Transhumanism is a philosophical and scientific movement that stands and advocates for the transformation of the human condition through advanced technology. Especially with the rise of the tech bro, this concept has gained significant traction in recent decades. It envisions a future where human beings transcend their biological limitations - as individuals and collectively - leading to the enhancement of physical, intellectual, and emotional capacities. While many see this as a utopian ideal, others raise concerns. The whole thing is pretty evenly split with people either fearing it or hailing it as the only possible solution to whatever the hell is happening right now.
But as we do hereā¦this is about Max Stirner and his egoism as a unique way of looking at not only the past and future of humanity, but also at the concept of transhumanism itself.
To strengthen this analysis, we will also draw on thinkers like Friedrich Nietzsche, Michel Foucault, and Jean-Paul Sartre, whose philosophies complement Stirnerās critique of external ideals and technological rationality.
Transhumanism: Definitions and Premises
Transhumanism, as defined by thinkers like Nick Bostrom, is a movement aimed at enhancing human capacities through emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. According to Bostrom, transhumanism aspires to create post-human beings who can surpass traditional human constraints. These constraints inlcude mortality, disease, and cognitive limits.
Fundamentally, transhumanism is built on the assumption that technology can liberate individuals from their biological shackles and propel humanity toward a superior form of existence. It advocates for things like morphological freedom, or the right to modify one's body and mind as one sees fit, and cognitive enhancement, or the use of technology to augment mental capacities. Basically, philosophers like Ray Kurzweil and Max More emphasize the potential for technology to create a future where human suffering is minimized, and intellectual and emotional fulfillment is maximized.
"Transhumanism is a loosely defined movement that promotes the use of technology to enhance the human condition. It affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally improving the human condition through applied reason, especially by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, and psychological capacities."
ā Nick Bostrom, Transhumanist Values (2005)
So the questions we are going to try to answer through the eyes of the OG individualist and giver of zero f**ks Max Stirner are as follows: What is transhumanist philosophy seeking to enhance? And what is the main premise of Stirnerās Egoism in relation to the things transhumanist philosophy seeks to enhance?
What Does Transhumanism Even Want?
I am going to start with an answer: At its core, transhumanism seeks to transcend the limitations of the human condition through the application of advanced technology. It envisions a future where humans overcome the constraints of biology, including mortality, disease, and cognitive limits, to achieve an existence thatās physically, intellectually, and emotionally enhanced. Nick Bostrom, a leading advocate for transhumanism, defines it as the desire to āfundamentally improve the human condition through applied reason, especially by developing technologies to eliminate aging and greatly enhance human capacities" (Transhumanist Values, 2005).
Ray Kurzweil, another prominent thinker in the movement, believes we are moving toward what he calls the Singularity, a point in technological advancement where artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence, which would fundamentally reshape humanity. Kurzweil claims that "we will become a hybrid of biological and nonbiological intelligence" (The Singularity is Near, 2005), as human consciousness fuses with technology. This vision reflects transhumanism's ultimate goal: to merge humans with machines, pushing beyond our organic nature to become something more resilient, intelligent, and capable.
Philosophers like Max More extend this thinking by advocating for morphological freedom, the right to modify one's body and mind through technology. In his essay The Philosophy of Transhumanism (2013), More describes how transhumanism promotes the pursuit of self-improvement and the overcoming of "biological chains" to create a life free from the limitations that currently define human existence. This pursuit of freedom isnāt just about improving individual lives but also fundamentally altering the collective future of the species.
So basically, at the heart of this movement is a rejection of the idea that suffering, death, or cognitive limitation should be accepted as immutable facts of life. Transhumanists desire to reshape these conditions, and try to offer a future where human potential is boundless, and the human being itself becomes a work in progress, which can only evolve in tandem with technological advancements.
Max Stirner's Egoism
So letās imagine going back in time and having a conversation with Max Stirner (as I do quite frequently because Iām a mindless fangirl).
What would we tell him?
