From our book, Vivantonomy: A Trans-Humanist Phenomenology of the Self

~ Kevin Boileau

First, we must dismiss the notion that humans are better, of more worth, or higher on a value scale.  We must substitute it with a new axiom of ontological parity.

Second, we must agree that in principle that most of us have little knowledge about the whole: about how all beings, processes, and structures work together in an ecosystem.  We substitute it with a new axiom of rigorous inquiry.

Third, we must accept a new Archimedean point.   We cannot pretend to be at the center of the universe or the planet earth.  This means that we must render an accounting of all life forms, including ours, holding that all living beings have equal interests and rights.  We must, therefore, have an axiom that recognizes we play a part in the whole but are not the whole, and that we must mediate and weigh our interests relative to those of other life forms.

Fourth, we must recognize that all life forms come from the same source.  This leads us to the reconstituted notion of solidarity.  This is a trans-human notion that includes the human equally with all other life forms.

Fifth, we must acknowledge and accept a new depth and breadth of our responsibility to others, including humans, other sentient life forms, additional life forms, and the environment in general.

Sixth, we must work diligently to formulate and articulate a new philosophical anthropology for human beings.  This means we must strive for new meaning and understanding of the world and our place within it.  This is neither the autonomous subject nor the heteronomous subject but it is a new human.  This re-formulates the reality principle.