Dive into the insights of Dr. Natasha Vita-More, a leading figure in transhumanism, as she navigates the landscape of relationships between humans and technology. In this exclusive interview for Symbiotic Futures, Natasha unpacks the challenges posed by confirmation bias while underscoring neuroplasticity as a solution.

Symbiotic Futures recently connected with Natasha at Transvision Utrecht 2024, a conference on transhumanism, which is movement that advocates for the enhancement of humans through technological advancements. There she called for a need to increase neuroplasticity to overcome biases, which disable effective communication and debate. Natasha’s research also looks at innovations that aid “healthy longevity,” alongside advancements in biomedical technologies.

Venya Patel: What ethical considerations should be considered when fostering symbiotic relationships between humans and technology?
Natasha Vita-More: In my view, which may or may not be shared by all transhumanists, there are numerous considerations. Privacy and personal data security is primary in protecting our individuality as persons. A symbiotic relation must enhance this individuality and not diminish it and it must also be available to everyone, not just a few who can afford it. This is paramount because protecting a person’s rights and personhood ought to be a priority. There is also an important consideration of accountability of the framework by which this symbiotic relationship exists and that it is liable for any screw-ups or destruction of a person’s well-being. In that well-being is a key word here, the symbiosis must, again, be an enhancement not a destructive manipulation. In this, bias mitigation is crucial. Further, because the world is diverse and societies and cultures vary, a respect for diversity overrides a utilitarian shadow that could force people into silos or tribes that are uncomfortable for them. To help bring this about, we turn to the issue of cognitive bias and the need to gain the foresight to learn what changes might occur in the near and far future and to be flexible enough to adapt while protecting well-being. Here critical thinking is an optimal skill.

Venya Patel: Can you elaborate on how confirmation bias poses a challenge to the goals of transhumanism?
Natasha Vita-More: Cognitive bias tends to favour information that confirms the beliefs of group or person. Having our beliefs confirmed fosters a sense of success, atonement, or even happiness. Because transhumanism is a worldview that challenges many traditional beliefs that provide a social currency to society, people often react emotionally to their fear of change. A natural reaction to change is fear because our brains are wired to find peace in keeping things as they are. Change also means that we have to face an unknown situation our outcome that we cannot anticipate and that could put us at risk. Another factor is that change means work—we will have to l earn new things and that takes us out of our comfort zone. To advert the fear of change and to feel confident in our traditional or known patterns and beliefs, we create stories that rebuff the change and stave it off. This is an example of cognitive bias. The challenge to the goals of transhumanism is that when people create stories they are more likely to be exaggerations and mythic in scope rather than logical and true. These stores are often caused by anxiety by those who view the world as dangerous. Others cleverly establishes hypotheses to prove change as wrong. For example, rather than seeing the large diversity among transhumanist worldwide, anti-transhumanists might claim that transhumanism is all white men, that they are rich elitists, horrible capitalists, want technology for themselves, can afford to live longer, and so on. The myths about change all of a sudden surface in the minds and people feel a need to protect themselves by making transhumanism the bad guy of change. These stores ignore the real goals of transhumanism that aim to do good in the world and for all people to aspire for a better life. As an example, most societies throughout the world accept disease, suffering, poverty, and unhappiness as natural human conditions. Transhumanism views these as negative conditions that are ultimately unacceptable and that suffering, in all its forms, can be overcome through innate human determination and the use of innovative methods and tools.

Venya Patel: How does neuroplasticity factor into addressing challenges associated with confirmation bias?
Natasha Vita-More: The brain is a complex organ that is responsible for many functions, including emotions, thinking, and problem-solving. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change and adapt to new types of experiences. This is a very important process but also one that takes effort—like building our mental muscle, and because we can change the way we think, out emotion responses to stimuli, and learn how to learn new skills to solve problems as they arise. How this can be a factor in adverting cognitive bias against transhumanism, but people have to want to be better thinkers and to develop skills that can help them learn how to understand and adapt to change, and also to determine for themselves if they want to change and, if so, how to change.

