Publisher's Synopsis
This 2005 edition (ISBN 0-9743472-4-8 in the Cultural Classics Series by Ria University Press) contains an exact replica copy of the complete first edition of Robert C. W. Ettinger's 1972 cultural classic, MAN INTO SUPERMAN. Additional (2005) materials include three paper contributions: (1) "A Short History of Transhumanist Thought" (By Nick Bostrom, Ph.D.); (2) "A Brief History of Modern Transhumanism" (By R. Michael Perry, Ph.D.); and, (3) "My Dog Is A Very Good Dog -- Or -- The Unprecedented Urgency Of New Research Priorities To Dismantle Doomsday And Cultivate Transhumanity" (By Charles Tandy, Ph.D.). > In the 1960s Ettinger founded the cryonics (cryonic hibernation) movement and authored THE PROSPECT OF IMMORTALITY. In the 1970s Ettinger helped initiate the transhumanist revolution with his MAN INTO SUPERMAN. Ettinger sees "discontinuity in history, with mortality and humanity on one side -- on the other immortality and transhumanity." > Cryonic hibernation (experimental long-term suspended animation) of humans may provide a "door into summer" unlike any season previously known. Such patients (individuals and families in cryonic hibernation) may yet experience the transhuman condition. Ettinger argues for his belief in "the possibility of limitless life for our generation." We should become aware of the incorrect, distorted, and oversimplified ideas presented in the popular media about cryonics and transhumanism. Ettinger believes that the cool logic and scientific evidence he presents should lead us to forget the horror movies and urban legends and embrace great expectations. > An abstract of Dr. Bostrom's paper follows: Transhumanism in Western history (partial listing of topics): Our ambivalent quest to transcend natural limits; Rational humanism as a root of transhumanism; Ben Franklin as favoring suspended animation; Darwin and possibility that most evolution remains in future; Frankenstein (1818) and science fiction; Racism and totalitarianism in the 20th century; Julian Huxley (1927) uses term "transhumanism"; Artificial Intelligence; The Singularity; Molecular Nanotechnology; Uploading of Minds; Robert Ettinger (1964) advocates experimental long-term suspended animation now (cryonics and the likelihood of transmortality and transhumanity); F. M. Esfandiary and UpWingers; Max More and the Extropy Institute; Nick Bostrom and the World Transhumanist Association; James Hughes and the new 21st century politics of biotechnology. > An abstract of Dr. Perry's paper follows: In 1964, Ettinger advocated freezing the newly deceased for possible future reanimation. But the transhumanist camp that emerged is not limited to cryonicists. Transhumanist thought includes (to cite only a few): Alan Harrington (1969) THE IMMORTALIST (Scientific conquest of death); F. M. Esfandiary (1970) OPTIMISM ONE (UpWing, instead of Left-Middle-Right, philosophy); Eric Drexler (1986) ENGINES OF CREATION (Molecular nanotechnology); Damien Broderick (1997) THE SPIKE (During the 21st century we will become a new family of life-forms); According to Frank Tipler (1994) THE PHYSICS OF IMMORTALITY and R. Michael Perry (2000) FOREVER FOR ALL, the more distant future may include scientific resurrection of all the dead. > An abstract of Dr. Tandy's paper follows: Particular cultural traditions have informed each civilization's felt educational needs to become "us" or "human" (instead of barbarian) or to become "educated" or "transhuman" (instead of merely human). The twentieth century surprised many of us with its world wars and doomsday weapons (WMDs). If we survive all doomsday dangers over the next few years and decades and centuries, then our future as humans or transhumans may be longer -- much longer -- than the mere 10,000 years of past civilizational existence. Our pasts are short and almost non-existent compared to the potential reality of a very long future. This paper explores the educational implications of such a complex reality.