I guess it would sound something like this:
āSo, Maxā¦ there are these people in the 21st century, and theyāre basically saying that human beings are outdated, that our bodies and minds have limitations that we can overcome through technology. They believe we can enhance ourselvesāmake ourselves smarter, stronger, even live longer, maybe forever. Theyāre calling it transhumanism, and they want to use things like artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology to break free from all the things that make us, well, human. They argue that suffering, death, and cognitive limits are just problems to be solved. Imagine a world where people donāt die of old age or disease, where everyone can be intellectually superior and emotionally stable through technological enhancement. Itās all about pushing beyond human nature and becoming something moreāpost-human, as they call it. Basically, they want to redesign humanity into a better, more optimized version of itself, free from the shackles of biology. They think this is progress. Some of them even talk about merging humans with machines, blending our minds with artificial intelligence, and achieving a state where we are no longer limited by our physical bodies. They believe that, through technology, humans can finally reach their fullest potential and create a utopia where suffering is minimized, and human capacities are maximized. Of course, Max, they'd probably say theyāre freeing people from all the limitations you had to deal with back in the 19th centuryāphysical, mental, emotional. Theyāre talking about a future where people are liberated from the natural weaknesses you yourself had to endure, offering a new kind of freedom.ā
What would you say to that, Max?ā
So what do you think he would say? I imagine it would go something like this:
āYikes that sounds exhausting. Lots of spookiness happening here like first of all, human or post-human sounds like the same spook to meā¦also, the second oneā¦why do you need to optimize and who defines progress? And the third spook I see is freedom, which seems to be convoluted here with comfort or safety. That isnāt really what freedom is all about, is it? Anywaysā¦ most importantly, my question is: Why do you care? Likeā¦you as a person, as an individual. Why do you care? You came all the way here to ask me thisā¦but I donāt have any advice for you. None of this makes a difference. What do YOU want?ā
I meanā¦maybe he would be more eloquent about it but that it 100 percent what I would say if someone came at me with all that fearful anxious and utopian gibberish.
So letās get into that.
The first spook to be dissected is that of āhumanity.ā Then the second spook: āoptimization and progress.ā And the third would be: the spook of āfreedom.ā
In a famous passage, Stirner declares:
"I am my own only when I am master of myself, instead of being mastered by anything else. Away, then, with every concern that is not altogether my concern! You think the matter over? You have no time for that? Well, then, don't meddle with matters at all! But if you will have your say, and I am not master of myself, what does it matter? There is no man who is free from all authority; and even if you were, who am I to be that manās slave?"
āMax Stirner, The Ego and Its Own
1) The Humanity Spook
One of the most pervasive spooks in history is the concept of humanity itself. To Stirner, "humanity" isnāt a neutral term for the human species; it is an external idea that demands allegiance and sacrifices the individualās uniqueness in the name of a collective essence.
In The Ego and Its Own, Stirner critiques the notion that thereās something inherent and sacred about being human, a common belief in both Enlightenment humanism and modern moral philosophy. To him, such an idea of universal human natureāwhether rooted in reason, morality, or the soulāonly serves to limit the individual. By placing "humanity" on a pedestal, society compels individuals to act according to what it defines as human virtues, behaviors, and goals. Stirner writes:
āMan is to be esteemed as the supreme being; but I am not man. Man is only an abstraction, and I, who act, am not an abstraction, but a real individualā
The idea of "humanity" tells us how to live, what to value, and what it means to be fulfilled. Itās an ideal that preaches unity, collective progress, and moral duties, but in doing so, it represses the individualās ego. According to Stirner, each personās self is unique, fluid and irreducible to any concept of human nature.
But Stirner isnāt the only one who critiqued the concept of human nature and human purpose. Friedrich Nietzscheās critique of morality and human nature, for example, echoes Stirnerās rejection of the spook of humanity. In Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Nietzsche famously declares, āMan is something that shall be overcomeā (Thus Spoke Zarathustra, 1883). For Nietzsche, humanity, as conceived by society and moral systems, is not a goal to strive toward but rather a limitation which is why he came up with the Ćbermensch (Overman) which is a liberated individual who transcends the spooks of both religion and the moral values rooted in the human ideal. Like Stirner, Nietzsche despises the idea that "being human" is something sacred.
But even more recently we got some philosophers whose main project was to show the stupidity in the the modern notion of human sacredness. Michel Foucaultās analysis of power and control in particular illuminates how the concept of humanity operates as a spook in society. In The History of Sexuality, Foucault introduces the idea of biopolitics, a form of power that regulates populations by controlling bodies and behaviors. Through institutions like medicine, education, and law, society imposes norms about what is healthy, moral, and acceptable, all under the guise of promoting the well-being of "humanity" (The History of Sexuality, 1976).
From a Stirnerite perspective, this is precisely how the spook of humanity works. It demands that individuals subordinate their unique desires and will to the larger interests of humanity. In Foucaultās view, societyās promotion of human health, education, and moral progress often hides a deeper agenda: control over the individualās body and actions for the benefit of those in power.
