Transhumanism and the Terry Schiavo case
Mar. 23rd, 2005 10:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elfsOkay, eventually I'll have said enough about this. Unless something more outrageous comes up, go read Hilzoy's analysis on Obsidian Wings about the case. That and Majikthise more or less say what I want to say about the present.
But what interests me more is that the Schiavo case represents one of a series of important battles in the rights of posthumans. Congress has chosen to intervene in someone's right to control the disposition of their own anatomy. In this case, the issue is one of decline; in the case of transhumanism the issue is one of enhancement.
As Congress evermore tightens its panopticon opinion of what you do with your body, as it works to limit tatooing and body piercing and what will ultimately biophysical enhancements, as groups agitate to make salt a controlled substance, I wonder if we aren't going to reach a state where every meal will require a prescription and any chance of improvement will be squashed as inegalitarian.
But what interests me more is that the Schiavo case represents one of a series of important battles in the rights of posthumans. Congress has chosen to intervene in someone's right to control the disposition of their own anatomy. In this case, the issue is one of decline; in the case of transhumanism the issue is one of enhancement.
As Congress evermore tightens its panopticon opinion of what you do with your body, as it works to limit tatooing and body piercing and what will ultimately biophysical enhancements, as groups agitate to make salt a controlled substance, I wonder if we aren't going to reach a state where every meal will require a prescription and any chance of improvement will be squashed as inegalitarian.
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Date: 2005-03-23 11:47 pm (UTC)