Honestly, if transhumanism came to fruition I imagine there would be negative consequences both seen and unforeseen. I'm not against technology by the way, but think that trying to actually replace humans with artificial intelligence is misguided and unnecessary. Saying that biological humans are too stupid to run the world and need artificial intelligence in control of everything sounds like the old wishful demand of religion: people are too sinful to live without god's judgement.
What are the potential problems for transhumanism?
- Humanity may die out before such technology can be fully invented.
- Either a revelation such as becomes known or the reality of the immaterial prevents futuristic technology (sorry Church Of Atheist Evangelicals we're not meatbags afterall)
- Negative consequences of technology become apparent
- A new finding of some kind sends transhumanism in different direction or does away with it
- Technology is rendered archaic due to human mental powers (think psychic) superseding it
- Something/someone impedes creation of technology
- Technology backfires on us
Technology is inevitably created by humans that exist in their own worldview. You could say transhumanist technology is an offshoot of materialism on steroids. Perhaps we think we have the answer now though as time goes by we realize that the "advancements" we made our reality just a crutch for the uninitiated who aren't able to see beyond the possibilities presented by the current establishment.
Lets not let the discussion be dominated by warring worldviews like dogmatic atheist-skeptic versus technophobe. Really, as I said before I don't hate technology (though admittedly not big on it either), but believe it can do as much harm as good. Theres a risk of humans becoming a "slave to the machine". We already see this happening in the 21st century with people going into panic-mode whenever they can't charge their cellphone. Cryonics mirrors the age old dream of immortality, but only focuses on the physical existence of the body regardless of whether or not its desirable to keep physically existing. Once again materialism has showed itself the "new religion" by catering to humanity's deep-seated desires and disregards the idea that perhaps we can continue a nonphysical existence despite physical death.
Actually, those calling anyone who questions advanced technology as "weird" or "backwards" doesn't realize that many of us may very well posses an immaterial soul and consciousness. Like I said before we already have the means to vastly improve human life and can reach higher levels of existence. By making family planning widely available (VHEM has it even better) people will be able to live in smaller communities run by sustainable technology like wind and solar. It's possible to feed the world on organic agriculture without resorting to biotechnology. It's time to change to a nonmaterialistic worldview that recognizes human spiritual powers. Indeed, technology may be nothing but a crutch for the uninitiated.
People are their beliefs and ever search within their own viewpoint. Transhumanists think they have it. Environmentalists think they have it. Spiritualists think they have it. Reality is a reflection of our thoughts. We see what we believe. The current era is a transients era with many differing paths.
One of the above listed problems with transhumanism is that it could very well prove unnecessary and outdated if the full mental powers of the human mind are ever realized. The people who willing trade in their biological brain for artificial brain may be the ones who find themselves at significant disadvantage.