Now, in the context of transhumanism, the spook of humanity takes on a new form. Transhumanists advocate for transcending human limitations through technology, but even this quest for enhancement is rooted in an ideal of what it means to be human. As philosopher Max More articulates, transhumanism envisions an improved, optimized version of humanity, free from biological limitations (The Philosophy of Transhumanism, 2013).
However, to Stirner, this is still the same spook of humanityāonly now itās wearing futuristic, tech-enhanced clothes. The transhumanist project replaces one definition of humanity with another, more advanced version. In doing so, it creates a new ideal that individuals must strive toward, a new "progress" that everyone must follow. Whether one believes in traditional human nature or a post-human future, both are external ideals that demand the individual conform to a standard beyond their own unique self-interest.
2) The Optimization Spook
The idea of "optimization" has become a driving force in modern life, especially within the context of transhumanism. As society becomes increasingly obsessed with efficiency, productivity, and self-improvement, the ideal of optimization starts to dominate every aspect of existence. From maximizing physical health and cognitive abilities to achieving peak performance in careers and relationships, the imperative to optimize presents itself as an unquestioned good. But as Max Stirner would likely point out, this pursuit of optimization is yet another spook. It is an abstract ideal that places external expectations on the individual, and demands conformity to a standard of perfection that may have nothing to do with their personal desires or ego.
In transhumanism, the idea of optimization is central. Thinkers like Ray Kurzweil and Nick Bostrom envision a future where technology enhances human capacities to their fullest potential, allowing us to transcend biological limitations and achieve a superior existence. Whether it's cognitive enhancement through neural implants, genetic modifications for perfect health, or the merging of human consciousness with artificial intelligence, transhumanism promotes the idea that humans can be optimized to perfection.
Kurzweil, in The Singularity Is Near (2005), describes a future where human intelligence is surpassed by artificial intelligence, and where the human mind and body are integrated with machines to create a hybrid form of being. This post-human future, in which biological limitations are seen as problems to be fixed, reflects transhumanism's obsession with optimization. The goal is to create a more efficient, more intelligent, and ultimately more productive version of humanity.
Max More, in The Philosophy of Transhumanism (2013), advocates for morphological freedom, the right to modify one's body and mind in pursuit of self-improvement. For More, optimization is a form of liberationāa way to escape the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of human biology. By using technology to enhance every aspect of our existence, transhumanists believe we can free ourselves from disease, aging, and even death. This utopian vision promises a world where optimization leads to a state of human perfection.
But for Stirner, this vision of perfection is just another spookāan abstract ideal that demands individuals conform to a vision of life that is not truly their own.
In The Ego and Its Own, Stirner argues that "Man is not the measure of all things, but I am the measure of all things." So, for Stirner, the selfāthe egoāis the only true authority. Any external idea that attempts to dictate how the individual should live is a spook. Whether itās the ideal of being a good citizen, a moral person, or, in the case of transhumanism, a fully optimized human, all of these ideals distract the individual from their own unique self-interest.
This, again, is also reflected in the works of Friedrich Nietzsche and postmodern philosophers like Michel Foucault. In Beyond Good and Evil (1886), Nietzsche critiques the moral imperatives of society, particularly those that encourage self-denial in favor of serving higher ideals like morality, religion, or social progress. For Nietzsche, these ideals are part of the "herd mentality," a way for society to control individuals by convincing them to act in the name of something greater than themselves.
The drive for optimization in transhumanism mirrors Nietzscheās critique of perfectionism as well. In his work On the Genealogy of Morals (1887), Nietzsche discusses how moral systems create a slave morality, encouraging individuals to deny their instincts and desires in favor of serving external ideals. The transhumanist obsession with optimization can be seen as a modern form of this slave morality, where individuals are encouraged to deny their current selves in the pursuit of a supposedly better, optimized future self.
Michel Foucaultās concept of disciplinary power provides further insight into the spook of optimization. In his book Discipline and Punish (1975), Foucault describes how modern societies regulate individuals through a system of surveillance and control, which shapes their behavior to fit societal norms. This form of power operates not through overt force but through subtle mechanisms that encourage individuals to conform to ideals of productivity, health, and moral behavior.
The ideal of optimization in transhumanism operates in a similar way. By promoting the notion that individuals should enhance their physical, intellectual, and emotional capacities through technology, transhumanism subtly reinforces societal expectations about what it means to be a successful, productive, and valuable person. In this way, optimization becomes a form of control, directing individuals toward a particular vision of the "good life."
