Transhumanism and immortality.(letters to the editor)(Letter to the Editor) From: The Humanist | Date: July 1, 2004| Author: Nethe, Richard H.; Schmidt, Troy; Schultz, Matthew; Winston, Adelaide | COPYRIGHT 2004 American Humanist Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

More than fifty years ago a professor at the University of Chicago observed to his class that most humans are incapable of imagining their own oblivion. Already a Humanist, I found his declaration certainly accounted for the endless myths of immortality.

Imagine my surprise, then, on reading George Dvorsky and Brian Trent in the May/June 2004 Humanist. The articles on transhumanism and immortality affected me as poignant reminders that the professor's observations applie...