Freedom as an Issue in the Context of Transhumanism and Artificial Intelligence, Digitalization, and Robotics (AIDR)

Abstract

Historically, the notion that knowledge and technology enhance human freedom has been accepted since the Renaissance. In fact, it cannot be ignored that “freedom” developed during the Renaissance, Enlightenment, industrialization, and technologicalization processes. While the development of the boundaries of the concept of freedom has increased with artificial intelligence, digitalization, and robotics (AIDR), this development has also created the problem of the violation of personal rights such as “privacy,” “confidentiality,” and “security,” which are the most essential concepts of humans and society. When the “Metaverse,” i.e., the “Web 3.0” process, is added to this phenomenon, the concept of freedom will develop more with the transcendence of time and space. Still, violations of personal rights, increased opportunities to commit crimes, and additional types of crimes will appear. The further development and increased visibility of AIDR require the ancient issue of freedom to be reconsidered in the context of “freedom and responsibility.” Transhumanism is one of the 21st century’s most influential scientific and philosophical movements, and its goals will make the issue of freedom more important. Transhumanism, first used as a concept in 1957 in the context of the physical and cognitive development of human beings, suggests that natural human limits can be overcome with the possibilities of biotechnology, nanotechnology, cyber-technology, and cognitive sciences. Research in areas such as delaying aging, eugenics debates and discourses legitimizing eugenics, the claim that immortality can be achieved, the development of the mind with the possibilities of nanotechnology, the brain-machine interface (BMI), the development of the body with biotechnological elements and similar studies aim to realize the biological freedom of human beings. This potential biological freedom may yield a result inversely proportional to social freedom. This is because differences between individuals will create a situation of “superiority” that will lead to differences between individuals and classes and thus to inequality. This situation can foster slave-master processes. This process may occur not only between people but also between humans and AI and robotic applications. In addition, AIDR itself, its producer, and its user will differentiate the processes of freedom. In particular, whether transhumanist people are forced to use healing technologies or whether they develop and adapt their own bodies and minds as a result of their own choice or as a result of coercion are other matters of debate in the context of the issue of freedom. This study discusses freedom, an essential issue for humanity, in the context of AIDR processes and transhumanism, which includes these processes.