Introduction
Human beings have made an effort to overcome their limitations in a ceaseless pursuit of self-betterment. They have lifted themselves from creatures that once struggled for survival, into evolved intellectual beings with a consciousness and free will. With these very skills, they can ponder a direction of their own choosing.
Humans have mastered the ability to control the self. This understanding has improved their physical and mental capabilities. Likewise, the will towards self-betterment has served the foundation of transhumanism. Examples of humanity pursuing transhumanism throughout human history can be easily found.
Shennong in ancient China studied the effects of various plants and herbs by testing them himself, and his experiences became the bases of agriculture and medicine. Emperor Qin Shi Huang who first united the Chinese continent searched worldwide for the herb of immortality. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the protagonist Gilgamesh also sought immortality.
China’s Taoism and India’s yogic tradition can also be considered examples of transhumanism. Both pursue transcendence and spirituality through body and mind practices. Buddhism similarly places importance on awakening from the pains of human life. Following the same pattern, alchemy in the Middle East and the European pursuit of an elixir have a basis in transhumanism.
In modern times, human life has been changing with the development of science and technology, and with these changes, the potential for human beings to develop themselves is higher than ever. That is, it is getting easier to prolong our life spans and improve our physical and mental capacities, ultimately, to reach a higher level of consciousness. Raymond "Ray" Kurzweil from Google, Dave Asprey from Bullet Proof Coffee, and Vishen Lakhiani from Mind Valley, are widely known for making such efforts. They sometimes make drastic biological efforts such as combining human bodies with machines.
Concepts of Holistic Transhumanism
Humans are whole beings, bigger than the sum of their own parts. They are intrinsically integrated and intact. A simple summation of cells and organs does not accurately express what a human being is. It takes the power of an emergence as whole beings. Transhumanism should be based on an understanding and acceptance of humans’ wholeness, which is preceded by a deep understanding of the body, mind and spirit.
Holistic transhumanism, therefore, aims to understand humans as whole beings and to improve and develop this form. It dismisses intentionally mechanized bodies, since it gives a priority to the intactness of the human body.
Holistic transhumanism, above all, focuses on the improvement and development of human individuals. The principle, however, is not to discourage or harm other individuals’ improvement and development in their own pursuit.
As individuals get together and form groups, the improved and developed individuals will lead to greater groups. This process will facilitate a rise in humankind’s conscious. This will lead to positive changes in group phenomena in such areas as industry, society, culture, economy and politics. And again, such changes will create a virtuous cycle, which will bring improvement and development to human individuals.Four Aspects of Human Individuals
Different human aspects can largely be divided into four categories. These aspects are interrelated with each other organically in the human body’s physical, chemical and electrical systems.
Materials – Human bodies are made up of materials. Humans consume and use the materials that constitute their body. These materials serve the human body, not only with their constituting bodies, but also with their functions of keeping homeostasis.
Energy – Human bodies are also made up of energy. Human bodies change materials into energy metabolically. Energy also exists in the form of waves, such as heat and in electromagnetic fields.
Movements – Human bodies are a tensile integration, where many different tensions are integrated. These continuously working tensions maintain forms and build stability and mobility.
Appearance – Human appearances reflect their inner state. They also serve as a medium through which an individual communicates with the outer world.What I am going to do
I have always pursued the whole healing of human beings into better states, while going through various medical approaches and body/mind practice methods. At the same time, I have felt a structural problem with the way human beings become aware of the development of the self.
The first problem lies with the mechanical perspective towards the human body. In which a human body is the sum of its parts. They do not accept and perceive an individual as a whole being; instead, they perceive one by dividing it into several areas. It is their perspective of the human body that has become fragmented and divided.
The second problem can be found in the exclusive medical system. Modern medical systems are controlled by hierarchical academics, capitals that regard human bodies as products on the market, and the government agencies that try to protect stakeholders with systems and regulations.
Therefore, I would like to suggest an alternative. By integrating bio-data and bio-data based business through decentralized platforms, we can collect various bio-data and integrate it through new data that will go beyond existing clinical experimental systems. While existing experiments allow fragmentary and linear verifications, the new ones will provide us with an organic and stereoscopic approach to human bodies. Hopefully, it will lead to integrated healing and integrated disciplines.
Decentralized platforms will present effective and valuable methods, though they are not included in the existing exclusive medical systems. The methods, in turn, will be verified and developed further. And then, the mechanism working behind the methods will emerge through the integrated principles.
This is how decentralized platforms will revolutionize the way human beings deal with human bodies.Holos and Holistic Transhumanism
I started HOLOS Project in the hope of human beings being reborn into complete beings. HOLOS refers to ‘completeness’ in Latin. This project is starting to make holistic transhumanism ideas a reality.
I hope you join the HOLOS Project with me.