Justice De Thézier

Infobox Person
birth_date = birth date|1975|4|20|mf=y
birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada
death_date =
death_place =
occupation = Social entrepreneur, creative professional

Justice De Thézier (born 20 April 1975) is a Canadian social entrepreneur and creative professional.cite paper| author = Tessier, Mario| title = Les transhumanistes québécois| date = 2007 | url = http://www.revue-solaris.com/numero/2007/161.htm| accessdate=2007-02-16]

The son of Haitian immigrants, De Thézier was born and grew up in Montreal. A progressive primarily concerned with creating awareness of community perspectives on the asserted right to "human enablement",cite paper| author = Hughes, James| title = Community perspectives on the right to human enhancement| url = http://transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/perspectives/| date= 2002 |accessdate=2007-02-10] he sought to promote a middle ground between technorealism and techno-utopianism known as "democratic transhumanism" through discussion, education, and art. At the time, De Thézier's advocacy for social change was summarized in the following argument:

What people really want to know is whether "human enhancement" is only going to benefit the Donald Trumps of the world [the rich and powerful] . This legitimate concern is the reason why progressives need to understand and explain the importance of a transparent government not only funding the research and development of "enhancement" technologies but also guaranteeing all citizens safe, universal and voluntary access through a modernized health care system. Rather than banning these technologies for fear that they might increase social inequalities, they should be seen as tools for the poor and disadvantaged to gain not only better health but social mobility.

From November 2005 to March 2007, De Thézier contributed to the "Cyborg Democracy" web portal and blog. [cite web |url=http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/cybdem/blogger.html |title=Cyborg Democracy |accessdate=2007-02-10] In 2003, De Thézier founded the Quebec Transhumanist Association, an activist and artistic collective devoted to the promotion of transhumanism in Quebec, which he closed down in January 2008. From January 2006 to January 2008, De Thézier served on the board of directors of the World Transhumanist Association, an international non-governmental organization which advocates the ethical use of emerging technologies that expand human capacities.

On 1 January 2008, Justice De Thézier publicly renounced his adherence to the transhumanist ideology and movement.cite paper| author = De Thezier, Justice| title = My New Year's Resolution: Quit Transhumanism| date = 2008 | url = http://theatretranshumain.blogspot.com/2008/02/de-theziers-new-years-resolution-quit.html| accessdate=2008-02-16] cite paper| author = Prémont, Charles| title = DOC.THEATRE prépare une pièce de théâtre sur le transhumanisme| date = 2008 | url = http://www.lienmultimedia.com/article.php3?id_article=15707&var_recherche=transhumanisme| accessdate=2008-05-21] As his driving justification, he cited what he considers to be the three minimum constituents (or "flaws") without which transhumanism would not be what it is:

# An undercritical support for technology in general and fringe science in particular;
# A distortive "us vs. them" tribe-like mentality and identity; and
# A vulnerability to unrealistic utopian and dystopian "future hype".

References

External links

Writings
* [http://transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/more/496/ "Qu'est ce que le transhumanisme… québécois?"] An introduction to Quebecer transhumanism in both French and English
* [http://www.transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/more/a-guide-to-hosting-your-own-transhumanist-arts-center/ "A guide to hosting your own transhumanist arts center"]
* [http://www.transhumanism.org/index.php/th/more/983/ "Deliver us from Rael"]
* [http://www.transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/more/the-ubermensch-the-superman-and-the-posthuman/ "The Ubermensch, the Superman and the Posthuman"]
* [http://www.transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/more/extreme-makeover-needed/ "Extreme Makeover Needed!"]
* [http://www.transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/more/are-transhumanists-cranks/ "Are transhumanists cranks?] "
* [http://theatretranshumain.blogspot.com/2008/02/de-theziers-new-years-resolution-quit.html "De Thezier's New Year's Resolution: Quit Transhumanism"]

News articles
* [http://www.montrealmirror.com Montreal Mirror: "Techno-Utopia: Cyborgs in the city"] : [http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/2004/070804/letters.html Montreal Mirror: "Transhumanist technicalities"] De Thézier's letter to the editor: [http://transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/more/677 "Justice De Thézier's critical analysis of his experience with the Montreal Mirror"]
* [http://www.ledevoir.com/2004/08/31/62750.html Le Devoir: "Un spectre hante notre siècle: le transhumanisme"] (French)
* [http://www.voir.ca/une.aspx?zone=1 Voir Montréal: "Les transhumanistes et les néo-luddites: Guerre philosophale"] (French): [http://transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/more/676/ "Une analyse critique par De Thézier de son expérience avec le journal VOIR"] (French)
* [http://transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/more/557/ BAHU: "L'Homme de Demain: La mouvance transhumaniste"] (French)
* [http://transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/more/581/ Métro: "Des progrès technologiques: Comment améliorer la condition humaine"] (French)
* [http://www.admiroutes.asso.fr/larevue/2006/74/transhumanisme.htm Automates Intelligents: "Entretien avec un transhumaniste"] (French)
* [http://www.transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/more/1263/ Solaris: "Les transhumanistes québécois"] (French)

TV appearances
* [http://www.ztele.com/emission/la_revanche_des_nerdz/frigo/entrevues/index.jsp?ref=20040824 La Revanche des NerdZ: "Pour le transhumanisme"] (French)

Radio appearances
* [http://cism2.cism.umontreal.ca/128/20070123.12.00-13.00.mp3 Regards croisés: "Le transhumanisme et l'homme du futur"] (French)