Rohan Roberts | 30 December 2017
“Ted Chu brings an astonishing breadth of philosophical, religious, and technological reflection to bear on the most important questions we could ask.” —James Hughes, Executive Director of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies
“Ted Chu is a pioneering visionary whose futurist concern deserves close attention.” —John Haught, Professor Emeritus of Theology at Georgetown University
“In my opinion, Ted’s book is absolutely profound in the way it draws upon a dazzling variety of philosophical and scientific resources in order to place humanity within a cosmic evolutionary perspective . . . it is a one-of-a-kind book within my transhumanist library.” —Nikola Danalyov, Singularity Weblog
We’ve seen more change in the last 100 than we have in the previous 1000. The overlapping technologies of Genetics, Nanotechnology, and Robotics are merging and growing at an exponential rate. For the first time ever in the history of life on this planet, a species is now poised to take control of its own genetic destiny. Ted Chu’s Human Potential and Transhuman Purpose offer a unique assessment of where we are as a species, what we need to do transcend to our limitations, and how we can usher in an age of Transhumanism.
For those unfamiliar with the term, Transhumanism is a mode of thinking about the future of our species. It is premised on the notion that Homo sapiens in our current form doesn’t represent the end of evolution. Instead, transhumanism is the belief that we are in an early stage and a continually transitionary phase of becoming something much greater and far more impressive using superior technologies to upgrade our bodies, our minds, our morality, and our priorities. “What is great in Man,” said the philosopher Nietzsche, “is that he is a bridge, not an end.” Transhumanism is the belief that with the exponential growth of technologies and an increasing merger with our tools, Humans 2.0 is a real possibility.
With meticulous research, methodical cogency, and a wide range of historical and cultural references, Ted Chu takes an expansive view of humanity’s purpose and paints a big picture of our potential.
One of the central tenets of the book is that humanity is not the apogee of evolution. Ted Chu points out that since the beginning of life on this planet we’ve only seen Biological Evolution for the most part. In the last few millennia, we’ve seen Cultural Evolution in action among humans. But now, for the first time, we’re witnessing the development of Conscious Evolution. The renowned biologist, Edward O. Wilson, says “we have actually decommissioned natural selection, and now we must look deep within ourselves and decide what we wish to become. We are now the chief agents of evolution.”
Ted Chu says, “the ultimate meaning of our lives rests not in our personal happiness but in our contribution to cosmic evolution—a process that transcends the human and yet is integral to who and what we are in the universe.” He goes on to outline how and why we should prepare for this next phase in the evolution of consciousness and intelligence. The cognitive philosophers, Andy Clark and David Chalmers describe technology as a kind of scaffolding that extends our thoughts, our reach, and our vision. But before we leap to greater visions, we must first explore the depths of human nature.
That is what Ted Chu, who is the chief economist of the International Finance Corporation at the World Bank, does so well in his book. His analysis of our future purpose and his insights into the human condition are thought-provoking, revealing, and visionary in equal measure.
A superficial comparison may be made between Ted Chu and Ray Kurzweil. Both have a grand vision for our species. But where Kurzweil focuses primarily on the technological progress of our species, Ted Chu considers the ethical, moral, and philosophical changes we need to see in order to make the transition into becoming Cosmic Beings or CoBes (his alternative and more euphemistic word for cyborgs). Along the way, he makes fascinating connections between traditional Eastern ideas and conventional Western philosophies.
What is especially exhilarating about this book is the sense of perspective that Ted Chu takes. His vision is universal in scale and cosmic in scope. He is able to extend his thoughts not just into the distant past but also into the vast vistas of infinite future that lie before us.
In this book, he suggests that “we need a higher goal, a new covenant with that which is greater than ourselves, if we are to move toward and realize our greatest purpose and potential. And there is little we can find in our current culture that promotes further cosmic evolution through human transformation and the creation of higher intelligence and nobler aspirations.”
At its core, even though this is a book firmly grounded in science and rationality, it has to be said it’s a spiritual book as well – not in any religious sense – but in how it grapples with the big questions: the meaning of existence, the nuances of “god”, the purpose of life, the evolution of consciousness, the future of humanity and so on. It is also a book that is transcendental in its themes. He says, “Transcendence, above all, means openness to transform oneself into something higher and better.” And he goes on to make the point that the ultimate aim of scientific inquiry is transcendence. He reminds us that “without self-transcending actions, human existence can be and will be forgotten in the grand scheme of things. Unless we generate more ‘fuss,’ the story of humanity will prove to be like that of a little colourful bubble that will eventually pop without leaving a trace in the vast ocean.”
In some ways, he is almost Sagan-esque in his cosmic compassion, Nietzschean in his overarching vision, and Buddha-like in his ability to see humanity’s place in the grand scheme of things. In his imagination and cognitive modalities, he is a Stewart Brand of our times and the Buckminster Fuller of his age.
This is a timely book and a desperately important book. It deserves to be read widely by everyone with an existential bent or metaphysical inclination. “To every man is given the key to heaven. The same key opens the doors to hell.” This is the point of no return humanity is currently at. In which direction we proceed will depend on how we contend with these big questions and how we grapple with our purpose in the grand scheme of things. “Our human intellectual heritage is not the pinnacle of evolution but a steppingstone to a higher existence.” Ted Chu’s book does an outstanding job in laying the foundation for any contemplation of humanity’s future.
