The Enhanced Human and the Harmony of Life: Ethical Limits in a Technological Age

Abstract

This article examines the ethical implications of Human Enhancement (HE), arguing that its underlying drivers, namely dissatisfaction with human limits, restlessness, and the drive against finitude, reveal a misguided pursuit. While HE promises improved health and longevity, it threatens human vulnerability, which is foundational to meaning, solidarity, and interconnectedness. Evaluating HE against the framework of “harmony of life", the article exposes concerns around justice, autonomy, authenticity, and social cohesion. It concludes that genuine fulfilment and harmony of life arise not from technological self-transcendence but from purposeful living, embracing vulnerability, and fostering solidarity within our shared human condition.