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Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond To The Redesigned Human Of The Future Paperback – October 27, 2004

by James Hughes (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 31 ratings
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A provocative work by medical ethicist James Hughes, Citizen Cyborg argues that technologies pushing the boundaries of humanness can radically improve our quality of life if they are controlled democratically. Hughes challenges both the technophobia of Leon Kass and Francis Fukuyama and the unchecked enthusiasm of others for limitless human enhancement. He argues instead for a third way, "democratic transhumanism," by asking the question destined to become a fundamental issue of the twenty-first century: How can we use new cybernetic and biomedical technologies to make life better for everyone? These technologies hold great promise, but they also pose profound challenges to our health, our culture, and our liberal democratic political system. By allowing humans to become more than human - "posthuman" or "transhuman" - the new technologies will require new answers for the enduring issues of liberty and the common good. What limits should we place on the freedom of people to control their own bodies? Who should own genes and other living things? Which technologies should be mandatory, which voluntary, and which forbidden? For answers to these challenges, Citizen Cyborg proposes a radical return to a faith in the resilience of our democratic institutions.
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  1. Print length
    320 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Basic Books
  4. Publication date
    October 27, 2004
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.72 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0813341981
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0813341989
  8. See all details
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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
31 global ratings

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Customers find the book engaging and well-researched. They appreciate the author's discussion of science, morality, and public policy. The book covers important topics regarding human enhancement's past and future.

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3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and appreciate the great content.

"The content was great. I wowed my professor with some of the referenced material.... Thank you for pushing me into a progressive sort of thinking...." Read more

"I loved this book, couldn't put it down. The author covers many important topics in regards to the past and future of human enhancement...." Read more

"Great Book! Very Exciting and Interesting Predictions..." Read more

3 customers mention "Research quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's research quality good. They appreciate the well-researched discussion of science, morality, and public policy. The author covers many important topics regarding human enhancement's past and future.

"...That was a bit disappointing, as it was otherwise very well researched." Read more

"I loved this book, couldn't put it down. The author covers many important topics in regards to the past and future of human enhancement...." Read more

"A reasoned discussion of the intersection of Science, Morality and Public Policy..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • sw
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book! Very Exciting and Interesting Predictions
    Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    However, the author is obviously very pro-human-enhancement. So much, in fact, that although he mentions the arguments and concern of different groups that oppose human-enhancement, he hardly begins to address them, let’s alone appease them. He only half-brushes them off by comparing their concerns to the superstitions of backward religious zealots, as if this discredits their genuine concern for caution. That was a bit disappointing, as it was otherwise very well researched.
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  • Frank M. Stewart
    5.0 out of 5 stars A reasoned discussion of the intersection of Science, Morality and Public Policy
    Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2022
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    The most important piece that I have read in several years.
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  • M. A. Plus
    3.0 out of 5 stars Magneto might have a legitimate point of view, after all
    Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2006
    Verified Purchase
    I found "Citizen Cyborg" quite readable, and James Hughes brings up a number of interesting arguments against both the bio-Luddite and libertarian-Extropian views of human transformation through technological means. Regarding the latter, Hughes points to the contradiction between the Extropians' desire to re-engineer naturally evolved biology without limits, versus their taboo against intervening into the evolved "spontaneous orders" of markets. Ironically the Extropians' guru F.A. Hayek in "The Fatal Conceit" asserts that we cannot rationally control the direction of an evolved system of any sort, even in principle. But Extropians deliberately ignore that aspect of Hayek's philosophy because it conflicts with their biological agenda.

    I also like how Hughes treats the futurist philosopher F.M. Esfandiary (who also called himself FM-2030) as a serious thinker. Many of FM-2030's speculations about the values and lifestyles of "Future Man" sound more plausible now than when he first promoted them in the 1970's and 1980's, and I would like to see his contributions receive more recognition.

    I find fault with Hughes's book in the following areas, however:

    1. He puts too much emphasis on the technology of baby-making, maybe he because writes for a "family values" friendly American readership, at a time when most developed democratic countries now face population declines, especially Japan. It looks as if people in democracies have better things to do than planning to create genetically improved offspring.

    2. He doesn't deal with the threat Peak Oil poses to the future of technological civilization.

    3. He fails to address the fact that aging people for the most part can't or won't integrate novelty and additional risks into their lives, and what this means for the acceptance of new technologies in aging democratic societies.

    4. He doesn't explain how Transhumanism would address the conflict of secular modernity versus third-world christianity and traditional Islam.

    5. He assumes that everyone will behave himself to thrash out all these policy issues through democratic processes, instead of looking for shortcuts to get his way.

    6. And, he assumes that the people with superior energy, ability and ambition, regardless of their social origins, will just tolerate living under democratic rule, instead of using their enhancements to challenge the authorities, like Magneto from the X-Men mythos. (A few years ago I asked: How do we handle the prospect of the Evil Transhuman? Answer: Plan on becoming the first one!) Many philosophers have long recognized that most people (the vulgar) live closer to the animal level than a relative handful of humans who have greater capacity for cognition and achievement. These natural aristocrats chafe now under the regime of the vulgar -- so why wouldn't they use enhancements to break free from social-political constraints and start making their own rules?

