Medicine under the graft of NBIC convergence, a transhumanism towards posthumanity?
Author: Elhenri Emmanuel DONFACK TCHINDA*
University of Dschang-Cameroon.
Published Date: 2025-05-06
Keywords: Medicine, transhumanism, posthumanism, NBIC technologies, ethics committees.
Abstract:
In the process of modernizing medicine, convergent NBIC technologies are grafting themselves onto the medical sector. By intertwining with it, they do not fail to assist the doctor in his various functions by offering facilities for the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects. This is how we can see the health specialist being truly assisted, the patient for his part greatly relieved by the presence of new clinical possibilities, and general health normally better. From these elements, we can affirm that medicine is fortunate to have on its side these technologies that improve it qualitatively. This is a question of a transhumanism that bears a humanist stamp. But the danger is not far off because stopping at such a remark is reductionist. These same technologies by promoting transhumanism benefiting man indeed, risk leading us towards a surpassing of what is precious in us, namely our humanity. Posthumanism thus appears as the veiled element of transhumanism, presented as a lamb through convergent NBIC technologies. Ultimately, we must embrace and adopt an extreme prudence that pushes us to be sufficiently attentive to all NBIC technological productions to hope to avoid the cataclysm of humanity. In this sense, ethics committees must play a decisive role.
