Abolitionism is a bioethical school and movement which proposes the use of biotechnology to maximize happiness and minimize suffering while working towards the abolition of involuntary suffering.^[1] “Abolition” is used for the name of this movement, in the context of “the abolition of suffering". This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The structure of insulin Biotechnology is technology based on biology, especially when used in agriculture, food science, and medicine. ... For other uses, see Happiness (disambiguation). ... Suffering is any aversive (not necessarily unwanted) experience and the corresponding negative emotion. ... Abolition is the act of formally destroying something through legal means, either by making it illegal, or simply no longer allowing it to exist in any form. ...

The Abolitionist Society is a non-profit foundation and forum, founded in 2002, dedicated to the advancement of this philosophy.

Philosophy

In this context, Abolitionism (not to be confused with the anti-slavery movement of the same name) is inspired by Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarian ethic, ^[2] but goes a step further in that it is more principally inspired by the tenets of negative utilitarianism.^[3]Some Abolitionists consider the elimination of genetic discrimination to be a vital component of Abolitionism in the larger sense : eliminating all involuntary sentient suffering, which is believed to stem from Darwinian design. Most abolitionists would be classified as negative utilitarian, believing that suffering of any kind, no matter how small, should be prevented. ^[4] Philosopher David Pearce’s abolitionist manifesto, “The Hedonistic Imperative”, serves as both an inspiration for the group’s theories and as a demonstration of how the world can convert Abolitionist philosophy into reality. This English poster depicting the horrific conditions on slave ships was influential in mobilizing public opinion against slavery. ... Jeremy Bentham (IPA: or ) (February 15, 1748 O.S. (February 26, 1748 N.S.) – June 6, 1832) was an English jurist, philosopher, and legal and social reformer. ... This article discusses utilitarian ethical theory. ... This article discusses utilitarian ethical theory. ... David Pearce is a British philosopher who promotes the abolition of suffering in all sentient life. ...

To many people surveyed, achieving the highest level of happiness possible is the most important aspect and primary goal of their lives.^[5] Many people think that money or love will make them happier, but this has not been found to be the case in scientific studies.^[6][7] Happiness exists, but sometimes not for long, and people experience negative consequences from emotions and events to a greater extent than they experience the opposite effect from positive emotions — it is easy to make someone unhappy and much less easy to make that person happy again.^[8] Humans have been found in studies to achieve a “baseline happiness,”^[9] sometimes called the hedonic treadmill, a pre-determined happiness level that a person will return to throughout their entire lives no matter what happens to him or her, regardless of income^[10], and regardless of the occurrence of events that most people theorize would make a person permanently happy or permanently sad, such as a lottery win or the death of a close relative. For other uses, see Happiness (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Money (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Love (disambiguation). ... Brickman and Campbell coined the term Hedonic Treadmill in their essay Hedonic Relativism and Planning the Good Society (1971), which appeared in M.H. Apley, ed. ...

According to evolutionary theory, humans evolved through natural selection and follow genetic imperatives which seek to maximize reproduction^[11], not happiness. As a result of these selection pressures, the extent of human happiness is limited biologically. Through advanced scientific research, especially in the fields of neuroscience, biotechnology, nanotechnology, genetic engineering, and psychopharmacology, Pearce theorizes in his manifesto that humans can overcome their genetic propensity for depression and suffering. Abolitionists see depression as a physical, not mental, deficiency, that can therefore be solved just as anesthesia can prevent pain and just as medication can often make one feel better or worse. A depressed person can usually make themselves feel better only by attacking the physical root of the depression, by taking an antidepressant that changes serotonin re-uptake levels in the brain. By similarly re-engineering the brain, humans can become a new kind of being which experiences primarily happiness rather than a longing to reproduce. Some imagine that this could be accomplished through not only technology already in the pipeline, such as genetic engineering, but techniques that have not yet been realized such as mind uploading. This article is about biological evolution. ... For other uses, see Reproduction (disambiguation) Reproduction is the biological process by which new individual organisms are produced. ... For other uses, see Happiness (disambiguation). ... A scientific method or process is considered fundamental to the scientific investigation and acquisition of new knowledge based upon physical evidence. ... Drawing of the cells in the chicken cerebellum by S. Ramón y Cajal Neuroscience is a field that is devoted to the scientific study of the nervous system. ... The structure of insulin Biotechnology is technology based on biology, especially when used in agriculture, food science, and medicine. ... Buckminsterfullerene C60, also known as the buckyball, is the simplest of the carbon structures known as fullerenes. ... Kenyans examining insect-resistant transgenic Bt corn. ... Psychopharmacology is the study of the effects of any psychoactive drug that acts upon the mind by affecting brain chemistry. ... On the Threshold of Eternity. ... Anesthesia or anaesthesia (see spelling differences) has traditionally meant the condition of having the perception of pain and other sensations blocked. ... A recent form of antidepressant medication - Prozac Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, Venlafaxine An antidepressant, in the most common usage, is a psychiatric medication taken to alleviate clinical depression or dysthymia (milder depression). ... By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space. ... In transhumanism and science fiction, mind uploading (also occasionally referred to by other terms such as mind downloading, mind transfer, whole brain emulation, whole body emulation, or electronic transcendence) refers to the hypothetical transfer of a human mind to an artificial substrate, such as a computer simulation. ...

