Non-vestigialism

Non-vestigialism is a cultural movement among some segments of the Evermornan Cobalt Protectorate society. The non-vestigial philosophy is counter-cultural in the sense that it seems to run contrary to the transhuman philosophy somewhat more prevalent among urban Evermornans who have more control over the cultural institutions.
In contrast to the belief among transhumanists that humans should seek to biomechanically engineer themselves to a greater perfection beyond the limits of natural biology, non-vestigialists believe that humans should attempt to use their knowledge of biology to reactivate useful natural features lost over the long course of evolution. For example, non-vestigials have been a driving force behind research into gene therapy that would allow space colonists to produce the enzymes required to create endogenous vitamin C (lost as a result of the unknown human ancestors' frugivorous diet) and use the appendix to help better process cellulose-rich foods. Where gene edits are not as feasible given the current state of technology, cybernetic augmentation may also be used to gain other 'lost' features such as prehensile tails and feet. Non-vestigials also spearhead the search for the ancestry of modern humans and, by extension, the search for the original home world of humanity.

Ethics

In Ancestral Patronist thought, tranhumanist and non-vestigial philosophies represent equal, but necessary, antipodes with respect to Wurth Harkin's ethos as an Elder Patron. Harkin emphasized that humanity should constantly seek to improve itself, hone its knowledge, and produce ever-greated works of art and craftsmanship as a sign of respect for the gift of sentience, but he also believed that the greatest artifice was the one that was so complex and true to life that it was indistinguishable from, and gave respect to, nature itself.