Among Other Things, a Theological Solution to the Fermi Paradox

Abstract

This essay addresses a serious question in theistic bioethics—what those of faith ought to make of transhumanism. In it, I argue for two theses: (1) Humanity—having slain Pestilence, War, and Famine—will slay Death as well. (In other words, the transhumanists are descriptively right.) (2) It is not death that really torments us. (In other words, the transhumanists are normatively wrong.) In doing so, I’ll suggest a theological solution to the Fermi Paradox: maybe we have not encountered any other technological civilizations because, while intelligent animals are fairly common in our galaxy, none of the others are driven by the restlessness that would drive us to sail the stars. In other words, maybe none of the others are fallen.