In these reflections, I have focused on philosophical issues concerning the insight that we have always been cyborgs. Technology has always been a part of us, and this applies to the emerging technologies, too. The judgements ‘Nature = good’, and ‘Technology = evil’ are part of a traditional dualistic mindset which is no longer plausible and which has many dangerous implications. This does not mean that there are no dangers connected to emerging technologies. The more efficient a technology is, the better the advantages, but also the greater the risks. These can be terrible, given inappropriate political circumstances.

I regard the implementation of a new type of paternalism as highly dangerous. A relational ethics has such paternalistic implications. With an awareness of the terrible paternalistic structures of the German ‘Third Reich’, I am convinced that everything must be done to avoid the occurrence of such frightening paternalistic political structures. Relational ethical approaches have such dangerous implications. I regard individual personal freedom as a wonderful achievement which must not be undermined.

There are critical posthumanist approaches which argue that it would be best if humans died out. There are other such approaches which demand that human existence on Earth must be regulated such that the relational complex of the Earth lives in an appropriately attuned order. This, however, demands that eugenic practices need to be implemented. We would need to forbid people to procreate other people. This undermines the wonderful achievement of negative freedom for which we have fought on various levels during the Enlightenment process. Scientists, intellectuals, as well as the wider public have fought for their rights to live in accordance with their idiosyncratic wishes, longings, and desires, and I regard plurality and negative freedom as wonderful achievements; I am happy that this insight is widely shared today. If you start from this insight, however, then it can be more problematic to deal with some global challenges like climate change.

Instead of the demand to introduce new eugenic laws concerning procreation or to get rid of human beings or to return to a natural world before the time during which evil technologies destroyed our harmonious relationship with nature, we desperately need to focus on technological solutions for the various issues which can be associated with climate change, for example in vitro meat; roofs made of solar panels;