Transhumanist Pursuit of Happiness and Christian Hope for Salvation. A Comparison

Abstract

In the 21st century, advances in bio- and information technologies offer humans completely new possibilities to advance their striving for a happy life. Transand posthumanism draw on this fact and create both moderate and radical visions of human self-realization, which range from the optimization of the human body, mind, and psyche, to life extension and technological immortality. While trans- and posthumanist ideas imply that man can achieve a happy and fulfilled life by himself, salvation and redemption in the Christian sense always mean communion with God. This expresses itself in interpersonal relationships of unconditional love and recognition, as they have become real in Jesus Christ. Understood in this way, a fulfilled life cannot be produced by man himself, but is a gracious gift. This corresponds with the anthropological understanding of humans as relational beings.