The Return of the Enhanced to Ordinariness

Laozi describes the sage as returning to ordinariness: enhanced capability that doesn't announce itself, wisdom that appears simple. Applied to biotech, this principle warns against enhancements that create obvious difference, dependency, or spectacle. The most successful enhancement may be invisible—modifications so well-integrated that the enhanced person appears ordinarily human while functioning with extraordinary capability. This contrasts with enhancement pursued for status or visibility. A cognitive enhancement that allows brilliant thought without requiring external devices surpasses one requiring constant technological apparatus, not merely for convenience but for philosophical authenticity. This principle suggests that post-human shouldn't mean obviously different from human but rather human returned to full potential. The enhanced individual who flows through the world without friction, requiring no special accommodation, who seems naturally capable rather than technologically augmented—this embodies Taoist enhancement. It requires moving beyond enhancement-as-spectacle toward enhancement-as-seamless-integration. The goal is enhanced ordinariness: the person whose superior capability appears as natural presence rather than technological accumulation.