Subject: Negative utilitarianism is a branch of normative ethics that emphasizes the priority of eliminating severe and unnecessary suffering over maximizing pleasure. This perspective regards suffering as a fundamental defect in the biological experience of sentient beings and identifies the primary ethical duty as eradicating destructive pains. In contrast, transhumanism is an interdisciplinary movement that, by leveraging advanced technologies such as genetic engineering, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, and cellular biotechnology, seeks to enhance human capabilities and transcend natural biological limitations. This research examines the convergence of these two domains in the twenty-first century and explores the possibility of realizing a society with reduced suffering.
Purpose: The main goal is to evaluate the capacity of transhumanist technologies in reducing human and animal suffering based on the principles of negative utilitarianism. Additionally, identifying upcoming ethical, social, and political challenges and proposing equitable and sustainable policymaking to guide these transformations are considered.
Method: The research employs a mixed-methods approach, including qualitative analysis of foundational philosophical texts using NVivo software and case studies of innovative empirical projects from databases of the World Health Organization, United Nations Children's Fund, and European Union reports. Systematic review methodology and data triangulation were applied to enhance the validity of findings.
Findings: Technologies such as gene editing, medical nanotechnology, predictive artificial intelligence, cellular biotechnology, and neural simulations demonstrate significant potential to substantially reduce physical, psychological, and animal suffering. However, obstacles such as global inequality in access, ethical risks related to privacy and human identity, and cultural resistance hinder the full realization of this vision.
Results: Achieving a society with less suffering requires equitable global policymaking, comprehensive ethical regulations, and systematic interdisciplinary collaboration among philosophy, science, and policy. This convergence shifts the battle against suffering from theoretical reflections to practical and technological arenas, promising a world with sustainable well-being.