Techne and Teleios: A Christian Perspective on the Incarnation and Human Enhancement Technology

Abstract

Does the idea of human enhancement presuppose a goal or an ideal to direct technological modifications? In the absence of such an agreed ideal in today’s culture, can Christian theology help clarify the goal or the meaning of “perfection” when applied to human beings? A theological perspective rooted in scripture and in the writings of theologians such as Irenaeus, Athanasius, and Gregory of Nyssa suggests that theology instead of offering its own definition of the human ideal, theology rejects the possibility of any defined human goal. An analysis of the biblical word teleios (“mature” or “perfect”), along with Gregory’s view of infinite ascent, leads to the conclusion that the human goal is found in relationship to the triune God and not in any anthropologically-definable status.

Theological meaning of technology

“…If the modern project is not at all an account of human perfection; for perfection in modernity seems to have been replaced by the notion of human progress, Christianity with its emphasis not only on the imago Dei but also on the incarnation should be able to define human perfection, at least for Christians who wish to give technology a theological meaning. On the other hand, human "enhancement" technology without a specific purpose is existentially incoherent (Cole-Turner, 2022).…”