Transhumanism

Are Anglo-Saxons creating a Human 2.0?

1- How transhumanism technologies will change everything?

a - Describe this poster using the proper description vocabulary.

b - Make some web researches to find out who is the main character on the poster.  

c - Watch the video and make a report of the main arguments of the speaker.

2 - What is Transhumanism?

a - Vocabulary : label each box with a title from the list : Pros, Cons, Risks, Characteristics, Rights.

- An artificial intelligence : Une intelligence artificielle
- The biotechnology : La biotechnologie
- The chips : Les puces
- To clone : Cloner
- The cryogenics : La cryogénie
- The digitalisation : La numérisation
- Gene editing : L'édition génétique
- The mankind : L'humanité
- Mind uploading : Augmenter les capacités de l'esprit
- A quest : Une quête
- Automated : Automatisé
- Synthetic : Synthétique
- To digitalize : Numériser
- To download : Télécharger
- To enhance life : Améliorer la vie
- To increase intelligence : Augmenter l'intelligence
- A lifespan : Une durée de vie
- To eradicate aging : Éradiquer le vieillissement
- To evolve : Évoluer
- To fulfill : Réaliser
- To go beyond natural barriers : Dépasser les barrières naturelles
- To transcend : Transcender
- A biohacker : Un bio-hacker
- An ethical issue : Un enjeu éthique
- An illicit performance booster : Un dopant illégal
- A trend : Une tendance
- Intertwined : Entrelacé
- Safe : Sûr
- Unsafe : Dangereux
- Extreme : Extrême
- To beware : Se méfier
- To alter : Modifier
- To urge : Pousser (à faire quelque chose)
- A bill : Un projet de loi, une facture
- A threat : Une menace
- To be sensible : Être raisonnable
- To advocate : Prôner, défendre
- To be committed to : Être engagé à
- Enforce a law : Faire appliquer une loi
- To grant rights : Accorder des droits
- To harm someone : Faire du mal à quelqu'un
- To raise awareness : Sensibiliser
- To warn against : Mettre en garde contre
- The consciousness : La conscience
- A radical optimism : Un optimisme radical
- A trauma : Un traumatisme
- A lobby : Un groupe de pression
- Hubristic : Mégalomane
- Realistic : Réaliste
- Unrealistic : Irréaliste
- Familiar : Familier
- Unfamiliar : Inconnu
- Unexpected : Inattendu
- Abnormal : Anormal

b- Time line :  List the ideas linked to transhumanism and explain them in your own words.

c- Draw a mind map to explain what transhumanism is. You wil have to explain it to the others. 

Objectifs :

  • Comprendre et utiliser les formes du futur "will" et "be going to"
  • Apprendre à exprimer la probabilité, les intentions, et les prédictions avec des modaux (may, might, could, should)

Contexte :

Dans cette leçon, nous utiliserons du vocabulaire lié au transhumanisme pour exprimer des prédictions, des intentions et des probabilités concernant l'avenir.

1. Le futur avec "will" et "be going to"

  • "Will" est utilisé pour des décisions spontanées, des promesses, ou des prédictions non fondées sur des preuves actuelles.

    • Exemple : "In the future, mankind will evolve with the help of biotechnology."

  • "Be going to" exprime des intentions ou des prédictions basées sur des preuves actuelles.

    • Exemple : "Scientists are going to increase human lifespan using gene editing."

Structure :

Futur simple Futur avec "be going to"
Subject + will + base verb Subject + am/is/are + going to + base verb

2. Les modaux pour exprimer la probabilité et la certitude

Les modaux permettent d'exprimer des degrés de certitude ou d'incertitude :

  • May / Might / Could : Probabilité moyenne/faible
    • Exemple : "Cryogenics may help to eradicate aging."
  • Should : Conseil ou probabilité forte
    • Exemple : "Biohackers should be aware of the ethical issues before modifying their bodies."
  • Must : Forte certitude ou nécessité
    • Exemple : "Governments must enforce laws on biohacking to ensure safety."

Structure :

Sujet Modal Verbe à l'infinitif
Mankind might go beyond natural barriers.

3. Exercices

Exercice A. Choisissez entre "will" et "be going to"

  1. Scientists __________ (develop) chips that can increase intelligence.
  2. Cryogenics __________ (play) a big role in preserving the human body.
  3. Some people think that gene editing __________ (eradicate) genetic diseases.
  4. I believe that in 2050, we __________ (use) artificial intelligence daily.

Exercice B. Utilisez les modaux pour exprimer la probabilité

Complétez avec les modaux appropriés : may, might, could, should, must

  1. The biotechnology industry __________ develop new methods to enhance life.
  2. Some people __________ consider biohacking to be unsafe.
  3. Consciousness __________ be uploaded to a digital system in the future.
  4. We __________ beware of the risks associated with transhumanism.
  5. Transhumanism __________ raise many ethical issues.

Exercice C : Complétez les phrases en utilisant "will" ou "be going to"

  1. With advancements in biotechnology, people __________ (live) longer and healthier lives in the future.
  2. Scientists __________ (create) synthetic organs to replace damaged body parts.
  3. I believe that transhumanism __________ (change) the way we think about human potential.
  4. Look at the new AI prototypes! They __________ (revolutionize) many industries.

