Agency Dictionary

Transhumanism

nounPronunciation: /trænzˈhjuː.mən.ɪ.zəm/

What does “Transhumanism” mean?

A philosophical and intellectual movement advocating the transformation and enhancement of human capabilities through advanced technologies like biotechnology and cybernetics.

Etymology

From trans- (Latin, 'across, beyond') plus humanism. The word appeared in the mid twentieth century and spread in its last decades as the name of a philosophical program for enhancing human capabilities beyond biological limits through advanced technology.

Usage note

Transhumanism is sometimes confused with posthumanism; posthumanism is a broader philosophical critique of the concept of the human, while transhumanism specifically advocates using technology to enhance human capacities.

Word family

transhumanist
transhuman

Concept

MetamodernismMetamodernism is a cultural and philosophical framework that oscillates between modernist sincerity and postmodern irony. It emerges as a response to crises, seeking…

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

issue.0 - Row Your Boat, Sailor.March 3, 2023Read the edition

Words of the same theme

Antithesisnoun: A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
Buttonnoun: A physical or graphical control element that triggers an immediate action or command when pressed or clicked. In software interfaces, buttons communicate system affordances through visual boundaries and labels.
Discursiveadjective: Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
Treatisenoun: A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
Maximnoun: A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
Screennoun: A flat physical display surface on an electronic device that projects visual images, interfaces, and text to a viewer. It serves as the primary visual output medium for modern personal computers and mobile phones.
Rendernoun: A finished two-dimensional image or video generated from a three-dimensional mathematical scene by computer software. It synthesizes geometric coordinates, lighting algorithms, textures, and shading into final pixels.
rhetoricnoun: The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
Tangibleadjective: Perceptible by the sense of touch or capable of being physically grasped and measured in concrete physical reality. It distinguishes concrete material products from virtual or intellectual entities.
Holisticadjective: Characterized by the comprehension of parts as intimately interconnected and explicable only in reference to the whole.
syntheticadjective: Produced by artificial or chemical synthesis rather than originating from natural or organic processes.
Abyssnoun: A deep or seemingly bottomless chasm, either in physical geography or metaphorical psychological depth. It evokes feelings of unfathomable emptiness or existential peril.

Also from these editions: terms

Catharticadjective: Providing psychological relief through the open expression and release of strong or repressed emotions.
Clausenoun: A distinct article or stipulation in a formal treaty, bill, or legal contract addressing a specific condition or obligation.
Corporativismnoun: The defence of the interests of a business class or professional group above the general interest, and the culture built around it. The word also names a political and economic system organized through corporations of employers, workers and professions.
Deficitnoun: The amount by which a sum of money falls short of the required or expected amount, particularly when spending exceeds revenue.
Impatientadjective: Restlessly intolerant of delay, opposition, or tedious circumstances, wanting immediate results or action.
Paddlenoun: A short, light oar with a flat blade at one or both ends, held with both hands to propel and steer a small watercraft.
Recessionnoun: A significant and widespread decline in economic activity lasting across several months, typically marked by falling GDP, reduced industrial production, and rising unemployment.
Tsunaminoun: A series of massive ocean waves caused by sudden displacement of water from undersea earthquakes, or metaphorically a sudden overwhelming influx of events.
Venturenoun: A risky, daring, or commercial undertaking typically involving financial investment and uncertainty regarding the final outcome.
Inertianoun: The tendency of an object to remain at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force, or a state of sluggish inaction in organizations.
Syntaxnoun: The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a natural language, or the structural rules governing code expressions in computing.