Venya Patel: Can you provide examples into how neuroplasticity might contribute to more open-minded and adaptive perspectives in discussions about the future of humanity?
Natasha Vita-More: Most people relish and learn from having a bit of insight about ourselves, others, and the world we live in. The tools that society has had to learn to communicate as well has helped us to adapt. There is much to say about the self-help eras of Ancient Wisdom’s Stoicism, the modern ways to influence of the Carnegie Era, and of the estimated 15,000 self-help computer apps of today. Consider the Internet, which as originally a dial-up modem connection to the telephone line that has become a digital community of about 5.35 billion people. All these theories, practices, and communication methods have helped social neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the biological foundation that enables people to be open-mindedness and adapt to change. The future of humanity is an abstract concept unless we engage it as necessary to our lives. Each moment after the previous moment takes place in the future. If we put these moments together, hundreds of them, they form a little over an hour. Hours make up days and years. People often say, the years have gone by quickly, as if they are taken by surprise and ended up not exactly where they thought they might be. When this happens, we tend to reflect on the past and wonder how our future came about. For transhumanism, a core value is the ability to think about the future in preparing for how each person would like to live, what they would like to accomplish, where they see themselves in 5 to 10 years, how social, economic and political structure could affect their goals, what might technological advances could come about, and how they can live healthy, safe lives. This is called thinking like a futurist. Some examples of how to bring this about include observing what is occurring in the world and what new innovations are affect communication and transportation, what new styles are developing, and what mainstream issues and concerns get the most attention and what is being done about them. Consider what has occurred over the past decade and how that has changed, and then consider what is on the horizon that could cause new changes to come about. Most of us do this with planning our finances. We also need to plan our future so that when 5 to 10 years pass, we don’t wonder how they passed us so quickly but we do think about how we planned ahead and prepared to adapt to any unintended consequences or hiccups along the way.

Venya Patel: Are there specific technologies that leverage neuroplasticity to promote cognitive flexibility or counter confirmation bias?
Natasha Vita-More: There are some brain games, apps, and VR simulations, including neurofeedback methods, which can help develop neuroplasticity. Some are effective, others might not be. However, the most effective technology to promote cognitive flexibility is exercising our own brains!

Venya Patel: How can individuals actively work on enhancing their neuroplasticity, and do you see this as a widespread approach to addressing cognitive biases?
Natasha Vita-More: The more we use it and feed it with information the more it will develop new ways of thinking and doing things. This is the action of creating new neural pathways. For example, consider what you do when you wake up each morning. Let’s say you reset the alarm a few times before you finally get up, then you quickly dress and head for work. Perhaps you would like to create a healthier morning routine. So, you practice waking up when the alarm first goes off, making the bed, getting dressed, taking 10 minutes to meditate or reflect on your goals for the day, eating protein along with your morning drink, and heading out for work. If you practice doing this routine, it will start to develop patterns in the brain and eventually build new neuro pathways that become habits.

Venya Patel: How can the transhumanist community ensure responsible and ethical applications of neuroplasticity-related technologies?
Natasha Vita-More: There is no absolute one way to ensure responsible and ethical application of any technology; not in biomedical surgeries, transportations systems, or any other technological or non-artificial system. The world is a complex system that is continually changing, and humanity is part of this system. As part of this system, all human-made products, including social, political, and economic frameworks are affected by the ebb and flow of the changes around us. However, humanity can take preventative actions to do our best for beneficial and integrous outcomes. Transhumanism advocates for ethical use of technology. How this comes about is based on the governance of where the technology is used. Different countries have different governing bodies and there are legal issues that must be addressed. The concern that is most commonly shared among peoples is one of the ethical use of technology. Transhumanists do advocate for ethical use of biomedical technologies and have an active voice in the technology arena. The best way we can facilitate the responsible and ethical use of different methods to help build neuroplasticity is to help educate others to first take responsibility for themselves and then to help others take responsibility for their communities. An active voice has depth and breadth. Transhumanists hold conference, hold academic roles, chair discussions and debates, and provide books and articles on the responsibility of progress to protect rather than to just prosper. Since transhumanists value healthy, long lives and being informed about technological advance, it would be entirely out of step to not pay attention to the safety of any technology, especially one that directly affects our most previous organ—the brain!