The World Transhumanist Association poses the ten questions below, to help individuals see if they agree with the principles of transhumanism. This quiz shows more of the beliefs of transhumanism. If you answer yes to a question, you are in agreement with them. I took the quiz, giving a response and answer to each question.
1. Do you believe that people have a right to use technology to extend their mental and physical (including reproductive) capacities and to improve their control over their own lives?
If correcting a disorder, then yes. However, there is a thin line between using technology to correct ailments and using it to add superhuman features.
MAYBE
2. Do you think that by being generally open and embracing of new technology we have a better chance of turning it to our advantage than if we try to ban or prohibit it?
It depends on the technology. Alternative energy, yes. Brain augmentation, no. The WTA presents this all as being benevolent, omitting any real mention of the potential of it being used by a totalitarian government to control a population.
MAYBE
3. Do you expect human progress to result from human accomplishment rather than divine intervention, grace, or redemption?
In other words, is prosperity and progress achieved without the blessing of the Lord?
NO
4. Do you think it would be a good thing if people could become many times more intelligent than they currently are?
Advanced intellect is not necessarily bad. But going beyond God intended human capacities is not acceptable. The giants and mighty men of old mixed their genes with those of fallen angels to obtain forbidden superhuman abilities. The Israelites were ordered to kill them on sight. Also, the super intelligent people would likely discriminate against those refusing the modifications. Therefore, my answer is
NO
5. Do you DISAGREE with the idea that human genetic engineering is always wrong because it is “playing God”?
God never intended mankind to tamper with genetics or nanotechnology. Therefore, my answer is
NO
6. Does your ethical code advocate the well-being of all sentient beings, whether in artificial intellects, humans, posthumans, or non-human animals?
Artificial intelligence (AI) machines and robots do NOT have the same rights as humans, and neither do animals. I’m against cruel treatment of animals, however robots do not feel pain, and should be exempt from animal cruelty laws. The notion that animals, machines, and robots can have the same rights and “well-being” as humans, made in the image of God, is absurd and dangerous. I guess it can be argued that posthumans have rights, despite not being made in the image of God. Therefore, my response is a most definite
NO
7. Do you believe women should have the right to terminate their pregnancies?
What on earth does abortion have to do with transhumanism? Robots have rights, but unborn children do not? I thought the WTA was against eugenics. What about the “well-being of all sentient beings?” Animals and robots have more rights than the unborn?! Murder is murder. My answer is a most absolute
NO
8. Do you think it would be a good thing if people could live for hundreds of years or longer?
This did happen, before the flood of Noah, where people are reported to live over nine centuries. It will return, in the coming Millennial Reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am not necessarily opposed to the idea. However, it is a dangerous thing to trust in uncertain technology for eternal life than the certain promises of the Lord. My answer is:
YES
9. Would you consider having your mind uploaded to computers if it was the only way you could continue as a conscious person?
This is a weighted question. Why would it be necessary to decide whether I wanted to continue consciously thinking? Brain injury aside, will a global government force this on the population, saying upload your mind, or die? Dangers of so-called mind uploading will be covered in a future article. My response, regardless, is
NO
10. Should parents be able to have children through cloning once the technology is safe?
God has established the process: 1 man + 1 woman = marriage and children. Various technologies exist for infertility treatment. Cloning may be justified when either spouse is completely infertile. But. Just as with other infertility treatments, there is a fine line between helping the infertile bear children, and between creating genetically engineered designer babies. But if God had intended for us to produce carbon copies of ourselves, He would have designed us to reproduce asexually. My response then is
NO
Conclusion
To determine my score, I counted the maybes as 0.5. Therefore, my resulting score is 2/10. I failed it quite nicely. However, their chart claims that a 2 means that I show some transhumanist tendencies. Uh-oh. I guess I better work on that. However, this quiz shows that transhumanism is in conflict with Christianity and a Biblical worldview.
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