Introduction: Metahuman Futures Forum and Ontological Therapies

Abstract

This special issue is dedicated to the 1st Metahuman Futures Forum held in Lesvos on 1-2 October
2022, as part of the Bodynet-Khorós project co-funded by the European Union3 and contains part
of the theoretical research of the project. The issue comprises a collection of seven papers, a book
review, and the Metahuman Futures Manifesto, all of which contribute to the understanding of
metahumanism and its relationship with posthumanism and transhumanism in the age of planetary
holocaust.
In ‘Misunderstandings around Posthumanism. Lost in Translation?’ Evi Sampaniakou investigates
the articles of the Metahuman Futures Manifesto, which was deliberated in Lesvos and subsequently
approved by the forum’s assembly with minor modifications. Philipp Wolf’s article, ‘Antinatalism,
Hannah Arendt’s Natality and a Matahuman vita contemplativa’ focuses on antinatalism, examining
its implications. In ‘Animals: Who Gave You the Right to Experiment with My Body?,’ Ioanna -
Maria Stamati tackles the subject of animal rights in relation to the emerging industry of growing
organs for exotransplantation. The issue also includes two papers that delve into aesthetic
considerations. While Nikolitsa Gourgouli’s ‘Mutation in human nature and immortality’ explores
the figure of the doll as a trope for challenging the human form, Ipek Kuran’s ‘The Dynamics of
Posthuman Architecture’ investigates means of revirtualizing the actual through posthuman
architecture. Both present offer thought-provoking insights. Moreover, Yunus Tuncel’s
commentary engages with the provocation paper published by Jaime del Val (2022), titled ‘TrashHuman Unhancement and Planetary Health’, in an earlier issue of the Journal of Posthumanism. In
this excellent selection of works, we have also included a book review in Spanish. Victoria Mateos
de Manuel’s review of El desencanto del Progreso. Para unacríticaluddita de la tecnología by Andoni Alonso
and Iñaki Arzoz. Overall, this special issue provides a diverse range of scholarly contributions that
critically engage with the concepts and discussions raised during the Metahuman Futures Forum