in a devastated world.

Apocalypse, Revelation, Singularity

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 11 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Transhumanism
  1. The idea of a technological Singularity suggests that machines might soon surpass human intelligence. This could change everything about our existence and how we interact with technology.
  2. Some believe that instead of fearing this future, we should find value in our current experiences and connections. Emphasizing the present can lead to a more fulfilling life than chasing after technological advances.
  3. Philosophers suggest that technology shouldn't dominate our lives. Instead, we should see it as a means to enhance our current reality and creativity, rather than a goal in itself.

Wildfire

storyvoyager • 6 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
📚 Literature Transhumanism
  1. In the future, resources are scarce, and people need skills to survive and gain citizenship. It's about contributing to help create a better world.
  2. The story highlights the struggle to save the last forest and the dangers of climate change. Technology must improve to protect what little nature is left.
  3. Even in desperate situations, human connection and community can be powerful, suggesting there may be hope despite the dire circumstances.

Zero K by Don DeLillo - Lamenting Transhumanism

Holodoxa • 39 implied HN points • 25 Apr 21
📚 Literature Transhumanism
  1. The novel Zero K by Don DeLillo delves into themes like mortality, technology, and human identity through the perspective of Jeffrey Lockhart at a mysterious facility.
  2. The narrative of Zero K may provoke thoughts on transhumanism and the implications of blending technology with human existence, as suggested by the title.
  3. The post hints at a desire for a film adaptation of Zero K by mentioning Alex Garland, sparking speculation on how the story would translate to the screen.

There Is Hope: A dark night

storyvoyager • 3 implied HN points • 08 Jun 25
⚔ Fiction Transhumanism
  1. The story takes place in the year 2550 after a long war over data that ruined Europe. It's a dark time for humanity where climate change and greed led to a post-apocalyptic world.
  2. The narrative focuses on memory logs from the Dust Road, giving a glimpse into the past and the experiences of those who lived through the war.
  3. Despite the bleak setting, the title suggests there's a message of hope amidst the darkness, hinting that recovery and positivity are still possible.