Tolle Lege: An Augustinian Journal of Philosophy and Theology

The primary objective of this paper, is to explore how the transhumanist ideologies impact human spirituality, particularly in relation to self-transcendence, moral evolution and the search for ultimate meaning. The paper seeks to investigate whether using technology to improve human natural abilities helps people grow spiritually or pulls them away from their true purpose in life. Scientific and technological advancements have fueled the advocacy for the enhancement of human abilities, especially through biotechnology, nanotechnology, and digital consciousness transfer, with the sole aim of transcending and making up for human natural biological limitations. These daring endeavors have the potential of merging humans with machines; blurring human autonomy, with algorithms shaping thoughts, choices, and even consciousness. This has the potential of evolving humans beyond their natural state and stripping them of their identity, self-worth, and spiritual essence. While critics argue that transhumanism threatens conventional spirituality through existential risks like detachment from organic experiences and moral disorientation, its impact is not entirely negative. Scientific innovations have undeniably helped redefine the meaning of life and expand human consciousness and selfhood. Adopting a qualitative and interdisciplinary approach, drawing insights from philosophy, religious traditions, and cognitive science, the paper contends that while there is the fear that transhumanism could reduce humans to machines and erode their spiritual essence, it does not eliminate spirituality but transforms it. We argue, therefore, that technology can be beneficial to spirituality by providing us with new avenues for learning, introspection, and connection, such as through meditation applications, online spiritual communities or deep conversations with artificial intelligence machines. However, it can also be detrimental to spirituality if we get overly reliant on it, allowing it to divert us, where we choose convenience and speed over genuine inner development. In such a case, spirituality runs the risk of becoming something we "buy" or consume rather than being something we ought to genuinely live and experience. Hence, while pondering on the future of human identity, there is a need to ensure a balance between scientific innovation and the timeless quest for spiritual depth. 

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