← Back

Title of the article: Mythological transhumanism in Russian culture
Author(s): KOVALEVSKAYA T. V.
Section: Theory and history of culture
Year: 2016
Issue: № 1 (39)
Pages: 13-26
Index UDK: 17.023.3
Index BBK: 87.7
Abstract: Transhumanism, i.e. human striving to achieve immortality and divinity, has been a crucial part of human teleology for as long as humans have been conscious of themselves. In each historic and cultural period, this striving assumed various forms (pagan Germanic self-deification through death, Christian theosis). In today’s secular ametaphysical culture, self-deification through death becomes either self-deification in death (vampirism), or animality (shape-shifting). In the post-Soviet culture, philosophical aspects of mythological transhumanism give way to the sociopolitical aspects, and both vampirism and shape-shifting are used as an allegorical means to promote tolerance and general acceptance regardless of any possible differences. Transhumanism as a scientific project, however, paradoxically posits transhumanism as the metaphysical goal of humankind.
Keywords: transhumanism, self-deification, theosis, vampirism, shape-shifting, metaphysics, the ametaphysical
Bibliography: 1 Buzina T. Samoobozhenie v evropeiskoi kul'ture [Self-Deification in European Culture]. St. Petersburg, Dmitrii Bulanin Publ., 2011. 351 p. 2 Demin I. V. Russkiikosmizm v perspektive transgumanizma [Russian Cosmism Viewed through the Prism of Transhumanism]. Samara, Glagol Publ., 2014. 208 p. 3 Zaitsev E. Uchenie V. N. Losskogo o teozise [V. N. Lossky’s Teaching on Theosis]. Moscow, BBI Publ., 2007. 320 p. 4 Itskov V. Zapovedi zhizni neocheloveka [Commandments of the Neohuman’s Life]. Available at: http://vz.ru/opinions/2013/4/3/627133.html (Аccessed 28 November 2015). 5 Levitskii S. Sverkhchelovek (Übermensch) Nitsshe i Chelovek Khrista [Nietzsche’s Übermensch and Christ’s Man]. Bogoslovskiivestnik [Theological Herald], 1901, no 7–9, pp. 496–517. 6 Mikhailova T. A., Odesskii M. P. Graf Drakula. Opytopisaniia [Count Dracula. An Attempt at Description]. Moscow, OGI Publ., 2009. 208 p. 7 Palama Grigorii. Triady v zashchitu sviashchenno-bezmolvstvuiushchikh [Triads in Defense of Those Practicing the Holy Quietude]. Moscow, Kanon Publ., 2003. 381 p. 8 Pelevin V. Problema vervolka v srednei polose [The Problem of Werewolves in Central Russia]. Available at: http://www.bookol.ru/fantastika/nauchnaya_fantastika/42086/ fulltext.htm (Accessed 28 November 2015). 9 Popov I. V. Ideia obozheniia v drevnevostochnoi tserkvi [The Idea of Deification in the Ancient Eastern Church]. Voprosy filosofii i psikhologii [Issues in Philosophy and Psychology], 1909, book 97, pp. 165–213. 10 Priakhin V. F. Russkii kosmizm i transgumanizm [Russian Cosmism and Transhumanism]. Rossiia 2045 [Russia 2045]. Available at: http://www.2045.ru/news/30263.html (Accessed 30 November 2015). 11 Strugatskii A., Strugatskii B. Ponedel'nik nachinaetsia v subbotu. Skazka o troike. Popytka k begstvu. Trudno byt' bogom [Monday Begins on Saturday. Tale of the Troika. Escape Attempt. It’s Hard To Be a God]. Moscow, Moskovskii rabochii Publ., 1989. 546 p. 12 Shakespeare W. Polnoe sobranie sochinenii: v 8 t. [Complete Works in Eight Volumes.] Moscow, Iskusstvo Publ., 1969. Vol. 7. 823 p. 13 Better Off Dead. The Evolution of the Zombie as Post-Human. New York, 2011. 304 p. 14 Bostrom N. «A History of Transhumanist Thought». Available at: http://www.nickbostrom. com/papers/history.pdf (Accessed 28 November 2015). 15 Jackson R. J. The Art of Dostoevsky. Deliriums and Nocturnes. Princeton, Princeton University Press, 1981. 380 p. 16 Piazza J. Audiences experience 'Avatar' blues. CNN. Available at: http://edition. cnn. com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/avatar.movie.blues/index.html (Accessed 28 November 2015). 17 The Modern Vampire and Human Identity. Edited by Deborah Mutch. Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. 233 p. 18 Transhumanist Declaration. Humanity +. Available at: http://humanityplus.org/ philosophy/transhumanist-declaration/ (Accessed 28 November 2015). 19 Williams A. N. Grounds of Union: Deification in Aquinas and Palamas. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1999. 230 p.
PDF file:   Download