Episode 61, David Pearce on Transhumanism (Part II - Further Analysis and Discussion)

The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast

Jack Symes | Andrew Horton, Oliver Marley, and Rose de Castellane

Euthanasia, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Existentialism, Marxism, Kant, Ethics, Davidpapineau, Dennett, Marx, Evilgodchallenge, Cosmological, Mind, Consciousness, Courses, Nagasawa, Education, Johnstuartmill, Jeremybentham, Aristotle, Ocr, Camus, Josephfletcher, Conscience, Society & Culture, Kantianethics, Philosophy

4.8 • 604 Ratings

🗓️ 9 June 2019

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Co-founder of Humanity+, formerly known as the World Transhumanist Association, David Pearce is a leading figure of the transhumanist movement. David is perhaps best known for his 1995 manifesto, The Hedonistic Imperative, in which he argues that we can, and will, abolish suffering throughout the living world. Following The Hedonistic Imperative, David has published extensively on topics surrounding utilitarianism, veganism, abolitionism and transhumanism; culminating in his most recent 2017 collection of essays, Can Biotechnology Abolish Suffering?

Alongside his careful philosophical thinking, David’s captivating writing-style has inspired philosophers across the world to look forward into the ‘philosophy of the future’. A world as David hopes, that is free from suffering, ageing and stupidity.

Contents

Part I. Transhumanism.

Part II. Further Analysis and Discussion.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Pan Pan
0:02.0	Psychist
0:04.0	Part two, further analyses and discussion.
0:23.8	So in that last section, David, we ended with speaking a bit about moral philosophy.
0:29.9	I guess my question is, what's motivating the transhumanist's goal?
0:36.3	I think you're a form of utilitarian.
0:38.8	Listeners will remember we had Peter Singer on the show,
0:41.6	someone which I know you've debated and discussed these issues with before.
0:45.6	Now, Peter Singer came on and told us how he moved from hedonistic utilitarian,
0:50.1	you know, maximize happiness and pleasure, decreased suffering.
0:54.4	And he moved to that from preference utilitarianism, which you mentioned last week as well,
0:59.2	you know, maximize people's preferences on the whole.
1:02.5	I believe you don't fall into either of these views.
1:04.7	What kind of utilitarianism do you maintain to be true and why?
1:10.5	Technically, I'm a negative utilitarian,
1:13.5	which sounds extremely uninspiring.
1:17.9	Buddhist sounds much better.
1:21.7	And so, yes, one might describe oneself as a technological Buddhist.
1:25.9	Yes, essentially, if one is a negative utilitarian or Buddhist, one thinks that our overriding obligation is to minimize, prevent, ultimately abolish all forms of suffering, and that this takes precedence over increasing happiness and well-being.
1:49.1	So, yes, in a nutshell.
1:51.5	There's a listener question here from someone called Doesn't Matter from Germany.
1:55.4	I don't believe that is the name.
	...

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