

Utopian and dystopian visions of technologically manipulated and enhanced human beings have always been central characteristics of science fiction film and literature. Sometimes celebrated, sometimes feared, these depictions have articulated anxieties of the day and tackled philosophical, ethical and social questions about possible futures. Can we look to science fiction as a guide to navigating the challenges posed by human enhancement technologies? How has this literary and cinematic genre prefigured and imagined some of the questions we may have to face?

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Caroline Edwards (@the_blochian) is a Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Literature at Birkbeck, University of London and Director of the MA in Contemporary Literature and Culture.

Adam Roberts (@arrroberts) is Professor of Nineteenth Century Literature at Royal Holloway, University of London and the author of twelve science fiction novels including Bête.

Anders Sandberg (@anderssandberg) is James Martin Research Fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at the University of Oxford.

Imre Bard (@ibard) is a PhD student in Social Research Methods at LSE, working on the NERRI project.