Michael Hauskeller Book order

The worst of all possible worlds: Arthur Schopenhauer -- The despair of not being oneself: Soren Kierkegaard -- The interlinked terrors and wonders of God: Herman Melville -- The hell of no longer being able to love: Fyodor Dostoyevsky -- The inevitable end of everything: Leo Tolstoy -- The joy of living dangerously: Friedrich Nietzsche -- The dramatic richness of the concrete world: William James -- The only life that is really lived: Marcel Proust -- Our hopeless battle against the boundaries of language: Ludwig Wittgenstein -- The benign indifference of the world: Albert Camus.

This book examines the dependence of transhumanist arguments on the credibility of the narratives of meaning in which they are embedded. By taking the key ideas from transhumanist philosophy – the desirability of human self-design and immortality, the elimination of all suffering and the expansion of human autonomy – Michael Hauskeller explores these narratives and the understanding of human nature that informs them. Particular attention is paid to the theory of transhumanism as a form of utopia, stories of human nature, the increasing integration of the radical human enhancement project into the cultural mainstream, and the drive to upgrade from flesh to machine. 

Michael Hauskeller poses some challenging questions about human enhancement, interrogating the logic behind its processes and examining the justifications behind its criteria. The book provides a rigorous approach to the topic which systematically and consistently explores assumptions about human enhancement and its effects.

Exploring the tension between scientific advancement and public perception, the book addresses the moral dilemmas surrounding genetic engineering. Michael Hauskeller introduces the concept of 'biological integrity' to analyze and validate public fears, suggesting that these concerns, often dismissed as irrational, can be philosophically justified. By delving into the ethical implications and societal impacts of genetic technologies, the author aims to bridge the gap between scientific optimism and public skepticism.