3) The Freedom Spook
In transhumanist discourse, freedom is often equated with the elimination of human limitations. Thinkers like Nick Bostrom and Ray Kurzweil argue that through technology, we can transcend the biological constraints that have historically shackled human beings like aging, disease, cognitive limitations, and even mortality. The freedom they promise is a kind of liberation from suffering and from the unpredictability of the natural world. For example, Kurzweilās vision of the Singularityāa point where humans and artificial intelligence mergeāpresents a future in which we have complete control over our bodies, minds, and environments, which would effectively create a utopia where suffering is minimized and human potential is maximized.
However, this transhumanist notion of freedom is deeply intertwined with the ideals of comfort and safety. The promise is that through technology, we can create a world where nothing threatens usāwhere aging, illness, and even death are eradicated, and where every aspect of our existence can be optimized for comfort and security. Itās a vision of life where suffering no longer has a place, and where freedom means the ability to exist without pain, without risk, and without uncertainty.
But as Stirner would argue, this conflation of freedom with comfort and safety is itself a spook. True freedom, according to Stirner, is not about eliminating suffering or gaining control over external conditions. Itās about AGENCY. Itās about asserting oneās own individuality, being the master of oneself, and living according to oneās own desires.
When freedom becomes merely the absence of discomfort or risk, it ceases to be freedom in any meaningful sense and even runs the risk of becoming hedonism. Or reallyā¦sensual slavery and addiction. So, reallyā¦ it becomes just another form of controlāa new set of chains masquerading as liberation.
Think about what Michel Foucaultās exploration of power and control shows us. He shows us the spook that Stirner saw. These systems of control are not overtly coercive but work subtly through subjectivation - shaping individualsā choices and actions by convincing them that they are acting in their own best interest, for their own comfort and safety.
For Foucault, this kind of freedom is an illusion. It is not true liberation but a form of control that operates through the promise of security and comfort. In the same way, Stirner would argue that transhumanist freedom, with its emphasis on eliminating suffering, is a spookāan abstract ideal that distracts the individual from the real task of becoming the master of oneself.
The transhumanist project also ignores the individualās responsibility to liberate itself: Jean-Paul Sartreās existentialist philosophy offers another lens through which to understand this. In Being and Nothingness (1943), Sartre famously declares that āMan is condemned to be freeāāmeaning that human beings are fundamentally free to make choices, but with that freedom comes the weight of responsibility. Sartre rejects the idea that freedom can be found in external conditions, whether through societal structures or technological advancements. Instead, freedom is an internal state that arises from the individualās ability to make authentic choices in the face of existential uncertainty.
For Sartre, true freedom is not the elimination of suffering or risk but the acceptance of oneās responsibility to create meaning in a world that offers no inherent purpose. This echoes Stirnerās view that freedom is not about achieving comfort or safety but about asserting oneās own will and taking responsibility for oneās own life. The transhumanist vision of freedom, which promises a world where suffering is eliminated, denies the individual this responsibility by offering a prepackaged, optimized version of freedom that requires no personal effort or choice.
In this sense, the transhumanist pursuit of freedom is a form of bad faith, to use Sartreās term. It is an attempt to escape the responsibility of being free by outsourcing freedom to external systemsāwhether technological, societal, or biological. But for Sartre, as for Stirner, true freedom can only be found in the individualās acceptance of their own responsibility for their choices and actions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Max Stirner's egoism offers a powerful critique of transhumanism by exposing the spooks that underlie its core ideals: humanity, optimization, and freedom.
As we move forward in a world increasingly shaped by technological advancements, Stirner's egoism reminds us to question the ideals we are striving toward and to ask ourselves, "What do I want?" Rather than becoming enslaved by new spooks of perfection and progress, Stirner invites us to figure out own s**t out, define our own terms of freedom, and resist the temptation to conform to any external visionāwhether it's biological, moral, or technological.
In the end, the path to true freedom lies not in transcending humanity, but in reclaiming the self from the spooks that seek to control it.
Bibliography
1. Bostrom, Nick. Transhumanist Values (2005).
2. Kurzweil, Ray. The Singularity is Near (2005).
3. More, Max. The Philosophy of Transhumanism (2013).
4. Stirner, Max. The Ego and Its Own (1844).
5. Nietzsche, Friedrich. Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883).
6. Nietzsche, Friedrich. On the Genealogy of Morals (1887).
7. Foucault, Michel. The History of Sexuality (1976).
8. Foucault, Michel. Discipline and Punish (1975).
9. Sartre, Jean-Paul. Being and Nothingness (1943).