Virtual Immortality – God, Evolution, and the Singularity in Post- and Transhumanism
In recent years, ideas of post- and transhumanism have been popularized by novels, TV series, and Hollywood movies. According to this radical perspective, humankind and all biological life have become obsolete. Traditional forms of life are inefficient at processing information and inept at crossing the high frontier: outer space. While humankind can expect to be replaced by their own artificial progeny, posthumanists assume that they will become an immortal part of a transcendent superintelligence. Krüger's award-winning study examines the historical and philosophical context of these futuristic promises by Ray Kurzweil, Nick Bostrom, Frank Tipler, and other posthumanist thinkers.
Endorsements
»Speculation about ›the end of the human being‹ and questions about human survival on this planet have been constantly gaining ground since the turn of the millennium. In his masterful analysis, Oliver Krüger introduces the reader to a huge field of research that has gone largely unnoticed by scholars of religion and culture. Written in a highly accessible style, this book is a must-read for everyone interested in the links between technology, virtuality, media, and humanity's future.«
(Kocku von Stuckrad, Professor of Religious Studies, University of Groningen, Netherlands)»Virtual Immortality offers a thorough and detailed exploration of how embedded and in-bodied technological innovations continue to stretch our ideas of what the limits of being human in the 21st century truly are. Krüger provides a useful who's who of key thinkers defining and pushing the boundaries of posthuman thought and existence.«
(Heidi A. Campbell, Professor of Communication & Presidential Impact Fellow, Texas A&M University)
Overview Chapters
-
Frontmatter
Seiten 1 - 4 -
Contents
Seiten 5 - 10 -
Foreword to the English Edition
Seiten 11 - 14 -
A Who is Who? of Post- and Transhumanism
Seiten 15 - 18 -
1. Virtuality, Media, and Immortality. An Introduction
Seiten 19 - 26 -
2. Virtuality
Introduction
Seiten 29 - 31 -
2.1 Virtuality and Time
Seiten 31 - 37 -
2.2 Virtuality and Space
Seiten 37 - 40 -
2.3 Virtuality and Corporeality
Seiten 40 - 43 -
2.4 Virtuality, Reality, and the Imaginary
Seiten 43 - 50 -
3. Promethean Shame
3.1 Human Beings and Technology in the Work of Günther Anders
Seiten 51 - 55 -
3.2 Virtuality and Death
Seiten 55 - 58 -
4. Transhumanism
4.1 Post- and Transhumanism
Seiten 61 - 62 -
4.2 Intellectual Predecessors and the Transhuman
Seiten 62 - 68 -
4.3 Early Transhumanism: Ettinger, FM-2030, Leary
Seiten 68 - 75 -
4.4 The Extropy Institute and the (Vita-)Mores
Seiten 75 - 78 -
4.5 The World Transhumanist Association / humanity+
Seiten 78 - 82 -
4.6 Other Actors and Institutions
Seiten 82 - 87 -
4.7 Religious and Spiritual Transhumanism
Seiten 87 - 89 -
4.8 Conclusion
Seiten 89 - 90 -
5. Technological Posthumanism
Introduction
Seiten 91 - 92 -
5.1 The Posthuman and Posthumanism
Seiten 92 - 95 -
5.2 The Face of Posthumanism
Seiten 95 - 105 -
5.3 Posthumanism and Art
Seiten 105 - 114 -
6. A History of Technological Posthumanism
6.1 Writing the "History of the Future"
Seiten 115 - 118 -
6.2 How We Became Posthuman
Seiten 118 - 158 -
6.3 Annihilation or Infinite Progress
Seiten 158 - 197 -
6.4 Singularities
Seiten 197 - 218 -
6.5 Immortality
Seiten 218 - 260 -
6.6 The Transcendental Superintelligence
Seiten 260 - 276 -
6.7 Omega
Seiten 276 - 290 -
7. Virtuality. Immortality in the Age of Digital Media
Introduction
Seiten 291 - 292 -
7.1 Economy
Seiten 292 - 296 -
7.2 Control and Contingency
Seiten 297 - 301 -
7.3 Secular Progress and Christian Salvation History
Seiten 301 - 310 -
7.4 The End of the Affronts
Seiten 310 - 314 -
Appendix
List of Abbreviations
Seiten 317 - 318 -
Bibliography
Seiten 319 - 347 -
Index of Names
Seiten 348 - 356
22 October 2021, 356 pages
ISBN: 978-3-8376-5059-4
Payments in Euro can be made directly with us from destinations worldwide.
Prices incl. VAT. Free delivery within Germany, for other destinations see details.
* = recommended retail price