ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the intersection of automation, societal transformation, and human evolution in response to technological advancements. As automation rapidly progresses, society faces the prospect of a utopian post-work era characterised by abundance and leisure or a dystopian scenario marked by wealth disparity, human displacement, and social instability. Proponents of the post-work vision argue that, with the right policies, societies could transition away from traditional work models and offer individuals more meaningful lives enabled by technology, particularly AI. However, there remain questions pertaining to the impact of automation on personal and social value. Further matters of human value are opened by transhumanism, which advocates for human enhancement through technology. Transhumanists envision a future where merging with technology could enhance human capacities, allowing humanity to transcend biological limitations. Still, one must think more carefully about human dignity and purpose in a future increasingly mediated by technology and the values embedded within these transformations. Again, the crossroads are between efficiency and optimisation versus diversity and a kind of wastefulness – whether anything that theoretically can be achieved also ought to be achieved.
