FROM THE PUBLISHER,
PROMETHEUS BOOKS, NEW YORK

“Son of the pioneering English cybernetician and author, J. F. Young ( 1929-94), whose seminal  books  included  Cybernetics (1969), Robotics (1973), and Cybernetic Engineering (1973) , Simon Young is an accomplished pianist and composer who has performed across Europe . This unusual combination of influences, musical romanticism and scientific rationality, informs his Transhumanist philosophy – the passionate belief in striving to transcend human limitations through reason, science and technology.”

FROM THE AUTHOR,
SIMON YOUNG

The term ‘transhumanism' was coined in 1957 by the English biologist-philosopher Julian Huxley, as a synonym for his philosophy of ‘evolutionary humanism'. I first came across Huxley's philosophy in 1984, in a copy of the book Beyond The Outsider (1965) by the English philosopher Colin Wilson, that I discovered in my father's study. I immediately adopted the term transhumanism in my private journals, and decided to use it as a starting point for the development of a modern philosophy suitable for the 21 st century (I was thinking ahead!).

I developed my philosophical system gradually and methodically over some 20 years, while supporting myself as a piano player in the hotels and piano bars of London and Europe (the term ‘Designer Evolution', for instance, occurred to me while playing Jerome Kern/Fred Astaire's ‘Pick Yourself Up', at The Ritz).

The result of twenty years work is a comprehensive philosophical system spanning thousands of pages, based on the original concept of Transhumanism as ‘evolutionary humanism', which I've condensed as best I can into the 417 pages of my book, Designer Evolution: A Transhumanist Manifesto.

Together with the ‘technoromantic' Piano Concerto that accompanies it (itself the product of some 5 years work), I consider the book a good summation of my philosophy as a human being of 42 years experience on planet earth at this point in human history.

So let me spell out my absolute conviction: Transhumanism is not just the ‘Big Idea' of the 21st century, but the biggest idea in the whole of human history – ever! And in terms of public awareness, it's going to get bigger with each passing year.

Why? Because what could be bigger than the idea of taking control of our own evolution in an effort to transcend the limitations of the human condition? What could be more inevitable, given the continuing rate of advances in Superbiology (biotechnology and genetics)? And what could be more welcome, given the existence of the Will to Evolve - the innate human drive to enhance our condition, in the natural desire to be the best we can be.

The Will to Evolve will never be extinguished, for man is an evolutionary animal. So let us cast away cowardice and seize the torch of Prometheus with both hands.

Simon Young, 2006

CONTACT THE AUTHOR:  info@designerevolution.net
AUTHORS WEBLOG:        thetranshumanist.blogspot.com
ORGANIZATION:                 worldtranshumanistsociety.com
MAGAZINE:                          thetranshumanist.net