ABSTRACT
The proliferation of terms used to talk about the near human future has not been matched by a growing precision in their use. This has led to a human identity crisis. The origins and politics of some key terms (human, Homo sapiens sapiens, posthuman, transhuman, robot, drone, and cyborg) and how these factors impact their usefulness are discussed and critiqued. Evolutionary biology is the starting place for a clear criterion for choosing our terminology. Biological categories not only are based on scientific principles, but also highlight the importance, and political power, of evolutionary thinking. Science fiction offers some examples of how we might name the evolutionary descendants of today’s humans as well. Finally, a new term, post-sapiens, is proposed and its value in understanding the transition from natural and artificial selection to participatory selection driving the evolution of humans is highlighted. The key issue is agency. Will we govern our own evolution, or is it something that will be done to us?
