Genesis 3:5: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Genesis 11:6: And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
The underlying desire to transcend the human limits established by God is not new. It echoes a much older temptation, when the Serpent told Eve that she and Adam would become as gods, knowing good and evil, by eating from the Tree of Knowledge. But now, in a time where civilization has reached a greatly advanced condition by its scientific progress, man truly thinks that he may be able to escape the effects of sin’s curse.
The consequences of the Fall are what has driven humanity’s desire to transcend its limitations. Transhumanists seek to extend human longevity through advancements in genetic enhancement and neurotechnology. The idea of becoming as smart as AI, to being immune from disease, or curing all disease, and of extending the length of human life by tens, hundreds, or even thousands of years is a very thrilling thought. It is an attempt to bring the body to a glorified condition without coming first through the blood of Jesus Christ for eternal life.
Transhumanism means to go beyond the human condition, and is a movement that aims to use modern technology to enhance and transform humanity. Through genetic engineering, robotics, artificial intelligence, or future technologies, the aim of transhumanism is the alteration of the human species to go beyond its current condition and become something more and something better, potentially reaching a state that could be considered “post-human.” According to transhumanist thought, a post-human is a being whose physical, intellectual, or psychological capacities have been enhanced so dramatically that they can no longer be considered fully human by present-day standards.
Humanity possesses the potential to accomplish whatever it sets its heart upon when united in purpose and effort. This is what God witnessed at Babel: humanity’s collective determination to achieve greatness independently of God. Similarly, transhumanism envisions a future in which mankind overcomes death, suffering, and limitation through its own ingenuity rather than through dependence upon the Creator. Like Babel, the transhumanist ambition of godlike knowledge and immortality is entirely rooted in pride.
The attempt to overcome death, suffering, and limitation apart from God will always fall short. The Bible already reveals what the final outcome of history will be, and it is not a future where mankind attains godlike intelligence or immortality through its own ingenuity. The deep yearning to overcome suffering, reverse decay, and escape death demonstrates humanity’s awareness that things in our world are profoundly broken (Romans 8:20-22), but the mistake is in the belief that humanity can solve its problems without Christ. Trying to hack our biology or upgrade our intellect will never cure the deeper problem of sin or enable reconciliation with God. Humanity does not need redesigning. It needs redemption through Christ.