Teilhard de Chardin

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was among the first to give serious consideration to the future of human evolution. His work advocates both biotechnologies (e.g., genetic engineering) and intelligence technologies. He discusses the emergence of a global computation-communication system (and is said by some to have been the first to have envisioned the Internet). He advocates the development of a global society. Teilhard is almost surely the first to discuss the acceleration of technological progress to a Singularity in which human intelligence will become super-intelligence. He discusses the spread of human intelligence into the universe and its amplification into a cosmic intelligence. More recently, his work has been taken up by Barrow and Tipler; Tipler; Moravec; and Kurzweil. Of course, Teilhard’s Omega Point Theory is deeply Christian, which may be difficult for secular transhumanists. But transhumanism cannot avoid a fateful engagement with Christianity. Christian institutions may support or oppose transhumanism. Since Christianity is an extremely powerful cultural force in the West, it is imperative for transhumanism to engage it carefully. A serious study of Teilhard can help that engagement and will thus be rewarding to both communities.Teilhard de Chardin and Transhumanism [if !supportEmptyParas] [endif] Eric Steinhart Department of Philosophy, William Paterson University steinharte@wpunj.edu [if !supportEmptyParas] [endif] [if !supportEmptyParas] [endif] Journal of Evolution and Technology  - Vol. 20  Issue 1 –December 2008 - pgs 1-22 http://jetpress.org/v20/steinhart.htm
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) was a Jesuit paleontologist.[if !supportFootnotes][1]{ King (1996) provides an excellent intellectual biography of Teilhard.  The Teilhard de Chardin Album (Mortier & Auboux, 1966) is an impressive photographic record of Teilhard’s life, including his many research expeditions.}[endif] He combined his scientific study of the fossil record with his Christian faith to produce a general theory of evolution. Teilhard’s body of work has much to offer transhumanists, who advocate the use of technology to enhance human capacities and see current human beings as in transition to posthuman forms. There are several specific reasons for transhumanists to study Teilhard’s work.https://jetpress.org/v20/steinhart.htm
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ was a French Jesuit priest,scientist, paleontologist, theologian,philosopher and teacher. Wikipedia (c) Text under CC-BY-SA license
He took part in the discovery of Peking Man. He conceived the vitalist idea of the Omega Point. With Vladimir Vernadsky he developed the concept of the noosphere.
In 1962, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith condemned several of Teilhard's works based on their alleged ambiguities and doctrinal errors.