Abolitionists promote the idea that emotions have a physically manipulable, not spiritual, source - and that therefore we have the ability to fundamentally change the way that humans' brains operate and the way that humans experience life.^[12] Abolitionists believe that where biological evolution has failed to create happiness for all people, technology can take over and eventually create a new type of posthuman which feels only happiness and never suffers involuntarily while retaining and enhancing observable functionality. The Abolitionist Society is dedicated to bringing this idea to fruition. Posthuman can have the following meanings: Posthuman (critical theory), a postmodern critique of human as a concept. ...

Scientific advancements

It is believed that the goals of the Abolitionist Society may be accomplished through scientific research. Recently, laboratory breakthroughs have bolstered the group's ideas by reinforcing the idea that happiness is physically-based and can be influenced through scientific methods. For example : a recent study found that when a certain gene affecting serotonin levels was removed from the brains of mice, the rodents became happy no matter their circumstances and no matter how depressed they would normally be.^[13]

Guy Debonnel and his colleagues at McGill University conducted the research^[14], which proved for the first time in a laboratory setting that depression could be entirely eliminated in an animal through gene manipulation. McGill University is a publicly funded, co-educational research university located in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ...

An important discovery that boosts the case for the potential to abolish suffering is the example of deep brain stimulation of the brain's pleasure centers. The direct electrical stimulation does not create tolerance proving that their is a potential to overcome the brain's anhedonic homeostatic mechanisms. Pacemaker-type neurostimulators have been proven to reliably increase subjective happiness without causing detriments to functionality : these interventions have proven to actually increase various cognitive and social aspects of human functionality. In neurotechnology, deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical treatment involving the implantation of a medical device called a brain pacemaker, which sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain. ...

Neuroscientist R.J. Davidson has developed reliable means to objectively quantify subjective affective status using fMRI and EEG - demonstrating that happiness can be measured. Davidson's technological innovations also provide a more accurate means of assessing happiness than that provided by subjective questionnaires.

Abolitionism

The term “abolitionism,” used to describe the use of biotechnology to eliminate suffering, was first proposed by Lewis Mancini in 1986, in his articles for Medical Hypotheses Journal. Abolitionism is the use of science to maximize happiness and minimize suffering — not just in humans but in all sentient life. It is a philosophy inspired by utilitarian ethics: if happiness equals value, then the elimination of suffering or 'maximization of value' should be the prime objective of the human race.

Abolitionism makes no distinction among sentient creatures— all are deemed worthy of being saved from suffering by biotechnological intervention.

An ethical system that is similar to Transhumanism, Abolitionism deliberately defines it's rationale and method of determining value according to a prime ethical directive with a focus on eliminating involuntary suffering, whereas Transhumanism promotes a collection of values including the well being of all sentient beings without addressing the question of whether or not involuntary suffering should eventually be eliminated. Posthuman Future, an illustration by Michael Gibbs for The Chronicle of Higher Educations look at how biotechnology will change the human experience, has become one of the secular icons representing transhumanism. ...

Founders

David Pearce, author of ‘’The Hedonistic Imperative’’ and honorary president, founded the group with Pablo Stafforini, Sean Henderson, and Jaime Savage. The Abolitionist Society now serves as the focal point and prime community for this movement and philosophy. Pearce maintains a network of related websites on the abolitionist movement and associated subjects.^[15] The Abolitionist Society exists as a forum and ongoing initiative to critically evaluate and apply the ideals of Abolitionism through means of a nonprofit foundation. David Pearce is a British philosopher who promotes the abolition of suffering in all sentient life. ...

Activities

Primarily the Abolitionist Society focuses on promoting discussion and debate through the society's website forums as well as in other prominent and related forums. Designing websites which serve to educate as well as gain critical attention for the movement are also integral to the society's mission.^[16] Other initiatives include collaborating with prominent thinkers in the field of ethics and philosophy to spread the Abolitionist meme as well as conducting interviews with various thinkers and activists. Many discussions with various leaders in the related fields of philosophy and ethics are undertaken covertly. The director of the society engages in open debate with any interested parties that would like to challenge the soundness of the Abolitionist directive.^[17]

Quotes

Technofantasy? Quite possibly. Perhaps we'll opt to conserve the nasty side of life for ever. But if you think minimising suffering is a good idea – and bioscience holds the answers – then web-based campaigning to win hearts and minds is a rational strategy.

– David Pearce

Pain is simply information, suffering is a poor adaptation to pain. - Sean Henderson

Literature relating to the abolitionist project

• Responses to commonly raised objections about the abolitionist project
• The Hedonistic Imperative
• Buddhism and Abolitionism
• Critique of Huxley's Brave New World
• Utopian Surgery: Early Arguments Against Anaesthesia in Surgery, Dentistry and Childbirth
• Utopian Pharmacology: Mental Health in the Third Millennium, MDMA and Beyond
• Would You Be Happier If You Were Richer? (pdf)

References

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External links

• Abolitionist Society Forum
• Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University