The future of philosophy may be the philosophy of the future, if Nick Bostrom (Oxford, Philosophy) has anything to say about it. He directs the Oxford Future of Humanity Institute, which is a part of the University of Oxford's recently founded James Martin 21st Century School. "The Institute will focus on the fundamental question: which parts of the transhuman vision are worth achieving, and what is the best way to go about it?" The "transhuman vision" is one that regards human nature not as a datum but as a plastic something that technology now enables us to shape and extend in ways not imagined by philosophers of the great traditions.
The vision has its own organization, the World Transhumanist Association, and may soon even have its own professionally designed logo. As one might imagine, the details of this vision are very much constested, but the agreed core supports "the development of and access to new technologies that enable everyone to enjoy better minds, better bodies, and better lives. In other words, we want people to be better than well." So, we have a future for philosophy and a philosophy for the future: what could be better?
