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Relation to oneself· Body and life

Bioconservatism

Axis: Enhancing human natureShould we use technology to enhance human nature beyond healing?

Technologically altering human nature is a dangerous transgression: it threatens personal dignity, equality between generations, and our relation to what is given. Fragility and finitude are not flaws to be fixed, but conditions of a meaningful human life.

Foundations and implications
↑ What grounds itBioconservatism — Enhancing human nature!BioconservatismEnhancing human nature
Prescriptive
Finalism — Explaining nature=FinalismExplaining nature
Descriptive
A leaf — an application that grounds nothing further here.

What grounds it

Explaining nature

If nature is ordered by ends and each organism tends toward its completed form, seeking to technologically remake the human amounts to violating a meaningful order. Finalism supports bioconservatism: for Jonas, finitude and vulnerability are not flaws to be corrected, but conditions of a properly human life.

What it implies

A leaf — an application that grounds nothing further here.