Exercice D : Questions ouvertes avec le futur

Posez des questions pour chaque situation donnée en utilisant "will" ou "be going to".

  1. Les scientifiques travaillent sur la cryogénie. Posez une question pour savoir si cela éradiquera le vieillissement.

    • Exemple : "Will cryogenics eradicate aging?"

  2. Un chercheur présente un nouveau gène synthétique. Posez une question pour savoir ce que cela changera dans le futur.

    • Exemple : "What will this synthetic gene change in the future?"

  3. Un ami est intéressé par le biohacking. Posez une question pour savoir s'il va essayer des modifications corporelles.

    • Exemple : "Are you going to try body modifications?"

Exercice E : Exprimez une prédiction avec des modaux

Imaginez que vous êtes en 2100 et décrivez des situations probables liées au transhumanisme en utilisant "will", "may", "might", "could", ou "must".

  1. Parlez de l'espérance de vie humaine.

    • Exemple : "By 2100, humans might live up to 150 years thanks to advancements in biotechnology."

  2. Imaginez une amélioration possible des capacités cognitives humaines.

    • Exemple : "People could have chips that enhance intelligence and memory."

  3. Prédisez des réglementations possibles autour des modifications corporelles.

    • Exemple : "Governments must enforce stricter laws on biohacking to protect public safety."

Exercice F : Correction des erreurs

Corrigez les erreurs dans les phrases suivantes :

  1. "People will going to use cryogenics to freeze their bodies after they die."
  2. "Scientists may will find a way to increase lifespan."
  3. "Biohackers must beware of ethical issue when modifying their bodies."
  4. "The technology should evolves rapidly in the next decade."


3 - Pro : How will exoskeletons be used in the next decade?

a - Explain the benefits of these kinds of tools.

b- Find other positive arguments about transhumanism.

4 - Con : The dangers of Transhumanism

https://www.the-sun.com/tech/6890862/humans-in-2100-ageless-elon-musk-neuralink/


Humans in 2100 could be ageless bionic hybrids with downloadable brains as they transform into Elon Musk-style 'CYBORGS'

  • Henry Holloway - Published: 7:30 ET, Dec 11 2022

HUMANS in the next 100 years could be part-machine, part-flesh creatures with brain chips and bionic limbs and organs in a vision of "cyborgs" once described by Elon Musk.

Men and women born around 2100 could live in a world very different to ours as humans may be totally connected to the internet and meshed together with artificial intelligence.


Mobile phones would no longer be needed - as everything you now do with your smartphone will now be done with a chip in your brain.

With just a thought you could bring up an answer on Google, send a message via WhatsApp, or even control your personal drone to do errands for you.

Scientists and futurists have predicted that ageing could be nearly totally eliminated through a mixture of treatments and bionics.

And some humans may choose to have their limbs amputated and replaced with more powerful robotic prosthetics.

Futurist and transhumanist Zoltan Istvan, who has twice run to be US President, described his vision of the future to The Sun Online - saying it's imperative humans must merge with AI.

And he said that humans are already on the way to soon heading down to "body shops or supermarkets" to upgrade themselves.

Twitter boss Musk has previously described a world where humanity must become more integrated with technology to compete with AI.

Big tech companies are already working on "transhuman" technology - including Musk's new brain chip, Neuralink.

And when speaking to The Sun Online Istvan said he agreed with the billionaire about the dangers we face.

"Musk is absolutely right," he said.

Istvan also said "gene editing" - such as designer babies or splicing your genes to improve your health - is one of the most interesting developments on the horizon.

He called on the government to ease red tape of regulation to allow for more innovation that could "save and improve millions of lives".

"People may say there will never put something in their body, but just wait until their neighbour does it, and that neighbour then becomes a more sought-after employee," Istvan told The Sun Online.

"We live in a competitive world, and transhuman technology makes us more competitive, so we will accept the upgrades to succeed."

But while we may become tech-based superhumans, the big threat hanging over us is AI.

Istvan told The Sun Online: "I think an AI that's as smart as humans will be the biggest advance, and that will probably happen in 25 years or less."

"But the bigger issue is then how much smarter that AI becomes than us.

"I suspect within a few years of its inception, it will already be thousands of times smarter than us, then eventually millions of times more intelligent by 2100.

"We must attempt to merge with this AI before it becomes too smart, or humans will be totally left behind, and the planet will belong to AI, not to us."

He warned one of the biggest dangers of this technological advancement is creating a two-tier society - where the rich become "transhuman gods" and the poor are left behind.

"This is the biggest danger of transhumanism, that we create a dystopia," he told The Sun Online.

"For this reason, I advocate governments taking a close look at how to make sure transhuman technology can be available to all."


a - What are the dangers of the transhumanism described in the text ?

b- Which other dangers can you imagine about transhupmanism ?

5 - Final Task : Perfom a dialogue between a disabled person and an ingeneer who wants to sell him/her some technical solutions to improve his daily life.

a. Choose which role you will adopt.

  • Disabled person : which kind of disability do you have?
  • Ingeneer : imagine some solutions

b. List all your arguments and learn the words and sentences related to debates.

c. Write your dialogue using the vocabulary of the chapter.

d. Rehearse your dialogue before the performance to be sure you have the best prononciation