The Dreams of Perfection examines, from an anthropological perspective, how the yearning for perfection is shared by Tantric Buddhism and transhumanism in its techno-scientific variant.
Despite their objective differences, Buddhism and transhumanism show similarities regarding the management of the body and mind. Both appeal to an ideal of overcoming the human being from ethical action and present circumstances. Tantric Buddhism ensures that if we apply spiritual technology to ourselves we can attain full enlightenment in this life. Transhumanism says that if we do the same, also here and now, with scientific technology, we can become posthumans.
Reaching these sublime states requires a progressive and profound change of consciousness and identity, based both on reason and on empirical and sentient experience. If for some the way to change is fundamentally biotechnologic...read more