    Maybe Hughes will address these issues in the future books I've heard he plans to write. I find it unfortunate that this one seems to have fallen dead-born from the press, compared with the best-selling book Ray Kurzweil published about future technologies. I hope "Citizen Cyborg" can get its second wind, because the questions it raises will require social responses much sooner than we think.
    29 people found this helpful
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  • Fireman
    2.0 out of 5 stars Too many political views
    Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    This book is more about the politics of future technology than the technologies themselves.. The author has his own politcal beliefs and he does not shy away from expressing them. His left leaning political beliefs make this book hard to read. Many of the facts seem to be repeated and he must have quotes from every science fiction book and movie that was ever produced. Ray Kurzweil's books were ten times better.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Niki. T
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    The content was great. I wowed my professor with some of the referenced material.... Thank you for pushing me into a progressive sort of thinking. This controversial style got me into graduate school.
    One person found this helpful
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  • philippe castonguay
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Overview of the Different Political Stances Regarding Transhumanism Related Debates
    Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2014
    Review of
    CITIZEN CYBORG;
    Why Democratic Societies Must Respond to the Redesigned Human of the Future, 2004
    7.5/10

    "Technologies may make certain kinds of power more likely than others, but they do not determine power relations." - James Hughes.

    ______________________________________________________
    SHORT REVIEW

    Citizen Cyborg is a good introduction to political stances regarding the implications of a transhuman society. It does cover many defending and opposing views on multiple topics in a fairly balanced way. It is a pleasant and informative book to read and proposes in-between positions that can reconcile the left and right wing transhuman advocates.

    ______________________________________________________
    LONG REVIEW

    OVERVIEW

    Addressed readers:
    This book is addressed to anyone who is interested in exploring the different political positions and their arguments regarding a transhuman society. No background is required to appreciate the book, but basic knowledge in political science may enhance one's experience.

    Content:
    James Hughes goes through many different ideologies regarding specific and general debates that a transhuman society will face. A broad range of topic was covered, such as longevity, body enhancers, inequality, freedom and governmental regulations. Regarding transhuman opposing ideologies, he presented the positions of deep-ecology, conservatism, gainism, luddism and others. Regarding transhuman proponent ideologies, he described the positions of progressivism, libertarianism, social-democracy, communism, extropianism, democratic transhumanism, up-wing, singularitarian and technogainism.

    The book is taking the transhuman side with a democratic transhumanism as its central tenant, obviously. Hughes mostly focused on the political and social implications rather than on the technical aspects of the different transhuman related technologies:

    "Rather than focus on some timeline for all of these technological wonders, a timeline that would out of date by the time you read these words, i want instead to focus on the constants, the things unlikely to change in the coming century: the human needs and desires these technologies will be asked to serve.", p.7.
    ____________________________
    STRENGTHS

    First of all, the book is very easy and pleasant to read. Not because of its simplicity, but because of its clarity. Indeed, Hughes is able to summarise the different ideologies in a clear and concise manner, rendering the book a very good introduction to political stances regarding tranhumanism. It is also a great, but short survey of transhumanism history, covering both its opponents and its proponents. Furthermore, he cited many giants defending a transhuman future rarely mentioned by the transhuman community, such as J.B.S Haldane, Marquis de Condorcet, Leon Trotsky, Pico della Mirandola, Benjamin Franklin and William Godwin.

    Secondly, Hughes made a great attempt in presenting the opposing views of transhumanism in a fair manner. In a fair manner, i mean that he quoted and explained relatively objectively different positions held by tranhumanism opponents. He does not simply mention one or two opposing authors or books, but plenty. He also raises a large amount of criticism addressed to transhumanists. One can never be really objective in presenting the opposite side, but Hughes did a good job.

    Thirdly, in addition to the large amount of positions presented (see the overview), he covered numerous social concerns that are not uniquely controversial for the present time. Like quoted before, his focus was on polemics that will be discussed during most of the 21st century. Also, even if the book was written in 2004, the technologies presented were still fairly up to date, such as in vitro pregnancy, anti-drug vaccines and anti-aging researches.

    ____________________________
    WEAKNESSES

    First of all, some of the arguments offered against the criticisms lacked depth. He often answered by positing inconsistencies in the opponent perspectives, which is fine, but, in my opinion, he does not provide sufficient points to defend the transhuman side. Hence, his arguments are mostly aimed at disarming the other, but not at convincing them directly. For example, regarding a claim by Pat Mooney on the pharmaceutical advantages of selling pills to make people slim instead of pushing the public to eat less and exercise more, Hughes wrote:

    "One expects him to then warn against the danger of masturbation, and the importance of an early bedtime." p.19

    Of course, most of his points are well posited, but i usually prefer when counter-criticisms are followed by arguments defending one stance.

    Secondly, i wish the book went a little deeper into the political reform that would have to take place. The aim of the book was not to propose economic reforms or ways to put in place a global government, but there could've been more thoughts on how a working industry with a theoretical infinite lifespan would work, for example.

    ______________________________________________________
    SUMMARY

    In general, Citizen Cyborg is a good book to read and still very relevant since it addresses future and actual debates that humanity will be confronted with. If one is looking for a good survey of the different political positions regarding transhumanism, this book would be a good choice.
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  • AC
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book on Transhumanism
    Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book, couldn't put it down. The author covers many important topics in regards to the past and future of human enhancement. I even contacted him after putting the book down and he gave me further insight and contacts into the philosophy of Transhumanism.

    Get this book.
    One person found this helpful
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